Honia-Heal Afrika Initiative (HAI)

Gĩtaũ wa Kũng’ũ writes ✍🏾

Last week I introduced Episode 1 of Thabai: The Stinging Healer with a story that led us to R. Iratĩ here’s the last part. You can read part one by clicking: https://wp.me/pfcMdY-4b
Being a mastermind comes with many benefits I tell you. The brown ‘born tao’ girl – Stecy offered to do my washing on condition that I would teach her how to swim…
“God comes like this…” I was all but smiles.

On those days we used to swim empty – yaani with our natural swimming costumes. But today, with the girls in attendance, and the whole day to ourselves that was out of order.

Which boy would prefer washing his clothes to get a relaxing swim first? My ihĩĩ squad surely didn’t just sit quietly by the river, waiting for instructions. What followed was a wild diving into the deeper part of the river for the pros.
And so, under my expert tutelage, I ensured Stecy didn’t gulp down Iratĩ water, much to the jealousy of the gang. They watched bitterly as I demonstrated the proper floating technique while she carefully followed along. Meanwhile, as we waited for the girls and clothes to dry after the splash fest, another brilliant idea brewed in my mind, a sugarcane raid. We needed something to eat – and impress the girls.
The plan was executed swiftly, but fate had its own designs. Just as we were savoring victory, our cover was blown. The enraged farmer – Mzee Irũngũ may he RIP, possibly a former sprinter, spotted us mid-harvest. What followed was a mad chase that turned Iratĩ river valley into an obstacle course of terror.
The escape had started with the promise of triumph, a sugarcane heist executed with precision. But the path of fate (or rather, poor route planning) had led us straight into the merciless embrace of thabai. 
For those unfamiliar with the power of this plant, let me teach you before you suffer firsthand. Thabai is not your ordinary weed. It is nature’s strict headmaster, serving instant punishment without negotiation or mercy. One brush against its serrated leaves, and it delivers a fiery sting, sending tiny, invisible needles into your skin like silent warriors.

Your body reacts immediately, tingling, burning, itching, as if you’ve offended some ancient botanical spirit. 

And there we were, running full speed into nature’s disciplinary committee in our desperate efforts to escape. Some of us tried to backpedal mid-air, realizing too late that the universe had conspired against us. Others fell flat into the nettle patch, their fate sealed in screams. I was lucky enough to land just at the edge, though “luck” is ironical when your legs feel like they’re wrapped in a thousand bee stings. 
As we finally emerged on the other side, scratching furiously like cursed hyenas, the sugarcane mission was forgotten. Our focus had shifted from avoiding angry mzee to finding relief from the unforgiving sting of thabai.

But here’s the irony:thabai, despite its cruelty, is also one of the most powerful medicinal plants in traditional knowledge. The same plant that punished us for our theft is, in fact, used to heal arthritis, cleanse the blood, and even boost immunity. Some elders even drink thabai tea, believing it strengthens the body against weakness. 

Medicinal Uses of Thabai (Stinging Nettle)
Despite its sting, thabai is a powerhouse of healing. It has been used for centuries in African, European, and Asian traditional medicine to treat various ailments:
🌿 Anti-inflammatory properties: Helps with arthritis and joint pain. Read more: http://bit.ly/42Y09Lb .
🌿Blood health: Boosts iron levels, making it a natural remedy for anemia. Read more: https://bit.ly/4k3bxvu .
🌿 Detoxification: Supports liver and kidney function. Read more: https://bit.ly/3ZiYvRQ
🌱Allergy relief: Reduces symptoms of hay fever and other allergies. Read More: https://bit.ly/4k3bxvu
🌿Skin and hair health: Promotes clear skin and stimulates hair growth. Read More: http://bit.ly/42Y09Lb
🌱Blood sugar regulation: Helps lower blood sugar levels, beneficial for managing diabetes. Read More: https://bit.ly/3ZiYvRQ
🌿Urinary health: Supports urinary tract health and may help with prostate issues Read More: https://bit.ly/4k3bxvu .

And so, that day became legendary not just for the sugarcane chase, but for the botanical justice served by thabai. We had planned for sweetness but ended with stings, proving that nature, much like life, has its own way of balancing the scales.