Take a Look at the Coconut ( Sarong Reparo sa Niûg )

Scientific name: cocos nucifera, common name: coconut. Some call it: noce di coco in Italy, cocotier, said the Frenchmen, kokoc by the Russians, kokosnoot spoken in Dutch, nei in Hawaii, niu for the Poynesian voyagers: niûg is the name for Caramoanons




(A tribute to the Coconut and the Coconut Farmers who made my education possible through the COCOFED Scholarship Grant)


Nasasambit ko minsan an sakuyang aspirasyon na isurat an mga bagay-bagay na harani sa boot, orog pa, kun an tema may relasyon o gikan sa namomot-an kong banuaan, Caramoan.

(I said some time ago, I have this aspiration to write on anything close to my heart, much more, when it delve on topics akin to my hometown, Caramoan.)

Sa pagbana-bana nin siertong tema, naisip kong hamihamon an sakuyang recuerdos nin
kamusmusan, an amay na panahon na primerong nagkaigwa nin animo an sakuyang kaisipan, sa padabang lugar na mabulod-bulod na daga kan Caramoan. Tuminambara sa alintataw ko an imahe nin tan-awon na napapaligidan nin mga tinanom na kaniugan.

(While pondering on a specific subject matter, I choose to reckon my childhood memories, those early days of awakeaning , on my cherished land – full of backdrop of rocky and rolling hills, that is in Caramoan. It flashed on my psyche, a scenery of green plantations of coconuts.)

Sa puntong ini, nahaman an tema sa isip ko, mga patara-tara manongod sa nagkaperang detalye kan sarong niûg. An niûg, an naging halawig asin dakulang maray na kasurog sa mga pang-ekonomiyang pangangaipuhan kan kadakling Caramoanon, ta maski pa ngani, kontra-pilo an maburu-buelta nang pagbisita kan mga distrosong raot na panahon, poon pa kan panahon na daing kasagkuran.

(At this instance, I knew the topic already. I would like to write on the nitty-gritty of a coconut being. Such coconut, that has been a lifelong and very significant source of livelihood for most Caramoanons, despite of its drawbacks suffered on devastating howling winds that frequently visit Caramoan, since time immemorial.)

Maw-ut ko na repasohon an mga lingua franca na sambit kan mga tubong Caramoan, sa pagmidbid sa manlaen-laen na kaapodan sa niûg, base sa edad kaini - hale sa pagiging lambû, hastang tumagas. Pambihira nang madangog an mga makunsuelo asin mga en-puntong bernakulo, diit-diit nang nawawara sa bukabularyo, kasabay sa pagpara kan buhay kan mga anoy-anoyon tang samatuang Caramoanon.

(It is my earnest wish to review the peculiar dialects uttered by native Caramoanons, in naming and identifying the different stages of development of a coconut fruit. It is becoming rarer to hear those amusing and exacting tongue, by and by, losing spot in our casual vocabulary; tagging along and as if racing - with the demise of those idiosyncratic elders of Caramoan.)

“ Sa pagtangad sa sarong lanyûg na puon nin niûg, nahiling ko an mga buok nin saralak na nagkapirang rawog nin lumbod, matagas, asin laya ng niûg. An layâ ng niûg, kun dai pa sakatûn, o sanggotûn - sa madaling sabi, gusihûn.. minaalang na maray an bunût, nahuhubas an sabaw; salida an pagtambû nin ampol- maputi, mayomhok na matagok, sarong kumol-kumol na maharamismis kakanon.”

(“By looking up at a tall coconut tree, I sighted bunches of coconut fruits – clustered into some young, some matured, and some over-matured. An over-matured fruit in this case, when neglected to be hand-picked, or scythed with an extension pole, in other words – remained unharvested, its fibrous husk will continue to dehydrate, its juice inside the nut drying-up, giving way into the emergence of an embryo that would gradually be growing - whitish, absorbent and moist, a ball of softy mass that is sweetish to eat.)

An anuman na nasa taas, nararata. An apod sa niûg na narata, tangkû. Kadakli sa tangkung niûg, may laog na ampol. Ngapit pa, minabut-wa an saradit na gamut na nagkamang palagbas sa sadiring bunut, giya nin gravidad sa paghanap nin daga na makupuan para sa destinong maging sarong panibag-ong henerasyon.

