Table of Contents
- 1 What is a gourd used for in Africa?
- 2 How is calabash made?
- 3 What is calabash in Nigeria?
- 4 What does a calabash symbolize?
- 5 Is calabash fruit poisonous?
- 6 What are the types of calabash?
- 7 Is calabash tree poisonous?
- 8 What do you do with the young fruit of Calabash?
- 9 Are there any health benefits to drinking calabash?
What is a gourd used for in Africa?
Spoons and ladles made from gourds are used for scooping water, milk or beer from one container into another. They were also used as spoons for eating and drinking. During the 19th century, people living in the Zulu kingdom close to the king’s home, thanked him after the annual harvest by presenting him with beer.
How is calabash made?
This object is made from the fruit of a gourd-plant. The husk is hollowed out, dried and hardened, and then can be used for many purposes: for example a food container, or a musical instrument (rattle, stringed, percussion). It can also be decorated. Calabashes are used in many cultures around the world.
What is calabash in Nigeria?
The calabash is simply the dried hollow shell of a gourd used for household utensils. Calabash is a versatile fruit of a creeping/climbing plant which grows easily in almost every part of Nigeria. It produces fruits which are regular in shape. It is in many sizes which determines its uses.
Can calabash be used for cooking?
Calabash (Lagenaria siceraria) is also known as opo squash, bottle gourd or long melon. This is an amazing fruit which can be used not only as vegetable in cooking but also to make utensils and musical instruments. When it is harvested young, it is used as a vegetable.
How does a shekere work?
The shekere is made from vine gourds that grow on the ground. The shape of the gourd determines the sound of the instrument. A shekere is made by drying the gourd for several months then removing the pulp and seeds. After it is scrubbed, skillful bead work is added as well as colour.
What does a calabash symbolize?
The Calabash is one of the symbols of rural African life which many modern individuals have embraced with the aim of preserving culture. It is an object that was commonly used in most regions in Africa for serving and preserving meals. So whenever the calabash is seen, it means home.
Is calabash fruit poisonous?
Calabash is most outstanding in the landscape for its year-round production of flowers and fruit, both of which are unusual. These are followed by the emergence of the large, round fruit, 5 to 12 inches in diameter, with a smooth, hard shell, which hang directly beneath the branches. Fruits are poisonous.
What are the types of calabash?
Calabash (Lagenaria siceraria), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean and Tasmania bean, is a vine grown for its fruit….
| Calabash | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Lagenaria |
| Species: | L. siceraria |
Is calabash fruit safe to eat?
In time, the trees produce the round fruit. These large fruits take six months to ripen. Calabash tree facts make clear that the fruits are not edible to humans but they are used for a variety of ornamental purposes. The black calabash fruits, however, are edible.
What is the benefits of calabash tree?
The leaves have the ability to decrease blood pressure and headaches. The leaves can also be crushed and applied to wound to stop bleeding. If mixed with castor oil, it also acts as a purgative and laxative herb. Calabash is not only known for its healing powers but also as an ally in food preparation.
Is calabash tree poisonous?
The fruit is used to make containers, cups, etc. Young fruit is occasionally pickled but the pulp is poisonous. The seeds are poisonous as well if consumed raw.
What do you do with the young fruit of Calabash?
The young fruit is harvested and consumed as vegetables when the skin is still soft. When calabash has reached mature age, instead of being consumed, the fruit will be dried and used as utensil, bottle or even pipe.
Are there any health benefits to drinking calabash?
Calabash contains several minerals like potassium and sodium which have been proven to help promoting hearth health. The main health benefits of potassium and sodium will help in regulating the symptoms of high blood pressure and maintaining the heart health. Excellent for Liver.
Why is calabash known as a bottle gourd?
You should know that there are some varieties of calabash but the most popular one is well known as bottle gourd due to its unique appearance which is similar to bottle and traditionally used as water container. The young fruit is harvested and consumed as vegetables when the skin is still soft.
Where does the word calabash come from in Hawaii?
In Hawaii the word “calabash” refers to a large serving bowl, usually made from hardwood rather than from the calabash gourd, which is used on a buffet table or in the middle of the dining table.