MELALEUCA, WHITE SAMET OR CAJEPUTI
Some simply call me "paperbark tree." Others know me and my close relatives as "tea trees." The names people have for me are of little importance. What people should comprehend is the focal role that I play for this very unique planet. Let me explain: I carry within me a primordial responsibility. The earth is my heaven and the heaven is my earth. People see me from below looking up, but I see things from the opposite perspective. Much like an anchor holding its mother ship, I give this planet its place in the skies. With my mighty limbs and filigree leaves, I affix myself to the heavens. With my powerful roots, I grasp the very core of this earth and hold it tight. My colossal trunk is built to withstand all kinds of storms and tremors and to form a bridge between the two: the immortal skies and this living planet. It is my mission to buttress this earth toward the heavens and bolt the heavens tightly to this earth. What would occur if this planet were to fly away, to become another lost sphere, to drift back to the other lifeless, celestial bodies in space? Herein lies the secret of my godly pact.
I wish at times that I could take a hike to the horizons, like many a person around me. With giant, tree-like steps, I would bound to the corners of this earth to peer over the other side.
Like lovers in a passionate embrace, their fires ignite, making them oblivious to the burn and pain inflicted on others. Yes, the early humans and I share the same hardships. The paucity of water and the force of the relentless sun have welded us together in a mutual quest for survival. We both share an understanding that is rooted deep in this red earth. We both endure, even in these recent years when so much has changed.
Modern beings here call me—and my kin—Bloodwoods. If I am injured, my lifeblood flows out, forming a sticky red drop of resin: my “blood.” The natives here collect these dark tears of mine. They grind them and apply a medicinal mix of my sap, leaves, and earth to their own bodies to heal their wounds. Thus, a hurt inflicted on my body heals a hurt on the bodies of my human brothers and sisters. Should a being pass away, the dust of its demise feeds my roots. And once again, all that departs returns to its origin in the eternal carousel of life.
Home:
Australia, Northern Territory, Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock)
Tree species:
Corymbia terminalis
Tree family:
Myrtaceae, myrtle
Common Names:
Muur-muurpa, Desert Bloodwood
Motivation:
We rose at 4:00 in the morning to be at Uluru for sunrise. Our four-hour journey started as a walk in the cool, dark air. We gradually circled the base of this mountainous rock, mesmerized by the spirit of this unique place. The sun started to beam horizontally, illuminating Uluru in vibrant early light. To me, life seemed to be originating from everywhere and everything—above all, from the red rock of Uluru itself.