Forests for Life

Hello Friends!

In this week’s episode, we look at two prevailing dispositions many Africans have toward the trees and forests of the African continent: fear and love.

Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests of Kenya

We come from the forest. No one should tell us not to enter the forest. The forest is everything to the Baka. The forest for the Baka is a source of life. It gives us food: honey, fruits, wild tubers and wild game. It is also our pharmacy because when you are sick, it is from the forest that you get the tree leaves, the bark, and roots that treat you. — Bernard Messono

References

• My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola

• Forest of a thousand daemons : a hunter's saga by D. O. Fagunwa

• Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the World by Wangari Maathai

• Can the fear of the gods sustain biodiversity conservation in sacred groves? by J. C. Onyekwelu

• The Baka: A people between two worlds by Yves Leonard

• Baka Oral Narratives by Yves Leonard

• In Africa's Congo Basin, Indigenous peoples lose homes to conservation efforts by Ngala Killian Chimtom

Sound Effects

Rainforest - VA - SoundBible (Sound Effects)

Batwa Pigmy Dances from Dark Rapture by Pigmy Orchestra (Please note that “Pigmy” or “Pygmy” are outdated terms to refer to Africa’s Forest People.)

Can’t Get Enough?

• MA Tree/Forest Folklore (Pro Tip: Search “Tree @MythicAfricans” or “Forest @MythicAfricans”on X/Twitter for every post about trees and forests.)

• An excellent X/Twitter thread about the Iroko Tree

• A small sampling of what research around the world is confirming about what traditional societies know and why we need to treat nature with more reverence, for our own sake.

More Stuff

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Meanwhile…

You already know “The Watkins Book of African Folklore” or the “Mythological Africans Book”, is now available for preorder! Click image for preordering options!

Not ready to preorder? Tell someone about the MA Book!