Leila Jabre Jureidini

Given their peculiar shape, an Arabian legend has it that “the devil plucked up the Baobab tree, thrust its branches into the earth, and left its roots in the air.” It was love at first sight. I had only ever encountered their name in a childhood book that left a profound impression on me—Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince. A story that sparked countless childhood dreams and carried my imagination to uncharted destinations.

Who could have known that, years later, I would be utterly captivated by the Baobabs I discovered in Zanzibar? The moment I saw them, I recognized them instinctively, despite having no prior knowledge of the local flora. I found myself on a quest, scanning the landscape for every one of these majestic trees I could glimpse in the distance. Enchanted, I felt compelled to uncover what made Baobabs so extraordinary. Was it their immense size, their astonishing shapes, or the sense of mystery they evoked? Perhaps it was a bit of everything... Stitching, weaving, and painting with color are my ways of honoring the magical beauty of these majestic trees.

Baobabs are a vital source of shelter and sustenance, providing nutritious fruit for countless animals, reptiles, insects, and bats. They store water in their trunks, sustaining elephants during dry seasons, and their edible leaves play a key role in various herbal remedies. Each piece I created in this series captures a fragment of this story, hoping to honor and preserve the legacy of these ancient trees—some of which, like the recently collapsed Namibian “Grootboom,” have lived for over 1,275 years, according to Africa Geographic.