Traditional beliefs scare residents away from planting umbrella tree

Locals planting trees at Kipkenyo water treatment plant in Eldoret Uasin Gishu County on May 10, 2023. [Christopher Kipsang, Standard]

When Dr Jephthah Odera, the founding director of the Kenya Forest Research Institute, introduced a tree species, it never occurred to him that it would be shunned.

Although Terminalia mantaly, locally known as an umbrella tree, is associated with many health benefits, communities in several parts of Luo Nyanza believe it is a sign of bad luck.

In some areas where it was introduced in the early 1990s as an ornamental species, the plant was uprooted in large numbers.

The tree is also said to have medicinal value, with its bark used for treating dysentery.

According to a retired forest officer, John Obango, who participated in the distribution of the seeds across the country, the tree is also used to provide shade.

"This is an exotic tree species introduced into the country by the late Dr Odera. Many people uprooted it because of some myths surrounding its growth," said Obango.

Some of the myths associate the tree with deaths in a homestead. Several people still fear planting the tree.

Mary Aluoch has been planting trees on her three-acre piece of land in Ugenya, Siaya, for a decade. Her farm has a mixture of indigenous and exotic tree species, but she has avoided Terminalia mantaly.

She said in the Luo community, not all trees could be planted within the homesteads due to the belief that there were some evil powers behind their existence. Though not backed by any scientific evidence, Aluoch says the umbrella tree has been associated with bad luck for years.

"I don't know how it happens, but we've been growing up hearing about these myths about this particular tree," she said.

Aluoch is not alone. Thomas Achando, an elder in Siaya, said the Luo did not have trust in several trees, and not all could be planted due to the belief that they had some evil powers.

"Cactus tree was considered an evil plant because it was introduced by a medicine man in my village," said Achando.

But Vice Chairman of the Luo Council of Elders James Ayaga disputed the myths attached to some tree species.

Ayaga said there is no scientific evidence that one can die because of a tree species. "Even though some people decided to cut down some trees because of these misconceptions, we want to encourage our communities to plant more trees because of their socioeconomic benefits," he said.

He advised those who still hold on to the myths that some trees cause death to plant them outside their homesteads.

"If they are not good within the homesteads, they can be planted outside because every tree has some benefits that we cannot ignore," he advised.

Ayaga's sentiments were supported by Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda. The lawmaker, who led residents in planting over 1,000 assorted tree species, said it was important to plant more trees to mitigate the effects of climate change.

"We shouldn't buy this misconception on some trees' ability to cause deaths of misfortunes. Let us look at their values instead," he said.