About Big Tree Harare

Out motto is “Mosi-oa-Tunya: Going the distance Zimbabwe”

Unity – a place where Zimbabweans from all walks of life can come together and celebrate their rights and humanity both online and in the real world.

Environment – Zimbabwe is home to a rich variety of animal and plant life – which need to be protected.

Big Tree Harare is 11 Lyndhurst Rd. As stated on our sites “We are a homestead with an interest in the Zimbabwean Community and environmental concerns.” And that much is true. First and foremost we are a homestead. But Big Tree Harare, previously The Canoe Zoo Cafe, previously Burning Frog Island, is much more than just a place where we live. The buildings on the “private” property that is 11 Lyndhurst, are imbued with history. The Rondavel in particular was build in 1911, 110 years ago. It was thus from Vietnam and talk of a US Soldier that I thought of the need for representation. The main house on the property is painted white and so I jokingly thought it would make a talking point to call it the White House. The Rondavel thus became the Kremlin (recently renamed The Ukraine Refuge in support of Ukraine after the Russian Invasion). Also with the night sky (which I see as an environmental concern) of particular interest to me I thought of the space race and the cold war with the US and Russia naturally taking sides. That’s how the room I stay in became known as NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and various spots in the garden took their names. Reference the Map of Big Tree Harare – Phoenix is now Biden Park to honour a Democrat-Republican politic and Idaho is now Cornelia Street to horour the musical side of Big Tree Harare via the Taylor Swift song by that name.

Big Tree Harare takes its name from the Big Tree at Victoria Falls, a famous baobab. And at the same time honours my (Zimbabwean born) sister’s university degree in botany and her interest in trees.