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Rafiki's Ancient Tree, is home to Rafiki. The tree appears in all Lion King media.

Background[]

The tree, which appears to be a large baobab tree, appears in every movie, as well as most merchandise inspired by The Lion King. It gained the Tree of Life name on the 2003 DVD release of the film for its resemblance to the Disney's Animal Kingdom park icon. Rafiki is often seen performing various shamanistic tasks there. The trunk of the tree is shown to be covered in paintings, including depictions of Simba, Kiara, and Kovu, all of which were made by Rafiki.

Physical Description[]

This tree is a tall and thick African baobab tree. Its leaves are always green, as it hadn't been affected at all during Scar's reign. It resides some distance from the Pride Lands and could've been Rafiki's place of origin.

Appearances[]

The Lion King[]

Tlkscreenshots act1 59

Rafiki's tree in the rain

Early in the first film, when it is heavily raining, Rafiki is seen drawing a picture of Simba on the tree's trunk, particularly painting a line on his forehead. When he hears of Mufasa and "Simba's" deaths later on in the film, he sadly smears the painting with his hand. However, years later, while at the top of his tree, Rafiki smells Simba's scent through some dust and discovers that Simba is actually still alive. He then happily restores the smeared picture of Simba on the trunk, using red fruit juice to add a mane to show Simba's maturity.

Timon & Pumbaa[]

The Tree of Life is seen in all four of the Rafiki Fables episodes and the episode "Rumble in the Jungle". In the episode, "Once Upon a Timon”, Zazu flies to Rafiki at his tree, informing him about Simba's reputation as king being in jeopardy and about Timon and Pumbaa's background. Rafiki tells Zazu about Timon's backstory, and after finishing the story, Simba is seen lying on a branch, hearing the story. Rafiki's Tree is shown to have a room with stairs and shelves on the walls. In "Rafiki's Apprentice", Rafiki makes his nephew Nefu fill the shelves with gourds. In "Rumble in the Jungle", the shelves are now filled with voodoo dolls. Rafiki and his tree also make cameos in "Mozam-Beaked".

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride[]

In the second film, Rafiki is seen at his tree, having a conservation with Mufasa's spirit while painting pictures of Kiara and Kovu's maturity. While talking to Mufasa, the wind blows a fruit on his tree and breaks apart, symbolizing to Rafiki that Mufasa wants Kovu and Kiara to be together. Rafiki objects to the notion at first, but he later agrees to it, hoping Mufasa knows what he is planning.

The Lion King 1½[]

While Timon is traveling to find his place, he stops and cries beside Rafiki's tree. Rafiki suddenly appears while hanging from his tree. Rafiki teaches the meerkat about "Hakuna Matata”, and if he wants to find his dream home, he must "look beyond what he sees." The tree is not seen afterwards.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar[]

Rafiki's tree appears briefly at the start of the film when Kion and Bunga run past it whilst playing Baobab Ball.

The Lion Guard[]

Rafiki's tree makes occasional appearances in the series, which takes place after Return of the Roar. All of Makini’s lessons are held there.

The Lion King (2019)[]

In the 2019 reimagining of the classic film, Rafiki appears quietly observing fireflies just as Rafiki sees a couple of bugs on his tree to which Rafiki places a caterpillar on the tree followed by a few more beetles on it. He then blows some powder to complete a painting of Simba. Later after hearing of what Scar said about Mufasa who died in the stampede along with Simba who perished, he sadly smears the painting with his hand, sad to hear about what happened to Simba. Rafiki's tree is later seen again where a tuft of Simba's mane is carried by one of the leafcutter ants which bring it to him to which Rafiki then realizes that Simba is alive just as he draws a mane on the painting of Simba. Later when Simba returns to the Pride Lands with Nala, Zazu, Timon, and Pumbaa, Rafiki returns to his tree to grab his bakora staff to help Simba fight against Scar and the hyenas.

