My Tree Story: Locardia Zambuko

Posted July 1, 2021

My name is Locardia Zambuko, l am a young lady who grew up in Bocha Marange in a village headed by our village chiefs and kings. Growing up our elders used to narrate stories about the sacredness of our society, forest and mountains. For example, l still remember one of our mountains named Mukonyangerwe which was full of trees and cutting down any of those trees without permission from the king or chiefs, was a taboo. It was believed that one can disappear. As a result the community used to uphold the traditions and customs prescribed to protect the mountain. This ensured the preservation of the mountain and its forests resources. Culture, in a way was instrumental in the conservation and preservation of natural ecosystems.

However as we grow up these customs slowly disappeared, probably because of new traditions, customs, rural urban migration, formal education and climate change. Community members were no longer upholding the cultural importance of the natural environment. Crop failure each year due to climate changes caused starvation, thus people began to seek the ecosystem resources for firewood and as a source of income. Community members started harvesting and over exploitation of fruits such as hubva, nyii and baobab. These fruits were sold to earn communities an income. Evidence of degradation such as bare large parcels of land, gullies and siltation of rivers began to emerge. I knew I could not watch and do nothing. l chose to study environmental science, so that I am better equipped to solve these environmental problems.

If you were a tree what tree would you be and why?

I would love to be munyii, because its leaves are used for medicine for treating wounds and it resonates with me because I help people heal from their wounds through using my compassion as medicine.

Just like munyii, with a fruit which is small but so appreciated around the country, I am small but dynamite in all aspects such as education and presentation skills in workshops