TAGUA NUT – VEGETABLE IVORY
Tagua ("tah-gwa"), also called
‘ivory nut’ or ‘vegetable ivory’, are primarily the dried seedpod of the Tagua
Palm tree (Phytelephas macrocarpa) which grows in tropical rainforests of South
America. Tagua nut vegetable ivory is found in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Brazil.
Family: Palmae
Division: Magnoliophyta
comprising flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed in an ovary; in some
systems considered a class (Angiospermae) and in others a division
(Magnoliophyta or Anthophyta)
Botanical name:
Phytelephas Macrocarpa Palmae
There are several species of tagua (tä´gwä) (Tah gwa) palms. In average it is a small understory tree of 20 to 30 feet that grows in damp areas of moist tropical forests of South America.
The tree produces a vegetable ivory
nut called Tagua nut. The Tagua nuts grow in large armoured clusters
with each cluster containing many nuts. They range in size from a small
olive to an orange and average about the size of a walnut. Chemically they are
pure cellulose and before the nut matures contain a milky liquid in the centre.
When ripe the nuts fall to the ground and are gathered and dried from four
to eight weeks after which they become extremely hard.
Forest animals such as agoutis and squirrels
eat Tagua nuts. The cellular structure and grain is similar to that of elephant
or animal ivory, but is more dense and flexible (In one year a tagua palm produces the same amount of
"ivory" as one
female elephant In the late eighteen hundreds up
through World War II, before the invention of plastic, this ivory nut was used
to make some of the finest buttons in the clothing industry. Some were even
used on United States Army uniforms. Other common items such as jewellery,
dice, chess pieces and cane handles were made out of Tagua nuts. In fact,
some expensive "ivory" pieces from the Victorian era were actually
made from tagua nuts. For close to eighty years the ivory nut was a
commodity of global importance and factories on three continents used to
manufacture articles of utility and luxury. The creation of synthetics killed the world ivory nut market. The vegetable ivory nut has undergone
a come back because of the slaughter and near extinction of various
mammals that are hunted for ivory, e.g., elephants, whales, walrus and other
species.
In addition to protecting animal ivory, tagua
products help preserve tropical rainforests by providing a sustainable income
for forest gathers. The sale of tagua products also helps forest peoples make
the transition to a cash economy when they are unable to survive in a
completely traditional lifestyle. The tagua nuts, however, are harvested by
hand without harming the tree.
The
indigenous people of South America used Tagua to represent the feminine because
of its great magnet-like romantic energy. Each member of the tribe was given a
tagua pendant to wear around his or her neck. The natives believed that persons
wearing tagua would live in harmony and always be loved by their family and
friends. Seedpods
are peeled, sliced or carved and dyed in different colors. Tagua jewellery and
watches are made from those dried and polished seedpods.
More Information About Tagua
TOTUMO FRUIT GOURD
Six wild
species of this tree are known. Some of them are found in Central America and
others in the Amazon. In Colombia, the Totumo is present almost all
around the country in altitudes within 0 to 800 m over the sea level. The
fruits are gathered in the departments of Amazonas and Boyacá.
Family:
Bignonaceae (These are shrubs and trees with usually tubular or trumpet-shaped
flowers)
Genus:
Crescentia (taxonomic group containing one or more species)
Species: cujete L
(A fundamental category of taxonomic classification)
Common
Names:
Calabash tree, krabasi, kalebas, huingo, totumo
Parts
Used:
Fruits
Totumo is an
evergreen tree reaching 6 to 10 m in height with a broad, irregular crown
composed of long, spreading branches clothed in 5 to 15 cm long bright green
leaves, which create moderate shade beneath the tree. The tree is most
outstanding in the landscape for its year-round production of flowers and
fruit, both of which are unusual. The 5 cm wide flowers, which bloom at night,
are yellow/green with red or purple veins, cup-shaped, and appear to emerge
directly from the branches. These are followed by the emergence of the large,
round fruit, 12 cm to 30 cm in diameter, with a smooth, hard shell,
which hang directly beneath the branches. The fruits develop after pollination
and it has a hard green woody shell. Inside there is a pulp that has medicinal
applications.
