Inside the Baobab Tree

By Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz

Michelle Armster and I co-direct MCC’s Office on Justice & Peacebuilding. As we think about program planning for the next year and looking at ways of providing resources on restorative justice and conflict transformation, the idea of a blog came to the forefront. We realize there are many blogs available for people to choose from but one of the things that attracts us to this format are the conversations that can happen as people respond not only to the postings we make monthly but also to one another. The idea of conversations, of dialogue, of give-and-take, is one that we value highly in our work. So, we’re deciding to give it a go…

Of course the second decision, and likely the more difficult one if truth be told, is what we call this blog. In the restorative justice DVD that our office is putting out (it’s really at the editing stage!), we use the metaphor of restorative justice as a baobab tree….These trees develop hollow trunks that are used as shelters and gathering places...hence the title “Inside the Baobab Tree”.

Baobab trees are multi-functional. They are native to many parts of Africa, Madagascar and North-western Australia and they are immense. Almost every part of the tree is used in one way or another. In the village of Toumbou-Ba the baobab is seen as a protector. A person under or inside the tree cannot be hit or abused by another. On the other hand, in Australia there is a baobab called the Prison Tree and it still has bolts and studs from its service as a prison.

Sometimes it feels the same way with restorative justice…perhaps not quite that sharp a contrast but there are certainly times when processes referred to as restorative justice feel abit more confining than those of us who work in the field have thought about it.

So, we’re ready to explore the questions and issues together with those willing to join us… as a way to mark this step I have ordered 10 baobab seeds….5 from the Australia seed and 5 from the Africa seed. In our part of the country they will need to be grown indoors as house plants. We’ll see how it goes…