coconuts

If I’ve learned one thing while living in Vanuatu, it is resourcefulness. Don’t have the right part? Broken? Something’s missing? You want that to do that? No problem. The Ni-Vanuatu are the handiest bunch of humans I’ve had the pleasure of living around. I feel like the same could be said for most islanders or people living in remote places without access to everything we conveniently have around every corner. You learn (you perfect!) to work with what you’ve got, and usually the outcome is even more impressive than you could have imagined. They are masters at adapting and thriving. And after two years, I think I’ve been lucky enough to have a little of their innovative magic rub off on me, too.

The best example of this and the treasure chest of inspiration? The coconut tree: arguably the most versatile thing on the entire planet. That’s a pretty extreme statement, but time and time again I’m introduced to a new way this tree can be useful. And because I’m writing this alone underneath a few coconut trees, there’s no one to challenge my decision to deem it queen of the universe.

phil drinking airport kava

 I feel like it’s about time I write a post on coconuts as to forever seal it in my memory as nature’s masterpiece. I sat down with my parents and we tried to come up with all of the ways the coconut tree is utilized to maximize happiness. I’m without a doubt missing some and botching some basic parts-of-a-plant terms due to not paying attention in biology and re-learning nature in bislama. Here goes nothin!

young roots: medicinally to treat a sore tooth and mixed into other remedies

strong roots: local rope

trunk/stumpa: strong wood for building fences, stools, benches, bases for bush toilets. people also use the stumpa to practice climbing (and collect delicious green coconuts!)

skin of the trunk: medicinally to help lighten your too yellow pee and mixed into other remedies

green leaves/fronds: weave into baskets, mats, fans, toys, hats, a place to roast meat. also can be woven to construct your roof or walls. the curved end is a dustpan and the stem of each individual leaf can be plucked and turned into a broom or used for handicrafts. tied together as a fishing net. and of course, a key element in properly decorating for a celebration

dry leaves: my everyday kindling, stuffed into calico to make a mattress,  underneath a mat or mattress

green coconut: thirst quencher (equivalent to drinking an ORS packet, according to our pc medical officer) feed yourself, parrot or flying fox with the soft meat, and feed your soul via homebrew

dry coconut: scratch/grade for coconut milk and cook it for cream. or overcook it and enjoy caramelized coconut crumble. make coconut oil, jam, lollies, and other treats. drying out the flesh makes copra, Vanuatu’s main export. burn the meat for a local mosquito coil. feed for every animal except cows. medicinally to treat sit sit wota or diarrhea

shell of a dry coconut: bowl, cup, traditional vessel for drinking kava. they float and can be tied together to create a raft. used handicrafts and as baskets blong titis or bras!

dry husk: kindling, mulch, sponge, brush rope, toothbrush, hat for kastom dances. nailed to a tree, creating a vase for vines and other decorative plants to grow out of. a warm, safe container for abandoned chicks who don’t have their mama’s feathers to cuddle up in at night

navara: this is where the cycle for coconut trees begins and ends. navara is a dry coconut with a sprout sticking out of it – a coconut regrowing itself. The texture of the meat is hard to describe and after minutes of contemplation, laura came up with dense meringue, which sounds as close as its gonna get. it’s sweet and delicious and the pigs love it, too! use to make oil and to wash your hands after a day in the garden

flower parts: young leaf eaten before it flowers and apparently makes what my parents kept calling “toddy” and the flowers are food for flying foxes and parrots. The fibrous stalk used as a broom or rake, and the dried canoe-shaped part (again, sorry for my lack of real terms) is a toy boat for kids. all of the dried parts  make excellent tinder, too!

coconut plantation: as a collective unit, coconut trees create space for animals to graze and humans to nourish themselves. The plantation is where the communities get together and shell out copra in teams to support individual families. Shelling copra is exhausting work, but circling up for storian and copra shelling is at the heart of Vanuatu. Most islands are covered in plantations. They are a beautiful place to pass through, but look out below! because when a dry coconut is ready to drop, it doesn’t look both ways before falling.

i forgot to take a bunch of coconut pictures, but will make sure to stick them in this post once I'm back at site. Grace lives in Saratamata and works in a real live office with an ethernet cord, so she'll help me out!