Bobab Tree History

853 Words2 Pages

“There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.” (baobab.hyms). This hymn is usually sung around the tree when they are need of healing or a cleansing. The Baobab is believed to have been around for thousands of years, and is the heart of the African continent. It’s said that the tree holds secrets, and is a very intelligent tree due to the fact that it “hears and sees” everything. This has helped the African tribes stay around for many years, but people are still wondering how did the Baobab become such an iconic figure to this country. The Baobab Tree has its own story just like we have ours. Its story begins with knowing its roots, story, and personal connection to Africa. Adansonia …show more content…

The creator grew the first Baobab next to a small lake, and the taller it grew until it started noticing the other trees. The tree noticed that some were tall and slender, some had brightly coloured flowers, and other others had large leaves. The Baobab looked into the lake and saw its reflection. It was so shocked and disgusted with itself because it saw a huge fat trunk covered in bark that looked like the wrinkled hide of an old elephant. It was so upset that it cried to the creator and asked “why’d you make me so ugly?” God was becoming annoyed with the Baobab because he constantly complained, so God silenced the Baobab forever. He came down and snatched it out the ground and replanted it upside down. The Baobab couldn’t see its reflection or complain anymore. Since then, the tree has been working in silence, and paying for its mistake in the past by being the most useful and helpful tree in …show more content…

Sengal’s sometimes bury their dead relatives at the base of the these trees; therefore, they believe that the baobabs become connected with the souls of their relatives. Also, they say that ancient kings and other leaders would have their meetings under the Baobabs to discuss important task. The kings believed that holding these meetings under the tree would help guide them into making wise decisions because the tree held magical powers of wisdom. The Baobab also serves as a “healer” for them; “it is known as of the heart of many traditional African remedies/medicines………..” Baobab leaves provide an edible vegetable like spinach, and it used to treat kidney/bladder disease, asthma, insect bites, and several other diseases. Pregnant women also eat from this tree because it provides a great amount of vitamin c. Along with all the other great things the Baobab Tree is a very dependable source for shelter or other necessities. Fiber from the bark is used to make rope, baskets, cloth, musical instrument strings, and waterproof

Open Document