Africa, popularly called the motherland, is home to the highest habitation of the “Black Race” and nothing short of wonders, beauty and awe-inspiring cultural heritage. Of all the wonders she embodies, a 1000-year-old African tree which has a drinking bar in it is just incredible to behold and experience.
The millennium tree we are referring to is the Sunland Baobab tree, the oldest in Africa spanning over a thousand years. It is a baobab tree located in South Africa’s Sunland Farm, Limpopo. The most remarkable thing about this tree is not just its age or the fact that it has existed for a full millennium and had survived up to 5 different fires within its trunk which according to carbon dating occurred around these times: 650 AD, 1750–1780, 1900, 1955 and 1990, but the enormous size of its trunk which measures 110 feet.
The inside of its trunk has been naturally hollowed over the numerous years of its existence and has left enough space inside that someone decided to fit a bar inside with a 13-foot high ceiling. The bar can accommodate up to 13 people and has become an unusual landmark in South Africa.
The Sunland Baobab is naturally hollowed out and was not artificially carved out
When you have a chance to experience the tree, one may think its carvings are man-made, but they are not in any way. The hollows and carvings are purely natural except the visibly seen man-made bar and equipment which nobody needs a soothsayer to tell that those equipment and facilities such as lighting, bar, tables and chairs etc, are definitely man made.
This 1000-year-old African tree has survived up to 5 different fire incidences
It’s not a hidden secret about the destructive nature and power of fire of which can be very merciless when it comes to ravaging most things in its path. On record, this old tree has braved through 5 fire incidents. These findings were made known after Carbon Investigations which was conducted inside the hollow revealed that that fire incident occurred at different time periods. The postulated dates include; 1650 AD, 1750-1780, 1900, 1955 and 1990.
Though the major cause of the fire was not ascertained, nevertheless, during the process of clearing the compost contained in the in the hollow, interesting evidence was found, The evidence testified of the likely visitors of Voortrekkers and Bushmen. This evidence then points to the possibility that the fire scars recorded by the tree (Adansonia Digitata).
Beyond The Tiny Entrance Lies A Cute Little Bar, With 13 Foot-High Ceilings
On the first look, one might think the tree to be quite a huge tree with a very wide width of course without having a clue of the ingenuity that lies within except one is told. Most especially its tiny doors don’t do much to give it away that there is actually a 13-foot high ceiling to it on the inside. Isn’t that just incredible?
The bar was created in 1993 by the Van Heerden family.
The Sunland Big Baobab aka the 1000-year-old African tree has become a popular tourist attraction site as well as the pride of the region in which it is located but of course, much credit goes out to the Van Heerden family for such ingenuity. The tree which was on the property of which the Heerden family owned was actually a Sunland farm. However, in the year 1993, The Van Heerden family who were quite amazed at the features of the tree in their farm, as well as the size of its hollow, decided to clear it out. The family never had any intention of making it a bar let alone a tourist site. Amazingly, as work was carried on with the hollow centre of the tree cleared of major compost to uncover the floor below the present ground level, the idea of a bar began to form. A railway sleeper pub was constructed as well as a draft beer, music systems and seat.
In the second hollow, a wine cellar was installed. A door was also placed in a squared natural vent in the trunk. Generally, the hollow has maintained a constant temperature of 22 °C made possible by the tree’s natural vents. When the bar was done, it was able to accommodate 60 people inside it.
The massive circumference would take a lot more people to go round it.
Basically, most modern Africans would not have believed that such wonders could exist in their own continent as a result of the negativity that has plagued the African continent for centuries and present; but thank to technology, more and more of the wonders in Africa are being brought to the limelight and knowledge of Africans so they know just how beautiful their homeland is. The Sunland Baobab tree in South Africa is just one out of a whole cadre of attractions that can be found in Africa, therefore, the next time think of packing your bags with family or friends with the intention of ‘jetting’ out of the continent for vacation, think of the 1000-year-old African tree that has now become a tourist attraction in South Africa.
