Pardon me if you know this already, but I have just found out that, in Zimbabwe, there was a baobab tree that lived for almost two thousand four hundred and fifty years, and I am absolutely amazed! And it had a name too – Panke!
Whoa, who would have thought? I can’t believe Amai and Baba (mother and father) did not think that it was important to share the information that in our home country there was a tree that old. I would have liked to have seen it on one of our visits. Can you imagine being that old? The things you would have seen and stories you could tell. They would top Gogo’s “Back in my day..” stories.
Here are my Favourite Five on the Baobab Tree:
1. It grows a super fruit. The fruit has high levels of vitamin C, iron, potassium and calcium.
2. It provides shelter to and is a source of water for different animals. When the tree gets old it starts to get hollow inside forming “caves”. A baobab can hold thousands of litres of rain water.
3. They are known as the upside down tree because their branches look like twisted roots stretching upwards.
4. The bark is said to be fire resistant! In fact if burnt the bark regrows.
5. The baobab has been regarded as a sacred place of worship.
Your turn – why don’t you try to find some facts about baobab trees. Ask an adult to help you:
1. Look for the oldest baobab tree.
2. Find some of the legends that have been told about baobab trees.
Kudzidza hakuperi – you never stop learning!
Shinga aka Dumi!