Sacred trees are present in almost every culture around the world. Ancient stories about these iconic trees express respect and awe for nature. Sacred trees place roots to connect people, nature, and divinity. Sacred trees include specific species, such as The Sacred Oak tree of the Lenape in North America; the Japanese cypress (Hinoki) of Shintō faith; the role of Italian Cyprus for mourning across Europe and the Middle East; or the Bodhi tree and its relation to Buddha, in South Asia.
Beyond worship, sacred trees are often sites of social, cultural, and political gatherings. They can provide witness, inspiration, spiritual connection, and safety for communal gathering and deliberation, such as the Baobab Palaver Trees in West Africa. Depending on their location along a trail or in a city or community, the Banyan or Peepal Chautari in the Himalaya provides a place for rest, political expression, or socializing. The oak or poplar Arbres de la liberté, or Liberty Trees, were planted in France, as a symbol of the French Revolution, inspired by the 1765 Elm Liberty Tree of Boston.
Beyond worship, sacred trees are often sites of social, cultural, and political gatherings. They can provide witness, inspiration, spiritual connection, and safety for communal gathering and deliberation, such as the Baobab Palaver Trees in West Africa. Depending on their location along a trail or in a city or community, the Banyan or Peepal Chautari in the Himalaya provides a place for rest, political expression, or socializing. The oak or poplar Arbres de la liberté, or Liberty Trees, were planted in France, as a symbol of the French Revolution, inspired by the 1765 Elm Liberty Tree of Boston.
