World Coconut Day

Happy World Coconut Day, everyone! 

When you think of the coconut, you likely think "Oh, those big brown fuzzy nuts", right? Well, coconuts are not nuts. They are actually fruits. Yeah, what we think of as coconuts are actually fruits. In particular, they are drupes. Coconuts originally, well, possibly originally came from the Central Indo-Pacific region, but they have made their way to various tropical regions throughout the world thanks to domestication. 

The origins of the coconut are actually somewhat unclear. While they could possibly have come from the aforementioned Central Indo-Pacific region, they may also have their origins in South America. Fossils of coconut tree-like plants have been found in various places in those areas, like Colombia and New Zealand.

What is known is that the coconut was first domesticated by the Austronesian peoples of Southeast Asia. It's believed they would bring coconuts with them on their voyages at sea to places as far as Madagascar and the Pacific Islands. Coconuts were very useful to them as they could not only be used as a source of food and water, but they can also be used to construct boats. The fruit would be spread further by sailors from other places. 

Coconuts are not just food, various peoples have used them for other things. They are used in Hindu rituals in Southeast Asia, the Hindu goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and well-being) often being depicted holding a coconut. Various cultures in the Pacific and Southeast Asia have creation myths centered around the coconut. The flowers of coconut trees are used in Cambodian weddings. 

So yeah, the coconut is quite a fascinating little fruit. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!