5 minute read
THE MARULA TREE
A cultural hub and natural resource in Namibia
Marula trees are well-known and naturally occur in Namibia’s north. Their large canopies provide ample shade against the harsh summer sun and their fruits are used for a wide range of products. Let’s take a closer look at this interesting tree.
A well-rounded crown of medium-sized oval compound leaves characterises the marula tree. Its bark ranges from smooth to rough dark grey scales resembling dried, curledup patches of mud in a riverbed. No scientific qualification is needed to identify this unmistakable tree.
Although the marula tree usually flowers from the month of October to January, some trees flower earlier and some later. This means fruiting can occur any time from January through to April and sometimes even as late as May. The peak fruit harvests are typically during the months of February and March.
The fruits of the marula tree have an irregular round shape with a tough green skin which becomes a pale yellow when ripe. Their texture and appearance are comparable to that of mangoes, and they are approximately the size of a strawberry. Traditionally, women from any household invite fellow women – usually friends and neighbours – to gather the harvest from under one of the marula trees using clay pots, buckets and cow horns. It is the task of the children to collect the fruits that have already fallen in heaps under the tree a day before the women get to work.
The cow horn is used to puncture the fruit, easing the process of squeezing the juice from the fruit by hand into the clay pot or bucket. The juice is left to ferment at the homestead where the women’s gathering takes place. The skins of the fruits are left to dry in the field and may serve as fertiliser for the crop fields. The seeds are usually placed in a bucket where water is then added to make a drink known as Oshinwa – a nonalcoholic drink mostly enjoyed by children. Upon finishing the Oshinwa, the seeds are thrown out on the ground to dry in the sun. It takes months for the seeds to dry.
The earlier the flowering, the earlier the fruiting and the earlier the clay pot with marula wine can be placed at the centre of the gathering of family and friends quenching their thirst after weeding their fields. This leads the way for laughter, folktales and general discussions or updates about the village, the constituency, as well as regional, national and even global affairs. It is a social gathering of sorts that unites the neighbourhood. The Aawambo tribe have an annual celebration known as the Omagongo festival (translating to marula wine festival) to which all the tribes in the country are invited. Last year this celebration was hosted by the Ombalantu Traditional Authority in Omusati Region and this year the Ondonga and Ombandja Traditional Authority will host it.
The elders seem to have explored beyond just fermenting the juice, managing to crack open the dry seeds and study its anatomy. This led to the discovery of the kernel. Not only did they attempt tasting it and liked it, but they also recognised the potential of extracting oil from it. Prior to the modern times of cold-pressing marula oil using machinery, the women used to hit the edges off the seeds by placing the seed on an axe and hitting it with a medium-weight piece of cylindrical wood. The process of extracting the oil from the kernels is quite complex but simple for the experts who know how to use the big traditional pestle and mortar.
Oil extracted from the kernels is referred to as Ondjove, a condiment enjoyed with delicacies such as marathon chicken or wild spinach after further preparing it by heating it until it produces a unique aroma. The aroma signifies that it is ready for use once cooled. The significance of the uncooked oil is that it can be used directly on the skin and hair, serving as a perfect moisturiser with no scent and a stimulator for healthy hair growth and glow. The kernels can also be pounded and mixed by hand in a bowl with cold water to make a paste that can be cooked and served with marathon chicken or dried meat, among other traditional foods. Recent exploration of value addition includes making jam syrup.
The marula tree is easy to propagate, as it can be grown from seed or grafting – a practice which I encourage to ensure healthy populations of the marula tree within communities considering qualities such as sweetness and kernel size.
