Amanda Frayer artisan // illustrator // designer

In the Rift Valley of Kenya, on the edge of the Forest of the Black Waters, stands a magnificent peace tree–the sacred podo intertwined with a fig tree. Here, Tugen elders offer prayers for peace and for the security of the environment and the government. Podo is an endangered species. I received this podo in an assortment of scrap veneer that would have been discarded. Because it’s reclaimed, you can enjoy the beauty of podo without worry that your selection means the devastation of more trees.

The genus and species names are derived from Greek words, “podo” which means foot and “carpus” which means fruit. Podocarpus, along with the indigenous cedars, represent the small number of conifers native to South Africa. It is also South Africa’s National Tree.

Podo is a slow-growing, long-living shade tree. The large, dense crown is a favorite roosting and nesting site for various bird species, like the Cape Parrot. Over time, its trunk can grow to massive proportions, reaching over 3 feet in diameter, becoming fluted and twisted with age.

In the past, podo timber was highly sought after. Floors in old Cape homesteads were made of this wood. The South African Railways used it to make railway sleepers. It was used to make wagon boxes, coffins and butcher’s blocks. It went from being an abundant resource to almost extinct in some areas. Podo furniture commands high prices today because of its rarity. When Al Gore visited Kenya in the mid-’80s, he planted a podo tree. Seventeen years later, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, reflected on that tree saying, “This tree is a symbol of how, working together, we can mobilize the awareness, vision, passion and commitment we need to save the planet and ourselves.”

Wangari Maathai (1940 – 2011) started the Green Belt Movement, a tree planting program in Kenya. They have planted over 40 million trees to restore forests that have been lost. The organization not only promotes conservation, it empowers women and advocates for fair economic development.

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Believed to bring the wearer: vision, peace, commitment

Spirit animals: mountain gorilla, monkey, elephant, buffalo