The tree
grows in clayey soils with deficient drainage subject to frequent floods. It
grows at elevations from sea level to 800 m, in areas with an average annual
precipitation between 1,500 to 1,300 mm and an average annual temperature of 26
°C.
The part of the tree that is collected to process is the
fruit. Its active ingredients have not yet been defined. Its uses are mainly in
phytopharmaceuticals. The extract of the fruit is effective in the
treatment of fever. The plant is used most frequently for the effective
treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract such as: bronchitis, whooping
cough, asthma and those related to illnesses caused by the cold. Good results
have been seen in the treatment of otalgia (earaches).
The ripe fruits once dry and clean inside, are used as
containers (totumas) to hold water or liquids. During the pre-Columbian time
the natives, Mocanás, who inhabited the centre and the south of the Atlantic used this crust to make canteens called Totumas in which they stored milk and water.
We cut, dry, clean, dye, polish and engrave the fruits to make beautiful “One
of a kind” pendants, earrings and various handcrafts. When they
are dry, clean fruits are cut in half; they have a variety of domestic uses,
especially as containers to store salt and tortillas. They are valued in the
manufacture of handicrafts and musical instruments.Fresh seeds are ground and mixed with water to make a
refreshing drink. The drink has a sweet and pleasant taste.
COCONUT
Family: Arecaceae (chiefly
tropical trees and shrubs and vines usually having a tall columnar trunk
bearing a crown of very large leaves; coextensive with the order Palmales)
Genus: Cocos (taxonomic
group containing one or more species)
Species: Nucifera L (A
fundamental category of taxonomic classification)
Common Names: Coco fruto (Spanish)
Parts Used: Fruits
The coconut tree was first cultivated
by peoples of India or Southeast Asia; emigrants from these countries then
introduced the coconut tree to almost everywhere in the tropics of Asia and Oceania. There is no proof of coconuts having grown in America before the arrival of the
Spaniards.
The
coconut palm tree grows in hot areas. It likes frost-free areas, and grows in
Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific region. The tree grows near seas
in these areas so the roots can find moisture. In the United States it is found only in Hawaii, the Southern tip of Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
The coconut palm may
reach to 100 feet or more. The leaves are very large, up to 18 feet long, with
lanceolate leaflets up to 3 feet long. The fruits are produced in clusters near
the growing tip. They vary in shape, but are generally near globose to oblong,
up to a foot or more in length. The nut is encased in a thick, fibrous husk,
which is persistent and must be cut away to expose the nut. The shell is very
hard and woody, near 0.25 inch thick.
After a long process
of filling with different file thickness, the coconut turn into a one of a kind
craft.
BAMBOO
Family: Gramineae (Poaceae) (the grasses: chiefly
herbaceous but some woody plants including cereals; bamboo)
There are
more than 1400 species of bamboo. In the Americas there are around 290
different species. Some are as short as one
foot (30 cm) in height while others can grow to hundred times that size. The
root structures of bamboo plants vary and they are often scientifically
classified by root type. Many different climates support bamboo, although it is
commonly associated with the tropics. In Colombia and Ecuador Bamboo
prospers in fertile regions up to 2,000 meters (7,000 feet) above sea
level. We know little of how many Bamboo species grow in Columbia.
However, Guadua is well known and has 2 popular names - "Guadua macana or
Guadua macha."
CLAY
Clay is formed by water, heat and pressure eroding away rocks. It is a natural
product of the earth. The geological process of mountains and ridges being
pushed up and formed and then being worn down again by weather creates clay.
Clay can be found in the earth, soft and ready to be formed. Or it can be made
up from the different raw, dry materials mixed with water. It can be modeled,
pounded, flattened, rolled, pinched, coiled, pressed, thrown on a potters
wheel, cast into molds, scored, stamped, extruded, cut or spun. These natural
materials are not only used in pottery but also in the making of glass, brick,
tile insulators and elements used in electronic devices, cements, plaster and
lime. Clay is one of the only materials which doesn"t have much value on it"s
own but can be made into valuable product.
FILIGREE ART
The filigree is art done in paper, and is
quite laborious. Although it is not a discipline that requires of much heavy
force of work, it does demand a lot of persistence and patience. These singular
little figures are made with coiled paper, patched and glued for the final
unique piece. Filigree art is available in Jewellery,
greeting cards, paper figurines.
Eco friendly Watches
