Written by The first time you see a baobab in the wild African savannah, your jaw drops.
The baobab is unlike any tree you’ve seen elsewhere. Awe-inspiring and unique.
Growing up to 30 meters, this tree lives for thousands of years, and has a gigantic trunk, some of which stand 11 meters wide. For nine months, the baobab is leafless and appears lifeless.
But inside, it stores the lifeblood of mankind: water. In fact, it is known as the “tree of life.”
The thick trunk that dropped your jaw is corky and fire-resistant. Perfectly created for the dry and parched desert. Other times, the baobab trunk is completely hollow. This is because spirits live inside the tree…or so they say.
Once rainy season hits, tiny leaves and sour fruits blossom from the top branches and grow to about the size of a coconut.
It’s hard to imagine that anyone can reach these fruits, as the baobab appears to grow upside down.
The Upside Down Tree
“The devil plucked up the baobab, thrust its branches into the earth and left its roots in the air.”
This is how one Arabian legend describes the baobab.
And it may be true.
If you see the baobab from a distance, the tree looks all wrong – the branches look like capillary roots and the trunk the tap-root.
Some legends suggest the baobab grows this way, because it was punished for its greed and envy. One of these legends reads:
“The baobab was among the first trees to appear on the land. Next came the slender, graceful palm tree. When the baobab saw the palm tree, it cried out that it wanted to be taller. Then the beautiful flame tree appeared with its red flower and the baobab was envious for flower blossoms. When the baobab saw the magnificent fig tree, it prayed for fruit as well. The gods became angry with the tree and pulled it up by its roots, then replanted it upside down to keep it quiet.”
Practical Use
As with most living things, local people use all aspects of the baobab.
From eating and applying the fruits and leaves for food and herbal remedies to mowing down the bark’s fibers for cloth and rope, every inch of the tree is practical. Every inch of the tree is used – for fishing and hunting tools, temporary shelters, water reserves, and wherever else your imagination may take you.
Many cultures who inhabit areas where baobab trees grow also consider the tree religiously and culturally significant.
Metaphorical Use
The baobab’s shape is remarkable. The roots stretch wider and deeper than you’d probably guess. And this wide deep spreading is a visual representation of culture.
Next week, the baobab will become useful once again when discussing our underlying theme – culture – in metaphorical terms.
Success Across Cultures 