BW/WEEKEND - THE PALM TREES OF TUBU BOPA report by Kehumile Moekejo in Gumare Palm trees are commonly found in tropical areas, where there is abundant rain and exceptionally good weather. They are also found in pans, where they grow naturally because of the abundance of water. Because of their appealing and refreshing nature, palm trees are usually grown and planted to complement the landscape in parks, homes and hotel parking lots. For many people in urban areas, they are associated with luxury and ambience, but not so for the people of Tubu. Residents of Tubu wake up everyday to the soothing breeze and calming sight of palm trees. The 10km gravel road stretch to the eastern side of Gumare is littered with palm trees, and their density increases as one approaches the village of Tubu. At one point, the palm trees are in a linear pattern on either side of the road, making the driving experience along this stretch of road extremely enjoyable and refreshing. In the village, the palm trees have grown to form sporadic canopies that provide shade from the scorching sun. In Tubu, the palm trees are known as Mokolwane. The Mokolwane tree is very popular in Tubu, and it outnumbers a variety of plant species that are found in the village. Surprisingly, palm trees are not indigenous to the area. “Palm trees were not there in the early 1940s. At that time our vegetation included grass, reeds and water lilies because of the many lakes around the area,” said Kgosi Eastman Motshidiemang of Tubu. He said palm trees were introduced to the village around 1963 when the land started to dry up due to poor rains. Kgosi Motshidiemang explained that women started going out to look for wild fruits to eat, and they brought back Mokolwane fruits. “Mokolwane was common in the east. We ate the fruits and threw away the seeds on the ground. They started growing everywhere because our land was fertile and here we are,” he said. And so the palm trees started emerging in Tubu. They provided nutrition as residents ate their fruit; they provided shade and protection against the scorching sun, and they were a soothing sight as they decorated the landscape. Despite dwindling rainfall in Tubu, the population of palm trees kept increasing. Because of lack of rainfall in the current season, the palm trees of Tubu are now dry and withering, but the upper parts of the trees are glowingly green and full of life. They will blossom and start flapping at the first sign of the rains. The villagers are also protective of their beautiful trees as they have become a part of their lives. There is a strict rule that harvesting the palm trees should be for domestic use only. “Only trees that are old and past fruit bearing stage can be harvested and villagers have been encouraged to maximise the use of the trees,” said Kgosi Motshidiemang. The villagers eat the coarse fiber like material around the seeds, and almost every part of the plant is put to good use. Kgosi Motshidiemang explained that the inner core of the plant can be processed to make porridge flour, and the upper part of the trunk can be eaten as well. In other parts of the world, palm oil is extracted from palm fruits to make ingredients and cosmetics. But residents of Tubu make palm wine which they call Motjema. Palm leaves are also used for basket weaving while the stem is used for making rafters. Clearly, the Mokolwane tree is integral to the very existence of the people of Tubu. That should explain why residents of Tubu seem over protective of the palm trees.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 09:15:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015