(What is it up there, will eventually fall down. That fallen over-matured coconut fruit becomes a seed, most of them already have developed embryo, and in a matter of time, roots sprout out of its husk, guided by the law of gravity, find anchor on the soil and claim itself its destiny to become a new generation.)

Sarong layang niûg, tinubuan nin ampol dangan tuminangku, pero nugayud, minatangkû mun-â, hastang tubuan nin ampol, despues, ma nagin tambuan.

(An over-matured coconut fruit, develops embryo then falls, but in other ways, it falls first, sitting undisturbed underneath to develop embryo, and finally takes the form of a young coconut seedling.)

An nagtatalubong puon nin niûg, markado nin mga garong tinalanggahan an hawak nin huli sa gira kan nagkatirik-is na palâ-pâ. An palâ-pâ, iyo an dahon kan niûg na piggikanan kan gihoy na pansighid, asin an ugbos, tunay na pamatos na nakaburibod sa ibos . Inuusar man an tinalakid na palâ-pâ, bilang atop sa pobreng payag-payag na harong.

(A growing coconut tree shows ringed step-like gradient on its trunk, a mark from fallen pinnate leaves. Pinnate leaves are our source of midribs which we use as a broom, while its young-still folded leaves, is an ideal spiral wrapper for glutinous rice delicacy. Inter-woven leaves becomes a useful thatch for a humble hut.)

Sa laog nin poko mas o menos singko hasta siete anyos, segun sa maray-rahay na panubo, handa na sa premirong pamunga an puon nin niûg, asin dagos dagos na mamumunga hasta sa posibilidad na panahon nin gatos na anyos.

(In approximately 5 to 7 years old, under circumstance of healthy plant growth, a coconut tree is much likely ready for its first fruit bearing days, and possibly to produce prolifically in a span of a hundred years.)

Sa pag ulwat kan unlung na nakasagipit sa mga puon nin palâ-pâ, iyo na an, an senyales na bados na an puon kan niûg. Daing gayo ikalangkag, minabuk-ad tolos an unlung, minaluwas an garong giring-gitingan na mga paklang, na inaapod na, arayu-ay, an burak kan niûg.

(The emergence of inflorescence, making its way in between petioles, shows the sign of a start of being a productive tree. It will not take too long, the bud will open to display its blooming flowers.)

Sa lambang paklang kan buk-ad ng arayu-ay, mina-tambo an mga bukô-bukô, na nagin gao-ô, na sa ika-pirang semana, nagiging mga arub-ob. Sa estadong ini pelegroso na mapayog an ibang bunga sa nagkapirang remalasong kamugtakan. Arog kan mapurohan nin makosog na paros, ma-sugod nin alimbuyog, o kaya, matiyempuhan sa panahon nin atake nin helang kan niûg.

(On every stem of its fountaining flowers, will the numerous nodules appear, which will soon develop into pre-matured nuts, and within few weeks, grows a little bit bigger with only water content inside. It is during this stage that the fruit bearing process undergoes a very fragile moment that would precipitate abortion. Like susceptibility to strong winds to cause pollen to fall, attacked by bees, or probably hit by certain plant diseases.)

Sa paglipas nin nagkapira pang aldaw, kasunod na an pinakamasiram na parte nin pakinabang sa niûg, an panahon na puede nang sakatun an malinghud. An amay na parte iyo an malinghud nin daraga, lab-as an berdeng kolor kan bunut, masabaw, asin malumoy na maray an laman. Sa pag-agi nin gasinong turog sana, minatagas tulos an buok nin niûg, asin inaapod ining malinghud nin para-ayam.

(And in the passing days, the most awaited delicious part of enjoying coconut becomes at hand. Young coconuts are ready for picking, preferably by climbing. An earlier harvest or younger version of young coconut is said to be preferred by a maiden. Its flesh is jelly like and very succulent to eat. After a few overnight sleep, it matures into what is called young coconut for hunters.)

“ segun sa suanoy na istorya, an malinghud nin para-ayam, iyo an literal na kakanon kan mga para-ayam, nin huli ta dai nagdadara nin balon na kanon sinda, tanganing dai maparongan kan hayop na saindang katuyuhan na dakopon. Kadakul pa nin ritual na arte nin pagtubod an Para-ayam, siring sa saindang kakanon na malinghud, pig bat-ak an buok na patak-ras na garong lampaso, bakong tigbas na pahalabang ba-ak.”