Trivia[]

  • Rafiki's tree resembles a baobab tree, a kind of African tree known for its huge, fat, massive trunk.
  • In a deleted scene from The Lion King 1½, Timon and Pumbaa, in Rafiki's tree, look at Rafiki's pictures of Simba's presentation and Simba's defeat over Scar. Disappointed that there are no pictures of them, Timon talks to the audience, telling them that no one knows their side of the story. Later, Timon draws a picture of himself with Pumbaa, to Rafiki's dismay, who finds them drawing on his tree and he furiously chases the duo, swinging his staff at them.
  • It makes a cameo in the Timon & Pumbaa episode, "Beast of Eden”.
  • The tree also served as the inspiration for the Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Gallery[]

The Lion King Wiki-wordmark This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from the The Lion King Wiki. The list of authors can be seen in the page revision history (view authors). As with Disney Wiki, the text of The Lion King Wiki is available under the CC-by-SA Free Documentation License.


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The Lion King - Logo
Media
Films: The Lion King (video) • The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (video) • The Lion King 1½ (video) • The Lion Guard: Return of the RoarThe Lion King (2019) (video) • Mufasa: The Lion King

Television: Find Out WhyTimon & Pumbaa (videography) • Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About SafetyThe Lion Guard (videography) • It's UnBungalievable!
Soundtracks: The Lion KingRhythm of the Pride LandsThe Legacy CollectionThe Lion King CollectionReturn to Pride Rock: Songs Inspired by Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's PrideBest of the Lion KingThe Lion King 1½: Songs from Timon and Pumbaa's Hilarious AdventureOriginal Broadway Cast RecordingFestival of the Lion KingThe Legend of the Lion KingThe Lion GuardThe Lion King (2019 film)The Lion King & Jungle Festival: Rhythms of the Pride Lands
Video games: The Lion KingTimon and Pumbaa's Jungle GamesThe Lion King: Simba's Mighty AdventureKingdom Hearts IIAnimated Storybook: The Lion KingDisney UniverseDisney Infinity: 2.0 EditionAdventures in Typing with Timon and PumbaaActivity CenterThe Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Active PlayThe Lion King 2: Simba's Pride GameBreakThe Lion King 1½Disney Crossy RoadDisney Emoji BlitzDisney Heroes: Battle ModeKingdom Hearts IIIDisney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion KingDisney Classic Games CollectionThe Lion King: Operation Pridelands
Books: Marvel ComicsThe Art and Making of The Lion KingThe Lion Guard: Can't Wait to be QueenThe Lion King: The NovelizationThe Lion King: The Full Film Script
Cancelled projects: The Lion Guard: Hear Me Roar!The Lion King Family Tree

Disney Parks
The AnnexRafiki's Planet WatchDisney's Art of Animation ResortDisney's Explorers LodgeCircle of Life: An Environmental FableDisney Animation BuildingIt's a Small WorldMickey's PhilharMagicRhythm of the JungleSorcerers of the Magic KingdomThe Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management)The Lion Guard Adventure

Entertainment: AnimagiqueDisney's BelieveDisney's WishesDisney Dreams: An Enchanted ClassicDisney KiteTailsFantasmic!Feel the MagicFestival of Family & FriendsFestival of the Lion KingHakuna Matata Time Dance PartyIt's Party Time... with Mickey and FriendsMickey and the MagicianMickey and the Wondrous BookMickey's Gift of DreamsMickey's Magical Music WorldOnce Upon a MouseRivers of Light: We Are OneThe Golden MickeysThe Legend of the Lion KingVillains Tonight!
Restaurants: Restaurant Hakuna Matata
Parades: A Million Splashes of ColourDisney's Magical Moments ParadeDisney's Party ExpressDisney Adventure Friends CavalcadeDisney Cinema ParadeDisney Magic on ParadeDisney Stars on ParadeFlights of Fantasy ParadeJubilation!Mickey & Friends Street CelebrationMickey's Soundsational ParadeMickey's Storybook ExpressThe Lion King CelebrationThe Wonderful World of Disney ParadeWalt Disney's Parade of Dreams
Fireworks: Celebrate the MagicCelebrate! Tokyo DisneylandDisney Dreams!Disneyland ForeverHappily Ever AfterHarmoniousIgnite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and LightIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationThe Magic, the Memories and YouMomentousOnce Upon a TimeTree of Life AwakensWonderful World of AnimationWorld of ColorWondrous Journeys
Summer: Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise
Halloween: Happy HallowishesVillains Grove

