Omusheshe!Many non Banyankore always ask me what the word Omusheshe means.

Omusheshe!

Many non Banyankore always ask me what the word Omusheshe means.

Omusheshe is a name of a tree known as Rhus Natalensis. The tree is a shrub that grows averagely three metres high but can go up to 8 Metres up.

Omusheshe tree has many branchlets with small compound leafs with a network venation and small seeds called obukanja edible when ripe. It has a greyish bark that turns whitish when old.

Omusheshe tree is a good source of firewood to Banyankore, it's freshly grown small branches make one of the finest toothbrushes of the world.

The dry wood from Omusheshe has a pleasant smoke when burnt. It is used to do "Okwitira" amate (the process of adding smoke to milk containers (ebyanzi, ebishabo, ebirere) to bring a pleasant smell onto milk).

Leaves are used to cure heartburn (ekyaata) juice made from pounding of it's leaves cures stomachache in humans, deworming (esp hook worms), diarrhea in both humans and livestock esp goats and cows.

Leaves, chewed raw cure cough.

The branches especially its bark is boiled to cure Stomach complications while the roots are boiled to treat flu.

If there's any other "Omusheshe" word that you heard about (disambiguation). Its not  Runyankore originating word.

#VisitAnkore