Friday, December 25

Legends of the Mighty Baobab Tree

In Madagascar, the Grandidier's baobab (Adansonia grandidieri), the most statuesque of the Malagasy species, is believed to be the dwelling place of spirits. Offerings are placed at its base to ensure fertility, a fine harvest, and good fortune.
At Dakfao Niger, there is a baobab sacred to the Imannen Tururag, high up the trunk are incantations, symbols and sacred texts.
Throughout Africa the baobab is venerated or regarded with awe, the absence of regeneration has led some communities to believe that it appeared by magic overnight, others believe the trees possess souls and ancient sprits, they can move during the night but must stay imobil during the day.

Along the Zambezi, the tribes believe that when the world was young the Baobabs were upright and proud. However for some unknown reason, they lorded over the lesser growths. The gods became angry and uprooted the Baobabs , thrusting them back into the ground, root upwards. 

Evil spirits now haunt the sweet white flowers and anyone who picks one will be killed by a lion.
One gigantic baobab in Zambia is said to be haunted by a ghostly python. Before the white man came, a large python lived in the hollow trunk and was worshipped by the local natives. When they prayed for rain, fine crops and good hunting , the python answered their prayers. The first white hunter shot the python and this event led to disastrous consequences. On still nights the natives claim to hear a continuous hissing sound from the old tree.

In the Kafue National Park in Zambia, one of the largest Baobabs is known as "Kondanamwali" - the tree that eats maidens. This enormous tree fell in love with the four beautiful girls who lived in its shade. When they reached puberty, they sought husbands and made the tree jealous. One night, during a raging thunderstorm, the tree opened its trunk and took the maidens inside. A rest house had been built in the branches of the tree. On stormy nights, it is the crying of the imprisoned maidens that make people inside tremble - not the sounds of the wild animals.
Wild Harvest Pharma
Gambia W.Africa

Friday, December 18

The Sacred Baobab Forest

Makasutu a 500-hectare piece of bush in the Kombo central district of the republic of The Gambia is deemed by some to be protected by an ancient sprit. They say he is there in the form of a ninkinanko or dragon, and protects the hidden crown and clothes of King Jatta from Busumbala who was killed 200 years ago by the Muslim king Kombo Silla on his way east to take over the country. Jatta's men took the crown and clothes and placed them for safekeeping in the area of Makasutu, now known as the Big Forest.

This skyline of ancient baobab and strangler trees looms over the eastern end of Makasutu and is now under the self-imposed guardianship of Echin, a Jola tribesman.The Ninki Nanko is not the only presence there to ward off encroaching. Along with him are jinns and giants -- spectral creatures that straddle animism and Islam.

They help watch over an Edenesque orchard, which is thought to appear to those with a purity of heart trekking across the land. Mandingo tribesmen tell you in ominous undertones that you can eat the fruit of the orchard while you are in the forest but can never leave with it.
When the Islamic wave came down through the Sahara in the 12th century it gave Makasutu its name, and greater protection from the men who wanted to ravage the bush of timber and wildlife. It became a place of prayer, and so a Mecca (Maka) in the forest (sutu). It was strictly protected by local kings and marabouts who said that no tree could be felled or animal hunted in the sacred grounds. The land until the turn of the century was used only for godly communion.
Men prayed and boys recently circumcised in the name of Allah were brought to bathe in Mandina Bilon -- a tributary of the main Gambia river that lies five kilometres to the north. The Bilon brings fish to Makasutu as the tide swells; from its sandy banks grow thick lines of mangroves, and from their grey tentacles the Koran women collect oysters.

As the 20th century moved in Makasutu with its untouched supply of wood and wildlife became a new mecca for the people of Kembujeh and neighbouring villages. It was on the verge of being stripped bare, when in 1992 Lawrence Williams,an architect, and James English, an engineer, came across the land and decided it would make a perfect location for a retreat and oasis for overlanders coming down off the Sahara.

They bought the land from the Sanni family who had ancient ownership rights, and after eight years of fencing and planting thousands of trees the land once again has found a protectorate.Makasutu has become a model for ecotourism in Africa.
Local women continue to grow crops on the western portion, and oyster women come and collect as ever, but now the birds are returning in droves to the trees and baboons stop at the safe haven on their migration route.

Momadou Jeeba, a Jola tribesman, has been manager at Makasutu for the past seven years and revealed that long before Williams and English arrived he and others had dreams that two whites would come by river and settle at Makasutu and keep it from harm -- a myth that has now turned into reality.

Wild Harvest Pharma

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This web site makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced on this web site. Statements made about the products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Use of this web site does not create an expressed or implied physician-patient relationship.

Saturday, December 12

The Baobab Tree Regional Names बुद्धिमान पोषण


Kremetartboom, kremetart (Afrikaans)
Humier (fruit), hamao, gungole (fruit), teidoum, tebeldi, tabaldi, hamaraya (Arabic)
Mubuyu (Bemba); mapou zombi (Creole)
Sour gourd, monkey bread tree, lemonade tree, baobab, cream-of-tartar tree, guinea tamarind, upside-down tree (English)
Pain de singe, calebassier, mapou etranger, arbre aux calabasses, mapou zombi (French)
Boki, bokchi (Fula)
Affenbrotbaum (German)
kuka (Hausa)
Gorakh-imli, gorakh-cinch, gorak amla, khura-sani-imli, gorak ali, gorak lichora, kapla-vriksha (Hindi)
Muyu, mubuyu (Lozi)
Sito, sira (Mandinka)
Mlambe, mkulukumba, mbuyu (Nyanja)
Aliha gaha (Sinhala)
Yak (Somali)
Mbuyu (Swahili)
Anaipuli, paparapulia, perruka, anaipuliya-maram (Tamil)
Momret, hermer banba, kommer, duma (Tigrigna)
Mubuyu (Tongan)
Mowana (Tswana)
Bui, buee, goui, gui, gwi (Wolof)
IsiMuku, umShimulu, isiMuhu (Zulu)



Disclaimer
Information obtained from this web site is for general health information only. This information is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

This web site makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced on this web site. Statements made about the products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Use of this web site does not create an expressed or implied physician-patient relationship. 

Baobab a Natural Water Reservoir Intelligens Táplálkozás

 The baobab The Baobab is extremely important for humans and animals in the dry areas of Africa. It offers protection and provides food, clothing and medicine as well as raw material for many useful items.

The mucilaginous pulp that fills the trunk can be scooped out from the thick tree trunk. Enough space for a door is cut in the trunk. Old living trees that are naturally hollow or have been hollowed out are used for water storage. The empty space is filled with water and then tightly sealed.
 
This will hold water and keep it potable for many years and serve as a reserve during drought (Schütt and Wolf, 1996). The hollowed tree will continue to thrive, bearing fruit every season. The bark yields a strong fibre for rope and cloth.



Disclaimer
Information obtained from this web site is for general health information only. This information is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

This web site makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced on this web site. Statements made about the products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Use of this web site does not create an expressed or implied physician-patient relationship.