The language trees speak
Among the Madi, trees are a great witness to the history of the people. Their different shapes, foliage, uses do not only add to the linguistic beauty of the people but also offer educative messages.
By George Laghu
Among the Madi, trees are a great witness to the history of the people. Their different shapes, foliage, uses do not only add to the linguistic beauty of the people but also offer educative messages.
In Madi, the sacred Ewi tree stands near the homestead shielding it from whirlwinds and evil spirits. Our Ewi tree stands not far from my grandfather’s hut. It is the only gigantic tree in our neighbourhood to have survived the charcoal burner’s axe.
At this time of changing political climate, trees provide an evocative reminder of our political and cultural heritage, making the tree an invaluable instrument of education.
As palm tree leaves evoke the passion of Christ and Easter to Christians, to the Madi it is a tree of royalty and elegance. Sitting in the shade of a palm tree in our neighbour’s compound, my grandfather Mzee Ali had a lot to say. “Its gentle sway tells us how tranquil nature is and how we must respond to the call of nature as the palm tree does to the wind. If carefully handled nature cannot be destructive to us,†he reasoned.
Being the tallest tree does not make it prone to being broken by wind or burned by its “nearness†to the sun because it abides by nature’s laws. This is typical of a leader who by virtue of his position is the tallest person in the community; if he abides by the rules of the community, the forces of political destruction will not affect him.
Referring to our enjoyment of the shade, “Those who plant a palm tree must be ready to sit far away from it because those who enjoy the shade of a palm tree do not sit directly under it. Those who want to enjoy its fruit must risk sitting in the sun by its stem and the fruit falling on their head†he said.
That is those who want to enjoy a leader’s favours without risk must stay away from the strongholds of leadership, but those who want to enjoy the sweetness of power must risk the dangers of being destroyed when disaster befalls the throne.
“We shall not enjoy the fruits of this tree because we are not directly under it as our neighbour who planted is not enjoying the shade but will eat its fruit,†he said. When dry palm leaves fell off the tree, Mzee said, “He who gave us that mat is the one who gave the King a throne,†looking in the direction of my grandmother who sat with my sister on a mat as they sorted beans.
Palm leaves are used for making mats on which some people sleep. Its stem, which is not easily destroyed by ants, is used for making the King’s throne. The lesson is that in spite of our different situations; we are equal in God’s eyes.
When the palm tree shade shifted with the movement of the sun, the Mzee said, “like a good leader, the shade benefits everyone around it†A good leader must serve everyone equally.
With the crackle of a dry leaf falling arose a new dimension of our discussion. “Hwe bi ede diri ka olobo ebe oru si ni†(the crackle of a falling leaf is a message to those it leaves up). The message is “I was young and energetic like you. You will become as old as me and you will die and fall down like me.†(No one remains at the helm forever).
Trees provide vivid imagery in our languages. For instance, the Baganda say, “Emiti emito emiziwa†(it is the small trees that make a forest). Just as the survival of the community depends on their children, that of the forest on younger trees, the survival of a nation depends on its youth.
The tamarind tree which the Ateso call (Apedu) could be the most important tree in Teso as the juice from its sour seed coating is an important ingredient for atap (millet bread). It is tiny leaves in their millions make some of the coolest shades.
A single tamarind leaf cannot provide shade for even the tiniest insect, but together they make a shade large enough for an elephant, emphasising the adage ‘unity is strength’.
Ends
Among the Madi, trees are a great witness to the history of the people. Their different shapes, foliage, uses do not only add to the linguistic beauty of the people but also offer educative messages.
In Madi, the sacred Ewi tree stands near the homestead shielding it from whirlwinds and evil spirits. Our Ewi tree stands not far from my grandfather’s hut. It is the only gigantic tree in our neighbourhood to have survived the charcoal burner’s axe.
At this time of changing political climate, trees provide an evocative reminder of our political and cultural heritage, making the tree an invaluable instrument of education.
As palm tree leaves evoke the passion of Christ and Easter to Christians, to the Madi it is a tree of royalty and elegance. Sitting in the shade of a palm tree in our neighbour’s compound, my grandfather Mzee Ali had a lot to say. “Its gentle sway tells us how tranquil nature is and how we must respond to the call of nature as the palm tree does to the wind. If carefully handled nature cannot be destructive to us,†he reasoned.
Being the tallest tree does not make it prone to being broken by wind or burned by its “nearness†to the sun because it abides by nature’s laws. This is typical of a leader who by virtue of his position is the tallest person in the community; if he abides by the rules of the community, the forces of political destruction will not affect him.
Referring to our enjoyment of the shade, “Those who plant a palm tree must be ready to sit far away from it because those who enjoy the shade of a palm tree do not sit directly under it. Those who want to enjoy its fruit must risk sitting in the sun by its stem and the fruit falling on their head†he said.
That is those who want to enjoy a leader’s favours without risk must stay away from the strongholds of leadership, but those who want to enjoy the sweetness of power must risk the dangers of being destroyed when disaster befalls the throne.
“We shall not enjoy the fruits of this tree because we are not directly under it as our neighbour who planted is not enjoying the shade but will eat its fruit,†he said. When dry palm leaves fell off the tree, Mzee said, “He who gave us that mat is the one who gave the King a throne,†looking in the direction of my grandmother who sat with my sister on a mat as they sorted beans.
Palm leaves are used for making mats on which some people sleep. Its stem, which is not easily destroyed by ants, is used for making the King’s throne. The lesson is that in spite of our different situations; we are equal in God’s eyes.
When the palm tree shade shifted with the movement of the sun, the Mzee said, “like a good leader, the shade benefits everyone around it†A good leader must serve everyone equally.
With the crackle of a dry leaf falling arose a new dimension of our discussion. “Hwe bi ede diri ka olobo ebe oru si ni†(the crackle of a falling leaf is a message to those it leaves up). The message is “I was young and energetic like you. You will become as old as me and you will die and fall down like me.†(No one remains at the helm forever).
Trees provide vivid imagery in our languages. For instance, the Baganda say, “Emiti emito emiziwa†(it is the small trees that make a forest). Just as the survival of the community depends on their children, that of the forest on younger trees, the survival of a nation depends on its youth.
The tamarind tree which the Ateso call (Apedu) could be the most important tree in Teso as the juice from its sour seed coating is an important ingredient for atap (millet bread). It is tiny leaves in their millions make some of the coolest shades.
A single tamarind leaf cannot provide shade for even the tiniest insect, but together they make a shade large enough for an elephant, emphasising the adage ‘unity is strength’.
Ends