Characters
The Lion King: SimbaNalaMufasaScarRafikiTimonPumbaaZazuShenzi, Banzai, and EdSarabiSarafinaThe PridelandersPride Land AnimalsHyena ClanWildebeestsGopherVulturesGrubs

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride: KiaraKovuZiraVitaniNukaOutsidersCrocodiles
The Lion King 1½: MaUncle MaxMeerkat Colony
Timon & Pumbaa: The Native ChiefThe Three NativesMother GorillaFronk FegnugenMontiBaampuNobiFredQuintThe WoodpeckerBruceStinkyRalph and EddieTedsSavage LionBartholomewThe TarsierToucan DanVulture PoliceNedNefuRabbitUncle BoarisUncle ErnieBoss BeaverBoy BeaverLester the WhaleThe TigressJackalThe CobraSpeedy the SnailSmolder the BearLittle JimmyIrwinEl ToroCount DownMr. PigWolverineJumbo Jumbo the ElephantCheetato and CheetataMartin PartinRita BookChef ClaudeCaptain BloodbeardCisco PigCisco Pig's GangDr. CagliostroTorgoThe Meerkat AngelWonderful Rhino of LawsPumbaa Jr.Dr. HappyLeslie LambeauMr. ButtonsSharlaWarthog SounderHermanLaraMelClaudiusBahukaTutan PharaohGenieMadame CredenzaDuke MeerkatTatianaMother EagleBaby EarlKing LeopoldPrincess ClaudiaSigmund and LloydHeimlich and SchnitzelMad Dog McGraw, Billy the Goat, and Three-fingered JackelopeDr. ExeterSal ManderJungle InspectorBigfootPimon and Tumbaa
The Lion Guard: KionBungaFuliBeshteOnoTiifuZuriJanjaCheeziChunguJanja's ClanMzingoMzingo's ParliamentMwogaMakuuMakuu's FloatPuaBasiBasi's PodUshariJasiriMadoaTunu and WemaJasiri's ClanThurstonMbeyaPorcupine BrothersMa TemboZitoAminifuReireiGoigoiDogoDogo's BrothersKijanaReirei's PackTwigaJuhudiShingoMuhanga and MuhangusTamaaNala's FatherSwalaMuhimuHamuAjabuMakuchaMakucha's LeapMakucha's ArmyFahariJionaMjombaOgpoaHayaLainiBadiliMbuniMapiganoMtotoGumbaKambuniKwatoShaukuNneTanoVuruga VurugaYoung RhinoLionessMajinuni and HafifuKing SokweHadithiBig BaboonBupuBobokaChuraKifaruMwenziUrohoMwiziKulindaOnaMpishiMakiniShupavuWazaNjanoKiburiTamkaNduliKiburi's FloatChamaKengeDhahabuHodariStareheRahaNyuniSumuKongweKinyongaKuchimbaShujaaAngaStrange LionStrange CobraThe FastestThe StrongestThe BravestThe Keenest of SightYukiHitashiKimyo and NabasuDomogDughiBoginoChuluunPãgala Krud'dhaLumba-LumbaOld CivetOraKomodo DragonFikiriKitendoTuppAzaadFlamingo GirlsFlamingo Girls' FlamboyanceTenukTompokSeisouBambunMouse DeerMama BinturongSmunYun MibuNirmalaRaniBaliyoSurakJannaUlluSãhasíÃnandaBingaTangaagimPinguinoCek and RamaTsah and SasemAstutoVarya Feliks, Pasha, and PolinaHeng Heng Kely Kely's TroopAskariShabahaKasiImaraTazama
Printed Media: UruAhadiKopaBomaKulaZuzuJokaLulu
Deleted: DikuBaashoIggyHerr RhinoKwashiBhatiMheetuBanagiDaabiDwalaNaanda
Remake: Dembe
Miscellaneous: ZawadiKiumeKibibiNakawa

