Other Trees of African Folklore

Hello Friends!

In this week’s episode, the last in our exploration of African trees and forests, we’ll acquaint ourselves with some arboreal friends and fiends from across the continent.

I love this picture for so many reasons!

We start with a tragic historical account of the felling of two great Baobab trees in Lokoja (Nigeria). Next, we learn, from Baganda (Uganda) folklore, why the African Tulip’s tree’s flowers are flame red. Finally, we speculate (very lightly) about the true symbolism of the Basotho tree, Koumongoe.

This is a longer than usual episode because I read more than one folktale.

I hope you enjoy it!

PS: If you happen to know about any commentary (preferably by a person of Basotho origin) on the The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe, please reach out!

References

• The Story of Ogbe Baba Akinyelure and the Irojo tree of Ibode

• Oluronbi and the Iroko Tree

• Magana Hausa. To which is added a translation in English by J. F. Schon.

• The Use of Baobab Leaves (Adansonia Digitata L.) for Food in Africa: A Review by John Rashford

• The Flame Tree and Other Folk-Lore Stories from Uganda by Rosetta Baskerville

• The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe

Meanwhile…

The Watkins Book of African Folklore (…or The Mythological Africans Book) is out!