Thanks for the thread Me.

"But their loyalty to their gaos could make areas around Zinder the most vulnerable to a disease that Reij and Tougiani have recently spotted killing trees near Niamey, the capital. If it spreads, the losses could be enormous, particularly in places where there is a near-monoculture of gaos."

Gao monocultures are no exception, even if they are incredibly beneficial.

The neat thing about science is that it is true/verifiable whether you believe it or not.

Science even works when you disbelieve it.

However, as a scientist, my conclusion was the "magic" was from the shade provided by the trees - for people, animals, land and crops.

Also their ability to grow in extremely harsh and highly variable environments.

.............

I think they do see it as such as well as a blessing, though they make no effort to discredit science. A sudden realization of a solution to a dire situation when they needed it most.

I would imagine that if I lived for many years in a desolate region and almost starving to death, if something came along that provided even partial relief and gave me food, I might see it as magic.

I was raised to not make fun of other cultures and their belief structures, no matter how primitive but still occasionally catch myself falling into that trap. Helps me to think of that old expression "walk a mile in my shoes".

In many ways, we're guilty of similar visions of magic, but in a modern sense. Just ask a typical citizen how their computer, cell phone or refrigerator works, LOL.

So first off, good luck overcoming that.


Oddly enough, no one relevant to the story is making the argument that science doesn't work; so it seems a waste of your time to make mention of something no one has, well... mentioned.

Thanks for posting

Women in Droum have also made medicine from their gaos for generations. “People come all the way from Zinder [Niger’s second largest city] to buy it,” said Husseina Ibrahim, a busy mother, next to a pot of boiling gao bark. “I’m the only one who makes this here. It’s great for me, it earns me a bit of money which I pay into the women’s cooperative.”

as is the women's cooperative.

Thank You Me.