By Michael Buchanan, Northend Agent’s
“Wisdom Is Like A Baobab Tree, No One Individual Can Embrace It.”
These wise words come from Africa, where the native Baobab tree is called “the tree of life.” Suggestive because some Baobabs live over 2,000 years and the tree’s organs serve multiple life preserving functions.
Many species of Baobabs have trunks as wide as your house. In fact, some trunks have such large hollows, that whole families live in them. Their trunks also hold water which is especially crucial during dry seasons for preserving the life of humans, birds, elephants and more.
Their resourcefulness goes way beyond that. They provide firewood, highly nutritious leaves (vegetable greens) and seed oil for cooking. Their oils are also important in cosmetics and medicine. The fruits – eaten fresh, is very high in Vitamin C, minerals and antioxidants. The flowers, and parts of the roots and bark are also edible. Rope, strings, fabric and thread are made from bark fiber, as well as dyes to color them.
Our proverb most obviously refers to the size of the tree. Individual humans may not have arm spans to totally embrace a Baobab. But arm-in-arm, together, we can form a love ring to embrace this and other giants in our lives. In the same way, we can join our heart and mind energies to surmount any obstacle.
The anatomical symbolism bears out this synergy: Our arms and hands represent work we ought to do for our advancement. Our arms articulate in the region of the shoulders which represents responsibility, and the heart which represents love, the mind and the soul.
Like the Baobab, we are all multifaceted and highly resourceful, and we all come here to earth with valuable assets to contribute to our individual and collective prosperity. So, when we integrate our gifts, faculties, and designs, we create an unlimited collective wisdom that services the needs of one and all- symbolically we become large like a Baobab.
Other proverbs with these elements include: “Put your shoulder to the wheel” which encourages one to take responsible and timely action. “One one Coco full (fills in English) basket.”
Culltural references: The O’Jays, Delroy Wilson (song) “We’re All in This Thing Together”). Nadine Sutherland (song) “Hands and Hearts”, Bob Marley (song) “Wake up and Live”. Gregory Isaacs (song) “One One Coco Full Basket”.
