And now, for a long overdue treatise on undoubtedly the coolest nut on Earth: the coconut. Get this coconuts, or ni, as they are called in Marshallese, not only produce numerous types of foods for the Marshallese people, which are always present at events, put can be used as a source of income as well. The real kicker is that as a result of natural selection, coconut trees have notches on them that basically ask you to climb up the tree to get to the nut! If you needed proof of a higher power, look no further! It's funny to me how coconuts have been exoticized in the states. While we frequently see shaved coconut in our grocery stores, there is a lot more to the nut than meets the eye in those plastic bags.
One of the first things to note about the coconut is its incredible growth. An average coconut tree grows 50 to 90 coconuts a year. It makes it a perfect resource for a country of people who survived for years on subsistent living. A fact that I didn't know before coming here is that if you stop a coconut at any time in its growth, you will get a different edible product. The Marshallese have a myriad of names for the coconut in its various forms. I have done my best to accrue the major phases/names for you in my brief description of the wondrous coconut.
When the coconut is near ripe or fully ripe, it will either naturally fall out of the tree or will be picked by an expert climber/rock thrower (I have still yet to figure out how they can tell that the coconut is ripe when it is far away from keen eyesight and can also not be ripe and have a brown outer shell--it think it is some kind of 6th island sense). At this point in time, the shell of the coconut is just generating, turning from green to its hard brown exterior. Inside, the coconut contains mede. This is when the white fleshy material is soft, slightly gooey, and is at the height of its deliciousness. The coconut water, called ni, is also at its most delicious. For those of you who do not know, the coconut milk is actually coconut water that has acquired some of the sweetness of the coconut itself. Coconut milk is created from the coconut meat of the plant (coconut water occurs naturally; coconut milk is made). One truth I can tell you about the coconut is that there is always way more coconut water in it than you assume. You can drink you fill and there will still be tons more inside. Good to note if you are planning on opening it and drinking it!
After passing the point of being freshly ripe, the coconut contains waini. This is the phase when the coconut meat (the white fleshy material inside of the shell) has hardened. This stuff is what makes it into our shaving bags in the U.S. of A. While it is edible, it is not as tasty as when the nut is ripe. This is also the case with the ni inside.
After hitting the ground and passing through the waini phase, the coconut starts to germinate. If you are lucky enough to catch the coconut right when it begins to grow, you will be treated to my favorite thing that I have ingested while in the RMI--iu (pronounced "you"). It is a spongy, sweet, moist, flaky yellowish/white substance that fills the interior of the coconut right as it starts to grow. It can be eaten straight out of the coconut or it can be cooked on top of hot rocks and under palm leaves. I have not had the latter (to my knowledge; who knows what you are given at Marshallese events when food is practically thrown at you in generous heaps) but the former is incredible.
All of these forms of the coconut can be cooked in different ways. I was able to get a list of the few with which I was most familiar with with the help of the vice principal at my school:
1) Rice Balls--Just as it sounds, these are combination of large balls of rice and shaved coconut. Sounds simple? Well it is. And its delicious and filling!
2) Coconuts Mixed with Pandanas--The VP could not remember the specific name for the treat, but as for the consistency, this treat is very gooey. It usually comes in sugar sprinkled ball form.
3) Ni and Fish--Ni is an ingredient frequently used as a bath for fish. Since many fish are eaten raw here, the ni-soak adds and extra sweet flavor. When cooked, the meat is even more tender and delectable.
4) Lukor (pronounced "Lick-core," like "Liquor" but with a "k")-- This is the form that I have the most exposure to, though I have never tried it myself. Everyday, one of the teachers sells this frozen substance to a plethora of students. It is yew mixed with water or milk and sugar and then frozen. The kids LOVE it and I usually have to tell them to throw it away so I can start class (nearly) on time.
As I mentioned a few times before, one of the most important facets of coconuts in the Marshall Islands is its ability to be used as a cash crop Since I am not on an outer island, the knowledge of the process of making copra is not as well known to me as it is to other volunteers who see family members or island friends toiling everyday to make the product, but the basic process is something like this:
1. Coconuts are collected in their ripe/post-ripe/pre-germination, "brown shell" phase.
2. The are laid out and sun-dried for a few days. This process can be helped through mass smoking of the coconuts.
3. The contents of the sun-dried coconut are easily removed and the shells are beaten down and packed in sacks which are sent off to the copra factor called Tobler (pronounced "toe-bo-lair").
4. There, a process of oil extraction is used to remove the majority of the substance of the dried nut. This oil can be used as a cooking oil, or in products such as soap and cosmetics. The rest is a dense dietary fiber that can be used to feed some livestock. It can also be used as fuel.
The process of opening a coconut is one of the first "native" things that the volunteers learned here. On our first excursion to Enemanit, we were taught by some Marshallese people there to find a coconut that was read and strip it of its leafy coverings by using a stake in the ground, jamming the stringy outer, leafy layers, and twisting. To open the coconut to drink, the process is very similar to opening a CapriSun. There are two or three holes at the top of the coconut. They are areas that are not as thick. I am not sure as to their biological purpose, but a key or a small finger can find these holes and poke through them quickly. But, as with a CapriSun, one must always be careful of being squirted! The pressure inside is high (someone once informed me that during WWII, coconuts were used for blood transfusions since their insides were one of the only sterile things that could be readily found around the Pacific. I have yet to find proof this (though it is hinted at on Wikipedia) but it sounds possible)! After this, a few strategic and steady cracks around the shell and the coconut is open and ready to eat.
Finally, and most important to me personally, is the use of coconut leaves to create handicrafts. There are tons of different types of handicrafts in the country from baskets, floor mats, hats, fans, hair flowers, and Christmas tree ornaments that are all made from coconuts. I definitely plan on bringing a bunch back for my family and friends.
Well, there is my much deserved but wholly inadequate talk on coconuts. Do some research yourself and I promise that you too will be amazed!
30 Days to Go!
Bar Lo Kom,
Andrew
I, too, love yew. I think I'm gonna have to get a t-shirt that says so. But, hey! You forgot jakoro and jakamai, also known as coconut sap. It's amazing what all you can get from a coconut tree.
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