By Adow Jubat
A "death" of acacia tree
is in a rare occurrence being mourned by villagers in a remote area in
Balambala constituency of Garissa County, Northeastern region.
The residents of Saka location about
60 kilometers from Garissa town has declared 30 days of mourning in respect of
ancient tree which collapsed on Thursday , due to its had historical
significance to the people in the area.
The social media was awash with
“condolences” sent my mourners who were shocked by sudden "death" of
gigantic tree believed to have being in existence over 320 years. The tree
which was in the centre of the Saka town was known in the entire northeastern
region as “Duuq mawaye” (the elders’ favorite).
According to the former area
councilor and the chairman of the defunct Garissa county council Adan Yussuf
Bute said residents of Saka town and its environs were shocked by the news of
the falling of the tree on Thursday at around 5.30 am.
Many residents mainly mothers who
used the tree shade as their stalls where they could sale their farm produces
are reportedly broke into tears uncontrollably.
“People have agreed to mourn the
“death” of the tree for the next 30 days starting Saturday. The mourning will
be done differently from the one usually observed when someone dies, it will
involve offering a respect to the tree by not using its branches for firewood”,
He said.
The gigantic tree split miraculously
split in the middle before collapsing into heap. A little boy who was with his
mother who was selling milking was injured on the head, while several shops
nearby were slightly damaged.
Bute, who is aspiring to reclaim his
Saka ward, which he lost last generation said the “a burial” committee to
ensure the fallen tree gets a deserving send off has been established. Among
the tasks the committee will undertake includes arrangement to organize for
offering.
The significance attached to the
tree by residents of Abdiwaq community of Garissa County dates back to 1902,
when the shade of the tree was used as an open hospital where casualties of the
community who were injured in a tribal clash pitting them against Mohamed Zuber
were treated said an 70 years elder in the town.
“Scores of people from Abdiwaq community,
who sustained injuries in the fighting with Mohamed Zuber Ogaden sub-clan found
in Wajir County, were treated for months under the tree. Those days there was
no hospital, but the tree offered a better service that could be found in any
public hospital”, He added.
Dr. Ismail Arte Rage, nutritional
manager with UNICEF who is based in South Sudan and eyeing Fafi constituency in
the forthcoming general polls said the tree was so popularly with local people
since it was serving them many services at the same time for the last over 320
years.
“The acacia tree had big branches
that cover about 18 feet square and offered very cool shade that help people to
transact various businesses under it simultaneously. One side of the tree women
used to sale their good, another side elders conferred on daily basis to
decided on serious and important communal matters”, He explained while speaking
to Frontier Leaks on phone from Juba.
Dr. Rage remembers tree as being an
open air hospital, where medical outrage programs were conduct frequently.
“When I read the collapse of the tree from the social media I was really
shaken. I felt like I lost a close relative. I recall vividly how I was treated
under that tree or sing for government dignitaries in early 1970s, when I was
schoolboy”, He added.
The tree shade was also the only
free open air “tent’ where government officials made important pronouncements
such as the announcements of polio campaigns and hold public events.
The last national function which was
held under the tree was on 12/12/15 during the Mashujaa Day.
The tree is also historical as it is
where hard political decisions were made in the last 3 centuries. One of the
notably decision which was made under this tree was in the early 1960s,
where the local community made anonymous declaration to support the aborted
secession drive.
Many political declarations which
were slated to be made this week under the canopy of the tree had to be
cancelled as residents began their 30 days mourning of legend tree today.
Ends…
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