Episodes
Timon & Pumbaa

Season One: "Boara Boara/Saskatchewan Catch" • "Kenya Be My Friend?/Good Mousekeeping" • "Brazil Nuts/South Sea Sick" • "Never Everglades/Cooked Goose" • "Yukon Con/Doubt of Africa" • "How to Beat the High Costa Rica/Swiss Missed" • "Russia Hour/You Ghana Join the Club" • "Uganda Be an Elephant/To Kilimanjaro Bird" • "Rocky Mountain Lie/Amazon Quiver" • "French Fried/Big Top Breakfast" • "Madagascar About You/Truth or Zaire" • "Mojave Desserted/Beauty and the Wildebeest" • "Don't Break the China/Can't Take a Yolk" • "The Pain in Spain/Frantic Atlantic" • "Unlucky in Lesotho/Rafiki's Apprentice" • "Tanzania Zany/Guatemala Malarkey" • "Mombasa-In-Law/TV Dinner" • "Back Out in the Outback/Gabon with the Wind" • "Timon's Time Togo/The Law of the Jungle" • "Manhattan Mishap/Paraguay Parable" • "Be More Pacific/Going Uruguay" • "Let's Serengeti Out of Here/Congo on Like This" • "Okay Bayou?/Shake Your Djibouti" • "Yosemite Remedy/The Sky is Calling" • "Mozam-Beaked/Ocean Commotion"
Season Two: "Palm Beached/Jamaica Mistake?" • "Oregon Astray/New Guinea Pig" • "Isle of Manhood/Puttin' on the Brits" • "Klondike Con/Isle Find Out" • "Beetle Romania/Rumble in the Jungle" • "Wide Awake in Wonderland/Zazu's Off-by-One Day" • "Animal Barn/Roach Hotel" • "Africa-Dabra!/I Don't Bolivia" • "Shopping Mauled/Library Brouhaha" • "Catch Me if You Kenya/Scent of the South" • "Monster Massachusetts/Handle with Caribbean" • "Forbidden Pumbaa/Washington Applesauce" • "Alcatraz Mataz/Oahu Wahoo" • "I Think I Canada/Zazu's Off Day Off" • "Beast of Eden/Sense & Senegambia" • "Timon on the Range/The Man from J.U.N.G.L.E." • "Maine-Iacs/Fiji-Fi-Fo-Fum" • "Rome Alone/Amusement Bark" • "Once Upon a Timon" • "Home is Where the Hog Is" • "Bumble in the Jungle Plus: Beethoven's Whiff!/Mind Over Matterhorn"
Season Three: "Whiff/To Be Bee or Not to Be Bee" • "Luck Be a Meerkat/Just When You Thought You'd Cuisine it All" • "Lemonade Stand Off/Big Jungle Game" • "Boo Hoo Bouquet/Timon...Alone" • "So Sumo Me/Now Museum, Now You Don't" • "Visiting Pig-nitaries/The Truth About Kats and Hogs" • "Escape from Newark/Truth Be Told" • "Circus Jerks/Nest Best Thing" • "Super Hog-O/Don't Have the Vegas Idea" • "Hot Enough for Ya?/Werehog of London" • "Bigfoot, Littlebrain/Astro-Nots" • "Robin Hoodwinked/Seregenti Western" • "All Pets are Off/Boary Glory Days" • "Two for the Zoo/The Swine in the Stone" • "You May Have Already Won Six Million Bakra/My Meteor, My Friend" • "Jungle Slickers/Don't Wake the Neighbear" • "Recipe for Disaster/Going Over-Boar'd" • "Ivy Beleaguered/Broadway Bound & Gagged" • "Steel Hog/Dealer's Choice Cut" • "Space Ham/You Bet Your Tuhkus" • "No-Good Samaritan/Living in De Nile" • "One Tough Bug/Pirates of Pumbzance" • "Miss Perfect/Hakuna Matata U." • "Pig-Malion/Why No Rhino" • "War Hogs/The Big No Sleep" • "Common Scents/Mister Twister" • "Don't Be Elfish/Lights, Camera, Traction" • "The Running of the Bullies/Special Defects" • "Wishy Washy/Ice Escapades" • "Guru-Some/Jailhouse Shock" • "Nearly Departed/Early Bird Watchers" • "The Spy's the Limit/Ready, Aim, Fire" • "Timoncchio/Ghost Boosters" • "Stay Away from my Honey!/Sitting Pretty Awful" • "He's a Bad, Bad, Bad Sport/Dapper Duck Burgers" • "It Runs Good/Hot Air Buffoons" • "Timon in Love/Kahuna Potato" • "Mook Island/Cliphangers"

