Indigenous plants and their medicinal value
Celebrate our plant heritage at Taalmonument!
The Afrikaans Language Museum and Monument (ATM) will be putting the spotlight on our plant heritage on SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 2026, with specific attention to its traditional and medicinal uses. This is thanks to renowned fynbos botanist Rupert Koopman and other experts who are presenting a unique, multilingual indigenous plant workshop to share the living heritage, oral traditions and indigenous knowledge systems of this with more people.
Koopman is an experienced field botanist with a particular interest in the Cape floral kingdom and the conservation of its unique plant diversity. His work includes documenting plant species and studying changes in their natural habitat. He also enjoys sharing his knowledge of fynbos, the names of plants and the stories that go with them with the wider public. During the workshop, he will focus on the fynbos of the Drakenstein region and particular plant species that only occur in limited areas.
The programme also offers an interesting combination of talks, demonstrations and practical experiences. Hilton Koul and Julia Draghoender will present a herbal talk and sensory session on herbs and their uses, while Hennah Flesch will discuss the origins and history of the Montagu Museum’s Medicinal Herb Garden and the uses of herbs. The Worcester-m Museum will also demonstrate how herbal ointments are made.
From 12:00 to 13:00, Koul will also take participants on a guided tour of the monument’s herb garden, where they will learn more about medicinal plants, including their botanical, indigenous and regional names, as well as their traditional uses.
Visitors can also browse and purchase products from various stalls between 10:00 and 14:00, including dried herbs, traditional breads, roosterkoek, fynbos syrup and soft drinks, plant syrups and honeybush products. The stalls are also accessible to the wider public, subject to the normal entrance fee to the site.
With this workshop, the ATM wants to promote awareness of our natural heritage and help ensure that knowledge about indigenous plants, their names, stories and traditional uses is passed on to future generations.
🎟️ + ℹ️ The workshop will take place on 24 October from 10:00 to 14:00 at the monument on Paarl Mountain. It costs only R300 per person, which includes entry to the monument as well as light refreshments. Places are limited, so please book before 23 October via kommunikasie@taalmuseum.co.za or 076 017 6026 (WhatsApp) or complete directly, after which a short online form must be completed here.
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The website also offers virtual tours of the monument and museum, information in multiple languages regarding the symbolism of the Taalmonument as well as many interesting articles on Afrikaans, multilingualism and the institution’s past, present and future. There are also numerous resources for school and research projects.
👉 Annual permits are available at only R120 for individuals or R220 per family – includes unlimited access to the ATM, bistro, walking trails and full moon picnics. Call 021 872 3441.