(“ according to folktales, such young coconuts, are really the staple food of hunters, since they avoid bringing in table foods on their hunting grounds to evade detection from the very sharp sense of smell of those game animals. Aside from that, hunters are very superstitious. It form part of their ancient practice and beliefs. For instance, opening the coconut should be cut crossed-wise like a scrubbing husk at home, not the usual lengthwise chopping.”)

Aldaw sana man an diperensya kan edad, munan mo, lukadun na an tagas kan dating malinghud. Alagad an lukadun na pigsabi dai pa puedeng benepisyuhon na luka-don, o koprason. Mas angay ining pig-kudkod na magsirbing panira sa kamote, luto-un na magin dulceng bukayo, o i-ayon sa tinuk-tok na buyod na hago-hago na, na pigpatos sa dahon nin kalabasa, o bien, natong.

(An age difference of another few days, certainly in advanced stage, it’s half ripe. At this stage, it can not yet be processed into drying for copra. It is better grated and used to compliment eating sweet potato, cooked into sweet dessert-like foods, or mix into chopped fermented shrimp delicacy, wrapped in squash leaves or an edible kind of taro leaves.)

Paabante nin paabante an proseso nin pagtagas, medyo maragamo asin manag-om na an namit sa karne kan niûg, mantang minagian an timbang kan bunut na naggugurang an mga urat. Sa puntong ini, igwa nin manig-sarong buok nin niûg na nabubuyon. An termino iyo an landû, na mina-sadiring rata ngapit. Mata-pû asin madaling matukal sa bagol an laman kaini. Lasaw an gunaw na mapupuga.

(The process of maturity is advancing, which makes the flesh of the coconut firmer and have a nutty taste, while the fibrous husk weighs lesser. An this point, there might be few under-develop nuts to find among them as casualties, and it will just fall by its own accord. The meat is crunchy and easily detach from its shell. The essence of coconut cream that can be extracted from it, is less potent.)

An paladan na minasunod na pahinogon iyo an pig-apod na gasiraban. Minatagas-tagas pa man sana. Alang-alangon na gunawon, matagas na man na maray na pasayon.

(Those surviving nuts developed into an early stage of maturity. It gets harder but not yet fully a generous source of coco-milk, but too hard already to be eaten raw.)

An sunod, sinû. Kinahinogi, kinatagasi. Tama na sa panahon na gusihûn. Matagok an gunaw, matubod na lanahon, makantidad nang koprason, dai na dapat gulpihon an resiko kan comprada.

(Next, stage of prime maturity. Ripened, Hard. Just in time for harvest. Full cream, edible oil source at optimum, commercially valuable copra product – must not be imposed with big rediscounting of weight by the copra buying station.)

Kun dai nahiru an sinû, dayaday na minaalang asin minaribay an kolor kan bunût. Ini an estado ning pagiging layâ, pauli na sa pinun-an kan istoryang ini. Sa pagtubo kan ampol, pagkaputul kan matapû ng putihan sa rawog na kinukupoan, minatangkû sa sadiring gabat, naging pisog liwat.

(Unless harvested in time, its husk will gently undergo dehydration and discoloration process. It becomes an over-matured nut, reverting into where we started this story. Into germination of embryo, cutting-off from its brittle cluster by its own weight, fallen as a seed, again.)

An sirkulo nin pauro-otrung istorya nin perpetual na kamogtagan kan buhay kan sarong puon nin niûg, sarong teorya na sanang kaisipan sa satuyang panahon. Dai ma-agwanta na masalidahan nin bag-ông tubô an kaniogan, kung lalaoman sana na naturalesang tumambo an tangkuan. Gusgos na asin lanyug ng maray an mga natatadang tindog na kaniogan. Panahon na nin durungan na pagsalida nin makabag-ông semilya nin niûg, por sobre sa dakulang pakinabang sa satuyang kabuhayan, maski na, para sa mga makuapo man lamang.

logspo(The seemingly never-ending cycle of propagating nature of coconut plants, becomes only a mere theory in our time. It can not sustain restitution of its own lost kind, if we just depend on its slow evolutionary form of germination. Those standing coconut trees left nowadays are already very old and less productive. It is high time for mass replantation and replenish them with hybrid varieties, in view of its life sustaining importance in our lives, even, just for the sake of our grandchildren.)

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