The Lion Guard
Season One: "Never Judge a Hyena by its Spots" • "The Rise of Makuu" • "Bunga the Wise" • "Can't Wait to be Queen" • "Eye of the Beholder" • "The Kupatana Celebration" • "Fuli's New Family" • "The Search for Utamu" • "Follow That Hippo!" • "Call of the Drongo" • "Paintings and Predictions" • "The Mbali Fields Migration" • "Bunga and the King" • "The Imaginary Okapi" • "Too Many Termites" • "The Trouble With Galagos" • "Janja's New Crew" • "Baboons!" • "Beware the Zimwi" • "Lions of the Outlands" • "Never Roar Again" • "The Lost Gorillas" • "The Trail to Udugu" • "Ono's Idol" • "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes" • "Ono the Tickbird"
Season Two: "Babysitter Bunga" • "The Savannah Summit" • "The Traveling Baboon Show" • "Ono and the Egg" • "The Rise of Scar" • "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie" • "Swept Away" • "Rafiki's New Neighbors" • "Rescue in the Outlands" • "The Ukumbusho Tradition" • "The Bite of Kenge" • "Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas" • "The Morning Report" • "The Golden Zebra" • "The Little Guy" • "Divide and Conquer" • "The Scorpion's Sting" • "The Wisdom of Kongwe" • "The Kilio Valley Fire" • "Undercover Kinyonga" • "Cave of Secrets" • "The Zebra Mastermind" • "The Hyena Resistance" • "The Underground Adventure" • "Beshte and the Beast" • "Pride Landers Unite!" • "The Queen's Visit" • "The Fall of Mizimu Grove" • "Fire from the Sky"
Season Three: "Battle for the Pride Lands" • "The Harmattan" • "The Accidental Avalanche" • "Ghost of the Mountain" • "Marsh of Mystery" • "Dragon Island" • "Journey of Memories" • "The Race to Tuliza" • "Mama Binturong" • "Friends to the End" • "The Tree of Life" • "The River of Patience" • "Little Old Ginterbong" • "Poa the Destroyer" • "Long Live the Queen" • "The Lake of Reflection" • "The Triumph of the Roar" • "Journey to the Pride Lands" • "Return to the Pride Lands"

Locations
The Lion King Trilogy: AfricaMount KilimanjaroPride RockThe Pride LandsThe Water HoleThe Elephant GraveyardThe GorgeJungleRafiki's Ancient TreeThe Outlands

Timon & Pumbaa: Zazu's TreeMadame Credenza's PlaceSavage RockBoss Beaver's Log LandThe Tree of TruthDismal Swamp
The Lion Guard: Lair of the Lion GuardJanja's DenTree of Life

Songs
The Lion King: Circle of LifeThe Morning ReportI Just Can't Wait to Be KingBe PreparedHakuna MatataCan You Feel the Love TonightHawaiian War Chant

