THE AFRICAN CALABASH

June 24, 2015

THE AFRICAN CALABASH

calabashdreams.wordpress.com

Calabash pot and bowls

First time I came across The African Calabash or bottle gourd or long melon (on TV lol), I assumed it was made of some type of wood or clay. On further research, I found out that it is actually originally made from the fruit of a gourd plant. Imagine my surprise. How something so rigid and firm could be produced from a mere fruit. The gourd plant can be used as a vegetable while it’s still young. However, it can also be let to mature and then used for several purposes. The gourd was one of the first fruits grown worldwide not primarily for food. The fruit has a light-green smooth skin and a white flesh. They grow in different shapes and sizes. Some are huge and round, others may be dumbbell (bottle) shaped and not so huge. It is commonly cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and is believed to have originated in Southern Africa.

gourd fruit

The gourd is plucked and hollowed in order to remove its contents, mostly seeds. It is then placed in the sun for a couple of days to dry up. With time, the green colour fades and it becomes hard and brown-ish. It is ready for use at this point. It can be carved, painted or varnished. Whatever your choice may be.

Sitar; reuters.com

Calabash bowls and spoons

In India, it is used to make string instruments that look like guitars made of wood. Examples are the sitar and the rudra veena. In the Caribbean, it is typically used for utensils such as bowls, cups and basins in rural areas. Also used to carry water and made for carrying items such as fish when fishing.

Ichaka; africastyledaily.com

In West Africa, it is also used typically as utensils in rural households. It can be used to clean rice, carry/store water/palm wine and as food containers. It is believed to add a palatable taste to water as well as help keep it cool. Smaller sizes are used as drinking bowls for palm wine. In Nigeria, the calabash can be made into a beautiful instrument known as “a rattle or maracas” It is called “Sakere” in Yoruba and “Ichaka” in Igbo and Idoma language. It is loosely covered in beads and produces a rattling sound when tapped or shaken to compliment other instruments. Some traditional eating places entertain tourists by serving them native recipes in calabashes.

calabash centre piece; home-decors-ideas.blogspot.com

In the modern settings, the calabash is mostly used as home décor. When the gourd is dried, it can be decorated by a craftsman who usually carves intricate repetitive linear and curved patterns into the calabash and changes the plain look into a sophisticated work of art. Calabashes make for amazing centre pieces for a coffee or dining table. It can also be used as a wall décor. It can also be carved into a vase. The calabash is very versatile and adds that African/exotic feel to your home.

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