Brief History of the Coconut
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A BRIEF HISTORY
In all probability, the coconut tree was first cultivated by peoples of Southeast Asia.
Although it is not known where the coconut exactly originated to this day as its origin is
the subject of much debate and mystery, several authorities continue to claim that the
coconut is native to Southeast Asia and that the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia
including Australia were mentioned as the likely places to origin. The coconut palm could
therefore be considered indigenous over a very large area.
Regardless of its origin, the coconut has spread across much of the tropics.
Adapted to disbursal by the seas, the coconut with their buoyant husks and leathery
outside skin floated in considerable distances in seawater without the deliberate help of
humankind. The early presence of coconuts on uninhabited islands like the Seychelles
and Mauritius strongly suggested natural dispersal. As a result, coconut palms are now
to be found on tropical beaches worldwide and is considered a "beach plant". The
establishment of coconut trees in shorelines was not a single even but a continuous
affair extending over many centuries.
The coconut is featured in early Sanskrit writings dating from the 4th Century BC
revealing that coconut was also a staple food in India and was used for a variety of other
daily needs.
Marco Polo referred to the coconut as "Pharaoh's Nut" when he ran across it in his
travels to India, Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands from 1254 to 1324. From Marco Polo's
chronicles, Arab traders carried coconut shells from these islands to England in the 14th
century before Portuguese sailors reached East Africa. These traders encountered the
Maldives and the Laccadives who were known for their remarkable shipbuilding ability
and craftsmanship. The ships, including the hulls, masts, ropes, stitches, sails, and
others, were built entirely utilizing different parts of the coconut tree and various
coconut-based materials. Marco Polo also reportedly used coconut coir to sew planks
together for ship building. Coconut coir swells slightly when placed in water, so it is
effectively used for binding and plugging spaces between planks on hulls of boats.
In all probability, the coconut tree was first cultivated by peoples of Southeast Asia.
Although it is not known where the coconut exactly originated to this day as its origin is
the subject of much debate and mystery, several authorities continue to claim that the
coconut is native to Southeast Asia and that the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia
including Australia were mentioned as the likely places to origin. The coconut palm could
therefore be considered indigenous over a very large area.
Regardless of its origin, the coconut has spread across much of the tropics.
Adapted to disbursal by the seas, the coconut with their buoyant husks and leathery
outside skin floated in considerable distances in seawater without the deliberate help of
humankind. The early presence of coconuts on uninhabited islands like the Seychelles
and Mauritius strongly suggested natural dispersal. As a result, coconut palms are now
to be found on tropical beaches worldwide and is considered a "beach plant". The
establishment of coconut trees in shorelines was not a single even but a continuous
affair extending over many centuries.
The coconut is featured in early Sanskrit writings dating from the 4th Century BC
revealing that coconut was also a staple food in India and was used for a variety of other
daily needs.
Marco Polo referred to the coconut as "Pharaoh's Nut" when he ran across it in his
travels to India, Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands from 1254 to 1324. From Marco Polo's
chronicles, Arab traders carried coconut shells from these islands to England in the 14th
century before Portuguese sailors reached East Africa. These traders encountered the
Maldives and the Laccadives who were known for their remarkable shipbuilding ability
and craftsmanship. The ships, including the hulls, masts, ropes, stitches, sails, and
others, were built entirely utilizing different parts of the coconut tree and various
coconut-based materials. Marco Polo also reportedly used coconut coir to sew planks
together for ship building. Coconut coir swells slightly when placed in water, so it is
effectively used for binding and plugging spaces between planks on hulls of boats.
OF THE COCONUT