IT was the tree that caught my attention.
Towering and colossal it kept a gentle eye over many visitors that crossed its path.
I first came across a picture of this tree while looking through the website of the Fijian Labour Corps, it was partly hidden behind a group of Fijian men who had posed in front of it in 1917.
Our gallant men were on their way to war.
The men numbered 13 in the photo were part of a group of 101 Fijian men who accompanied six Europeans from Fiji to what was known as the Great War. They were to serve as Labour Corps unloading ships in Calais in France.
According to the information provided on their photo, the men later travelled to Marseilles, then Taranto in Italy.
Former statesman, Ratu Joseva Sukuna, who had previously fought in the French Foreign Legion at Champagne, was one of the lieutenants.
Many accounts and documents of the journey of these men are provided on the website: https://www.freewebs.com/fiji/ where you can view some interesting photos as well.
But back to the giant hollow tree; we find that it is one the famous landmarks in Canada so it was no wonder the Fijian men were taken around to see it.
One wonders what would have been going through their minds while visiting all these foreign places, their excitement and the nervousness as they explored some of the landmarks in Canada before they headed off to do their part for the war. Some of the men would return while some would be buried in a foreign country.
For hundreds of years the Western Red Cedar family stood silently watching over the changes around it.
As it turned out it’s about 700 to 800 years old and is located at Stanley Park in Canada. Sadly the tree has died, but leaves behind a huge hollow stump which has a circumference of about 60 feet with a huge hollow center. Since people have had cameras, they have taken photos of themselves inside the Hollow Tree.
People have had cars, horse-drawn carriages, elephants, and obviously people inside the hollow tree for photos.
