70-metre tree destroyed in a storm was believed to be the site where 1,200 freed slaves prayed after travelling to Sierra Leone by ship from Halifax in 1792
Sierra Leoneans are mourning the toppling of a beloved ancient tree that had become their national symbol and their historic connection to the liberated slaves who founded the West African country.
For days since the tree was toppled, people have been trekking to the location to pay their respects. “For centuries it has been a proud emblem of our nation, a symbol of a nation that has grown to provide shelter for many,” he said in a statement.The tree has appeared on Sierra Leone’s bank notes, stamps and medals, and even in lullabies sung by mothers to their children. For years, it has survived fires and lightning strikes. People sometimes gathered at the tree to give prayers for the country.
The tree, whose base was about 20 metres wide, is believed to be around 400 years old. Technically a kapok tree , it was widely called the Cotton Tree, probably because of the cotton-like fluff that grew from its seed pods. Freed slaves would have been familiar with cotton from the fields in the Southern United States.
“It was at the hub of everything from prayer sessions to rallies … commerce and politics,” said another observer, Jane Moseray, who took time off work to visit the site.
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