In the south of Brazil’s Belém, the host city to the United Nations’ (UN) annual climate conference COP30, flows the Guamá River which separates the vast Amazon rainforest from the main city. Amid the vastness of the rainforest stands a majestic 50-metre tropical tree of the Malvaceae family. In Brazil, the tree is known by the Portuguese nomenclature, Samaúma, and is considered to be sacred and the queen of the entire tropical forest that covers 40 per cent of Latin America, including large parts of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, among others.
While policymakers, leaders and administrators have gathered at Belém to discuss ways to combat the global climate crisis, members of Brazil’s indigenous communities and local residents are trying to bring to light various aspects of their culture, including the existence of the Samaúma.
Also known as the Kapok tree, the Samaúma can grow up to a height of 70 metres or a 20-storeyed building, forming a natural canopy and towering over other trees in the rainforest. These trees have an average lifespan varying from 300-400 years, its buttress roots sturdy in nature and taller than a full-grown human.
Protecting communities
“It is very easy to get lost inside the rainforests. So, whenever any of us gets lost or if there is any emergency situation inside the forest, the first thing we do is find a Samaúma tree. Then we pick up a stick and start beating its roots. In the silence of the forest, the sound of the stick hitting the tree’s roots echoes, and locals can easily understand that someone is lost in the woods or is in some danger, and is sending signals for help,” Luciene Kaxinawà, a local resident who also hails from the indigenous Kaxinawà community, told The Indian Express.
The Amazon is home to more than 400 different indigenous communities, whose culture is intertwined with the flora and fauna of the region. The tree is also worshipped by the communities and holds spiritual significance among them.
Luciene said the age-old practice of hitting the tree’s roots with sticks is performed even today during an emergency situation. She added that they often try to find the tallest tree in the forest because the taller the tree, the louder the sound will be.
“There are stereotypes that those staying on Amazon are often regarded as savage or barbaric. But that’s not true. We are human beings like everyone and this is our culture to worship and protect nature,” Luciene said.
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Growth and role in stabilising climate
The Samaúma tree grows rapidly during the first few years, and between 10 and 30 years, the overall growth stabilises and the tree reaches a height of 30 metres. Experts state that it reaches full maturity by the 100th year, when it becomes fully grown, reaching a height of anywhere between 50 and 70 metres. Experts said that almost all full-grown trees that exist in the Amazon today are older than a century.
“One major importance of this tree is that it plays a huge role in maintaining the rainfall cycle of the world. The crown of the tree releases large amounts of water vapour daily through the process of evapotranspiration, which leads to the formation of clouds, leading to rainfall,” said Marta Regina Pereira, a botany researcher at the State University of Amazonas (UEA).
Over the past decade, several Samaúma trees have fallen prey to deforestation, which has been a key issue of concern in the Amazon region. A section of the indigenous community also staged a public demonstration last week outside the COP30 venue, protesting the deforestation and cutting of trees to make way for infrastructure projects as well as commercial ventures like mining and agricultural business.
“The Samaúma tree is often cut for plywood, which is unfortunate. These trees have sturdy branches and strong trunks, making them ideal for this business,” said Fabian Garcia, a researcher who has been studying the nature and biology of trees in the rainforest for two decades.
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‘Expansive capacity for photosynthesis’
Garcia said that because of its height, the Samaúma has an expansive capacity for carrying out photosynthesis as its vast foliage receives sunlight directly. This also leads to an increased production of oxygen, which is then fed to the world.
“During the photosynthesis process, 1,000 litres of water travel up the trunk of the tree through her roots. This leads to an increased production of oxygen. These trees are centuries-old and have been absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for ages, which is why Amazon is known as the lungs of the earth,” he added.
According to global statistics, the Amazon houses 16,000 different species of trees and absorbs 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. “Because of the COP30, the entire world today knows that there is a place called Belèm. But they don’t know what built us. It is nature and the Samaúma which is the root of our existence. Therefore, in every aspect, the indigenous trees need to be protected and preserved,” said Prazares Quaresems, a resident of Combu island.
