The Iconic Coconut Palm

When people think of the Caribbean the first thing that usually pops into their head is a vision of crystal clear blue waters, white sandy beaches…and coconut palms. Almost anywhere you go in the world, the image of a coconut tree is synonymous with paradise: from post cards to TV commercials. The coconut palm isn’t exclusive to the Caribbean. It can be found all over the world, from Fiji to Florida. But where did it come from and how did it get to where it is today?

Well, let’s get the scientific stuff out of the way. The coconut palm is botanically referred to as the 'Cocos nucifera'. It is a member of the Arecaceae or palm family. In fact, the coconut palm is the only member of the genus Cocos. Native to the tropics, the palm has now found its way across the continents, with the help of the dedicated efforts of seafarers. The palm bears fruit that is light and buoyant and hence, does not rule out the possibility of finding its own course across the globe with the help of marine currents.

Ok, now for a little insight as to where it came from….there is actually quite a bit of friendly ‘debate’ on the topic, seeing as fossils of coconuts have been found dating back more than 15 million years ago in New Zealand. Some believe the coconut fruit and palm are believed to have their roots on South Asian soil. Research reveals that the palm is native to the Ganges Delta, in Asia. There are a number of studies that also claim that the fruit has its origin in the northwestern region of South America. There are a number of fossil records that are being researched upon. The oldest mention in text of the fruit is a special mention in the Mahawamsa texts of Sri Lanka too, dating back to the 1st century BC. It truly is a universal plant! A little bit of trivia: Hawaii and Florida are the only two states in the U.S. where the plant can be grown.

Did you know the coconut palm rates higher than the family cow to one third of the world's population? Considered the most useful tree in the world, the coconut palm provides food, drink, clothing, shelter, heirloom history, and financial security. Hardly an inch of the coconut palm goes to waste in countries such as the Philippines where families rely on the coconut palm for survival and refer to it as the "tree of life." The Indonesians say, "There are as many uses for the coconut as there are days in the year." The coconut meat, the white portion of the nut, offers more than just food. The coconut is thought of as a highly nutritious food. The white meat also has coconut oil the tropical natives use for cooking. The shell, husk, roots of the tree, fronds, flowers, and wood of the trunk also become useful products. Charcoal filters used in gas masks and cigarettes are made from coconut shells that are burned, leaving pure carbon behind. Charcoal has the ability to trap microscopic particles and impurities and prevent absorption. Charcoal made from coconut shells produces filters of exceptional high performance.
In Zanzibar, coconut oil provides diesel fuel and is also used for lighting and candle making. It’s the truest form of bio-fuel! Coconut shells are made into buttons, form a base for decorative carvings, and are burned for fuel. Indonesian women use coconut oil as hairdressing and as a lotion for the body. They also cook with coconut oil. Coconut oil has proved itself useful in many household products. Soap made from coconut oil lathers exceptionally well. Soap making produces byproducts that are used by processors to make fatty acids and glycerin. Finally, when the tree is no longer producing coconuts, it can be cut down and its attractive wood, called "porcupine wood" can be used to make furniture.

The coconut even has a few taboos and folklore attached to it in many countries. Until the early 1900's, a whole coconut was the accepted form of currency in the Nicobar Islands, just north of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. In the South Pacific, pieces of coconut shell carved into coin-like spheres served as currency. In Northern India, coconuts were valued as fertility symbols. When a woman wanted to conceive, she would go to a priest to receive her special coconut. Samoans believe that a coconut lying on the ground is not free for the taking but that it belongs to someone who knows it is there. If you should claim the taboo coconut when no one is looking, the tapui, a magical spirit, will taunt you. This unseen force may strike you by lightening or punish you with a painful, incurable illness. The first solid food eaten by a Thai baby is three spoonfuls of the custard-like flesh of young coconut fed to him or her by a Buddhist priest. Natives of New Guinea have their own version of the coconut's origins. They believed that when the first man died on the island, a coconut palm sprouted from his head. In Bali, women are forbidden to even touch the coconut tree. Because females and coconut trees both share the ability to reproduce, men fear that a woman's touch may drain the fertility of the coconut tree into her own fertility.

The next time you head to the beach and set up your blanket under a nice shady coconut palm, take a minute and let your imagination roam. The tree you sit under could be from a far away land or just the next island.