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LOCAL Tuesday 17 sepTember 2019

Crecentia cujete: Our Calbas Tree Episode XXXV

Continued from Page14

We as a small island should soon come to
means, wake up and take action and respon-
sibility to guard our nature. Educate ourselves
that these trees flowers only during night time
and are manly pollinated by bats whose habi-
tats are also threatened by the exactly same
expansive demand of land.
We should make it clear that the calbas has a
great importance in the lives and mythology of
the Aruban and Meso-Amerindian history and
societies, and that plant in general carries very
practical uses. The calbas fruit is utilized today in
many kitchens and to make beautiful and inter-
esting hand crafts and souvenirs.
This round or spherical fruits has a hard shell
which can be separated of the pulp and trans-
formed into a recipient, a flask or a maraca. In
some places in Mexico oil, sugar and ethanol is
extracted from the pulp.
Arubans who still carry information regarding
the traditional application and care taking of
islands ethnobotanical heritage, should be
taken in consideration to recorded their knowl-
edge providing material for further studies for
the coming generations. Finding new ways to with a lot of noted elongated branches, has healing properties have been recorded through
share ethno-botanical wisdom would surely tear- drop leaves that can fall off, leaving the the ages from different regions and Amerindian
benefit many when presented in a way it could tree leafless during the dry season. Every tree ethnic groups which could reveal potent cures.
be applied in a simple and contemporary con- gives one size and shape of fruit. Flowering oc- We invite you to make your appointment at Et-
text of practice. curs directly out of stem and branches. These nia Nativa and find out about our stories, au-
The common looking tree grows modest in size trees are still fairly common on the island. Many thentic Aruban stories.q