Namibian Myrrh

A short one this time, really an addendum to the Biblical Myrrha and getting a little bit more into the Egypt and Southern Africa connection. A botanical preface if you will. This topic is massive and looking more and more like a Book about Egypt & aBantu by now. Will try to make it into a shortened article in time. Now, we have looked at the Commiphora Africana (the real Biblical Myrrha) and its presence in the South-Eastern parts of Africa, particularly in areas of Limpopo, dry places of Mozambique, Malawi and all the way up to Kenya. Making strong claims for this being the Myrrha that was used to embalm Christs body. The Magi came from the East remember. Now keeping that in mind - let us go to the other side, toward the west of Southern Africa and look closer at the Namibian Myrrh. And in undertaking that journey, straight across and moving past the Negev (the South Desert according to our Bibles), the Egyptian connection to aBantu, that we have been claiming for years trying to make apparent, does become clear. Through this plant, the Myrrha and its different species, these ancient and historical countries become much more alive and their placements on the ancient maps start to form.

Commiphora Wildii or Namibian Myrrha in its natural habitat in the desert.

Now, the Namibian Myrrh, a very strong and sought after resin especially in our time and age. Is the very same medicine that was used in ancient Egypt as a solid perfume called Kyphi (spelled Kap-t or κυ̑φι in koine Greek) was a sacred incense burned in honour of Ra and Isis. And used in various embalming rituals. We talked about this in great detail in the previous article. But the lore does not keep only to Egypt, this plant was know throughout the ancient world. According to the Greeks, it was King Cyprus daughter that turned into this tree and the resin are her tears. She shed her tears as she had slept with her own father. She regretted and asked to gods to turn her into a tree. The resin are her tears they say. the Greeks had this in their medical books as well, not only the mythologies. In Pedanius Dioscorides De Materia Medica we see mimosa, the spiny plant used for wounds infections and analgesic. The Egyptian legends go even further as we know, and there are others both in ancient Persian (Mesopotamian) and Babylonian myths. Chinese medicine has notes from Li Xun and this plant brought from the Southern Seaboard Area (Likely the southern tip of Africa or Somalian coast). In Ayurveda there are notes that Myrrh treats inflammation, obesity and parasites. Lets stick to the Bible though. Then we have the 3 Magis, that came to give Christ the most precious Myrrha from the far East. One of them was called Balthazar (or Bithisarea) known as the Arabian King. Was the Myrrhs brought in from outside the continent OR is ancient Arabia closer to Somalia land? Depending on which way you look at the map, this could be describing the Ancient Far East, depending on where you are located.

Himba herders in traditional attire, in Kaokoland. wiki

The legends surrounding this plant are many, we do not have time here to imply all the historical connections AND maybe that is why this plant has so much history and symbolism. Because the plant does in fact heal people, across nations it heals. Its bitterness is turned to sweetness by fragrance. And its bitterness is how and why it can heal inside the body. Now please understand the importance of the fact - we have more then 37 species of Myrrha in Africa. We have the Commiphora Myrrha that is found mainly in Somalia and Arabian Peninsula, which is historically recognised as the Biblical Myrrha, which we strongly feel this is disingenuous. The thing is, 29 of these 37 different species of Myrrha, are from Namibia alone. Think about that for just a minute. 29 species, a central plant in ancient Egyptian customs and culture (especially lower Egypt), found within one country.

Namibian Myrrha

The Commiphora Wildii or Omumbiri myrrh, or plainly the Namibian Myrrh, is a rather recent discovery for its uses as a modern commercial condiment and mostly as a perfume. It is endemic and found in the heart of the kunene region in the North-West parts of Namibia (Kaokoveld).

Kaokoveldt in Namibia. Private image.

The plant cracks during the worst heat waves (from October to Early February). And it is harvested with bare hands by the women (and only women) of the Himba tribe. And the way it is harvested is, in starch contrast to other commercial farming methods, beautiful. The Himba, a tribe that has been made famous recently on account of their many customs, take only what is given them each year. So there is no real cultivation. No yield increase, no spraying, no cultivation, no machines, no market demands (yet anyways). The plant is there, has grown for hundreds even thousands of years. The Himba simply collect these resin drops among the many thorns, and they do it every year as a means to supplement their way of life. Which is based very much around cattle. The Himbas may be remains of a group of people that was called the Shasu in the Bible, but these needs way more research. They are certainly of Shem, we can say that much. The OvaHimba are of the original and traditional Herero (Damara) group, also classified as Bantu. Their language shows traits of ancient Hebrew (Tswana) and the correlations to the ancient Egyptian from the southern Kingdom (Pathros) located in the South of Africa.

Himba women making the precious mix of Myrrha and hematite. Glowing red skin. wiki

More on the Himbas, they use Myrrh mixed with cream from their cattle, and mixed with hematite (red stone). This cream is used on both body and hair every day, they swear by its healing properties. It repel insects and protects from the sun. Among Himba women this cream is a status symbol. Revered. Now the Himbas, are said to originate from the banks of the Nile. However they ended up in the North-west of Namibia somehow... The nomadic tribe of the Himbas, have been know to move around the southern African drylands with the seasons, largely being expelled from countries like Angola, until Namibia opened their door to them, and had them settle at the Kunene River, in Kaokoland. This is the official story, however, if the Himbas had any written history, there is a strong feeling that they would have a very different story to tell then them coming all the way down from Egypt in niorthern Africa. This is a prime example of a tribe, that has been hsaped by the land. and that, just like the growing of the Myrrha plant, takes thousands of years to perfect.

Why Myrrha can heal anything !

Now this Myrrha plant, is very rich in something called alpha-pinene and beta-pinene. Now bear with me in the categorical language here, becauyse these are called structural isomers of the TERPENE pinene. This is what gives it distinct aromatic and physological characters. How can soemthing so bitter, have such a sweet smell? If this is not SoNiNi showing off, I do not know what is what any longer. Some plants He just signs off a signature only He can. Now, getting into this, as scientifically as I can: The Alpha-Pinene has a sharp redsionous pine scent and gives energy, focus and opens up the airways. The Beta-Pinene offers a herbal aroma and gives relaxing properties, mood elevation and a plethora of anti-inflammatory benefits via the endo-cannabinoid system (a weed smoker can tell you a lot about the cannabinoid system, the Alpha-pinene helps to remedy and counter the damage done by THC as far as memory and anxiety). These two isomers is what gives the anti-microbial, antioxidant and nerve-protective properties. So the Alpha is found in such places pine trees, rosemary and turpentine, the Beta is found in spices such as dill, parsley and basil. So Alpha is vines and trees while Beta is herbs and earth. All in one plant.

The modern Hebrew word for Myrrh is mor (מֹר) and means bitter. In Sesotho Moreani is the use of a herb that heal, which has the MOR prefix. The bitterness preface if you will. And this is what the resin tastes like, very bitter. Across all legends it is associated with suffering, and the Greek term Smurna is used in the New Testament books, which is very close to a church likely to be in this area, which is Smyrna. Another piece of the Revelation puzzle of locating the Seven churches. More on that later. Singing off on Myrrha for a while, go out and get this herb or get the tree itself, it is a blessing from SoNiNi.

SoNiNi unathi