Elder Tree of Oalmer

The elder tree of the jungle

This giant tree was found by the people of Oalmer village, probably a few hundred years after becoming the first Followers of Oal-Mer during the Pre-Classical Era. It is a sacred landmark located at the northern limits of the kukai capital, Oalmer. This tree is treated as a natural shrine of its own, meaning that the kukai have not altered it in any way.
The trunk has an estimated diameter of 32m and is about 88m tall. Though it is visible from any spot within Oalmer, the tall jungle forest and its dense vegetation make it almost impossible to distinguish from anywhere else outside the village. Different to other trees in the tropical rain forest, this giant specimen has a surprisingly wide trunk. Its shape is slightly more uneven compared to regular jungle trees in the area, which tend to grow in a straight line up.

History

As told in the myth of the Elder trees and other legends within the kukai tueshalik: It is believed that plants came out from the bottom of the sea, as they no longer needed to hide from the sun and its hunger. These plants were carried by animals to rest on the ground and became grass, but there were also eight seeds. Each of these would be kept by a bird under its wing as they flew across the world. The seeds were planted on eight different lands, growing up until they give birth to their own forests. These would be known as the eight elder trees.
The one in Oalmer is believed to be one of those elder trees and some of the Kukai say that its seed was probably carried by a hummingbird. Though there is no proof about this being an elder tree, the kukai in Oalmer still consider it sacred and treat it as a natural shrine within the village.

Tourism

Every Kukai who visits Oalmer will immediately spot this giant tree once they are in the village. As it is considered sacred, standing next to the elder tree is one of the first things tourists want to do. Besides leisure, many of the visitors do this as a ritual based on an ancient myth, which explains that any creature willing to join a forest had to talk with its elder tree in order to be "part of the family".
Although Oal-Mer is the only god officially worshiped by the kukai, they also worship the prime spirits, known as the "lesser gods" or "spirits of nature". Mutalik, prime spirit of life and nature, is said to be somehow linked with the elder tree of Oalmer. Because of this, followers of Mutalik may visit Oalmer in order to pray for good harvests or a "good life".

Alternative Names

Elder tree of the jungle, the shrine of Mutalik

Type

Tree

Owning Organization

Followers of Oal-Mer