Africa is home to some of the oldest trees on Earth. These trees carry with them legends and myths that stretch back over millennia. Moreover, they carry significance in cultural and religious practices, as well as in traditional medicine.
AFRICAN BAOBAB
The African baobab (Adansonia digitata) is distributed across Southern Africa. Writer Mazuba Kapambwe says that since 2005, eight of the 13 oldest baobabs in Africa have either partially collapsed or died.
This is largely due to the trees being used as sources of water, food, medicine and shelter, as well as increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall.
The world's largest baobab tree lives in Madagascar, and is called Reniala, which means ‘mother of the forest’.
MYTHS AND LEGENDS
There are many tales surrounding the baobab. Kapambwe tells the story of