Instrumental Scores: This LandHyenas...To Die ForUnder the StarsKing of Pride RockDidn't Your Mother Tell You Not to Play with Your FoodWe are All ConnectedHyenas in the Pride LandsElephant GraveyardI Was Just Trying to Be BraveStampedeMufasa DiesIf You Ever Come Back We'll Kill YouBowling for BuzzardsWe Gotta Bone to Pick With YouKings of the PastNala, is It Really You?Remember Who You AreThis is My HomeThe Rightful King
Rhythm of the Pride Lands: The Lion Sleeps TonightKubeLea HalalelaIt's TimeLalaBusaNoyana
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride: He Lives in YouWe Are OneMy LullabyUpendiOne of UsLove Will Find a Way
The Lion King 1½: Digga TunnahThat's All I NeedSunrise, SunsetGrazing in the Grass
Musical: Lioness HuntRafiki MournsOne by OneGrasslands ChantChow DownThe Madness of King ScarShadowlandEndless NightSimba Confronts Scar
Timon & Pumbaa: The Lion Sleeps TonightAlone TogetherStand by MeYummy Yummy Yummy
The Lion Guard: Call of the GuardA Beautiful Day (Ni Siku Nzuri)Zuka ZamaTonight We StrikeKion's LamentIt is TimeHere Comes the Lion GuardWe're the Same (Sisi Ni Sawa)Don't Make a StinkBunga the WiseDuties of the KingOutta the WayJackal StyleOur Kupatana CommunityMy Own WayUtamuAll Hail The VulturesHero InsideBird of a Thousand VoicesPanic and RunTrail to HopeLife in the Pride LandsWe'll Make You a MealFind Your RoarChungu's LamentBaboonsBeware of the ZimwiLions Over AllStand Up, Stand OutKuishi Ni KuchekaRunning with the KingHadithi the HeroMakin' Hippo LanesTickbirds and RhinosTeke Ruka TelezaEveryone is WelcomeThe Traveling Baboon ShowA Real MealFujoThe Path of HonorBring Back a LegendToday is my DayI Have A PlanGotta Look on the Bright SideThe Worst Hyena We KnowMay There Be PeaceBig Bad KengeChristmas in the Pride LandsThe Twelve Ways of ChristmasI Do Have a Great Deal to SayFabulous DhahabuGive a Little Guy a ChanceWe're the SmartestGood King SimbaThe Faster I GoI'm Gonna Run This DumpNow You See Me, Now You Don'tWisdom on the WallsHe's The Zebra MastermindKwetu Ni KwetuNothin' to Fear Down HereShujaa PondaPride Landers Unite!Prance With MeTujiinueHeight and SightWe Will DefendA New Way to GoOn the Last NightWhen I Led the GuardThe Tree of LifeHome of a Snow Monkey's DreamsGhost of the MountainAnythingThat's the Dolphin WayAs You Move ForwardFlamingo Dance PartyYou Best Not Mess With MamaFriends to the EndKion's ReckoningWelcome to the Tree of LifeWho is Better Than WhoPoa the DestroyerLong Live the QueenRemember What Makes You YouThe Power of the RoarOf the Same PrideAs You Move On
Remake: Life's Not FairRafiki's FirefliesScar Takes the ThroneSimba is Alive!Reflections of MufasaSpiritBattle for Pride RockRememberNever Too LateMbube
Deleted: To Be KingWarthog RhapsodyThe Lion of the MoonOld Fearless BuzzThe Madness of King ScarWhere Do I Belong
Miscellaneous: Safety Smart

See Also
Rafiki's Bakora StaffGreat Lions of the PastKing of the JungleMusicalLion GuardRoar of the EldersNight PrideMark of the GuardMark of the Night PrideMoja Kwa Moja StoneTulizaThe Disney AfternoonFind Out WhyHouse of MouseOne by OneTimon & Pumbaa's Vacation SafariAs Told by Emoji
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