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The Overstory


"Monumental… A gigantic fable of genuine truths."—Barbara Kingsolver, The New ...
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Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

Created: 07/26/19

Replies: 7

Posted Jul. 26, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

Nick thinks that "He has landed in a druid tree cult… Oak veneration at the oracle at Dodona, the druids' groves in Britain and Gaul, Shinto sakaki worship, India's bejeweled wishing trees, Mayan kapoks, Egyptian sycamores, the Chinese sacred ginkgo – all the branches of the word's first religion." Did you know before reading the novel that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?


Posted Aug. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
renem

Join Date: 12/01/16

Posts: 292

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

In early cultures they observed trees, their growth, death and revival and decided to make them powerful symbols in their religion and mythology. Because early cultures didn't have the scientific knowledge we have today they used their physical surroundings to set the basis for their stories and beliefs.


Posted Aug. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paulak

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 264

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

Trees give so much, and take so very little. They give fruit, shade and materials for shelter. Their growth skyward is a gesture to the gods. I think many of us have lost touch with the natural world, not just trees, as we close ourselves inside with our computers and walk face-down looking at our phones, instead of up and out at the earth's beauty.


Posted Aug. 06, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carolf

Join Date: 07/10/14

Posts: 72

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

Early cultures relied on nature for their food, shelter and even clothing sometimes. Therefore they had great knowledge of how to use which tree for what purpose. Now we just buy our food from a grocery store and our clothing from a retailer. Most of us do not build our own homes so would not know how to fell a tree and get buildable lumber from it.


Posted Aug. 07, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
susiej

Join Date: 10/15/14

Posts: 363

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

Yes, I was aware of early cultures and their value of trees - many, as mentioned already, were used in worship such as Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree and the Druids with their tree sanctuaries. Obviously the world was a simpler place at that time - mankind seemed to focus more on surroundings and made inner connections to those. Even in earliest American times that we read about Native Americans used many parts of trees to sustain themselves. It is only natural then that these would become the focus of their belief systems. Earliest construction had nothing but nature to rely on for housing and transportation - their sustenance in general. I relate to paulak's mention above to tree growth upward, toward the sky, as a sign of reverence to the gods - and how truly sad it is that our society has lost its connection to nature with our technological involvement. I worry for our children and their future.


Posted Aug. 10, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ruthiea

Join Date: 02/03/14

Posts: 271

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

I also believe that early cultures understood how valuable trees were to there survival and treated them with respect and even veneration. Only in recent decades when logging and farming became a business did we lose our way. A small group of people could become wealthy and gain control by controlling the supply of lumber, paper, food etc. Cultures where there are very poor people who need to chop down trees for fuel to cook and keep themselves warm had destroyed eco systems. Replacing old growth forests for quick crop farms has changed which trees are planted and how long they are allowed to exist. It all comes back to greed.


Posted Aug. 31, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
viquig

Join Date: 06/25/14

Posts: 82

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

In the past, trees lived for generations of people. They were indestructible until modern tools were created to cut them down. Trees provided shade, fruit and landmarks that early cultures used to navigate through the forests. Current cultures views trees as a crop to be grown and then sold for products such as paper and building supplies. They are very vulnerable to power saws and can be killed in a matter of a few minutes. Trees are only valued for the monetary gain they can provide the owner of the land on which they are growing. Our value system has changed.


Posted Sep. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
BuffaloGirl

Join Date: 01/13/18

Posts: 208

RE: Did you know that so many early cultures valued trees? Why do you think that was? And why is it no longer true, for the most part?

Most early cultures lived in and as a part of nature rather than separate from it as most of the world's population does now. Rather than living cooperatively, we now believe that we have to dominate every aspect of nature and use it not only for our benefit, but for our avarice and greed.


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