Thoughts on the Banyan Tree family

With Marlene’s latest genealogical endeavours, there has been a lot of talk of family trees.  It’s made me think about how often we’ve wondered what our family will look like as it grows and just exactly what shape it will take. On a recent trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, we were reminded that not all trees express that conventional shape of the archetypical “tree”.  In the center of Kona Town, there is an enormous old Banyan tree that extends across the main street and spreads it branches in all directions, extending its air roots down to the ground. Banyan trees grow in warm, moist places, and we’ve also seen them in India and San Francisco. I’ve always loved these trees. The air roots are particularly cool, extending like open hands to plant themselves into the earth. The best part: these thin strands eventually become trunks of their own, supporting new branches and new life.

Cultures around the world also revere this tree. Hindus evidently believe the Banyan tree is where the God Krishna rested after devouring the earth, turned himself into a child small enough to fit into the tiny Banyan leaf, and from there everything in the world was recreated. In the Philippines, the banyan tree is thought to be the home of spirits. On Guam the native people believe in ancient spirit guardians of the banyan trees.

The Banyan tree is also a place of shelter. It provides a shaded place for people to gather for village meetings, trading and being together. I can’t think of a better symbol for our family. So it turns out a family tree can take on many shapes. Marlene certainly has her work cut out for her.

Now… how to actually paint one of these things in the baby’s room…