Dharma Beads

HISTORY OF THE TAGUA NUT

Tagua Nut (Philetelas Microcarpas), also called the Vegetable Ivory Nut, is the ivory alternative. The ivory nut is close grain and very heard. The cellular structure and grain is similar to that of elephant ivory, but is more dense and resilient. It resembles the finest ivory in texture and color. Malas are used to count mantras, prayers, and prostrations. They consist of 108 beads. The largest beads called the GURU bead and it symbolizes the Spiritual Source or the Teacher. There are 108 beads (each size 7mm), with 4 counter beads (size 5mm) at position 7, and 21, at opposite sides of the GURU bead. This makes it easy to locate position 7 and 21 for certain prayers and mantras which are required to be practiced 7 and 21 times. These 3 smaller beads should not be counted. The GURU bead is 9mm. The Mala is hand strung with polyester whipping twine. Tassel is 100% cotton. All beads of the mala are tagua nuts.

Tagua and Animal Ivory

Because of its close resemblance to animal ivory the nut of the tagua palm has had a long history as a useful product . Before the invention of plastics tagua was used in the making of buttons and other common items such as jewelry, dice, chess pieces and cane handles. In fact, some expensive "ivory" pieces from the Victorian era were actually made from tagua nuts. Tagua products are experiencing a comeback in an effort to protect endangered species such as elephants, whales and walruses that have been a source of animal ivory . In one year a tagua palm produces the same amount of "ivory" as one female elephant. The tagua nuts, however, are harvested by hand without harming the tree.

Tagua and the Tropical Rainforest

In addition to protecting animal ivory, tagua products help preserve tropical rainforests by providing a sustainable income for forest peoples. Renewable rainforest products such as tagua can help prevent the degradation of forests into low quality farmland and cattle pastures. The sale of tagua products also helps forest peoples make the transition to a cash economy when they are unable to survive in a completely traditional lifestyle.

The tagua palm is a small understory tree of 20 to 30 feet that grows in damp areas of moist tropical forests from Panamá to Peru. There are several species of tagua palms and they often grow in colonies to the exclusion of other vegetation. The tagua nuts grow in large armored clusters with each cluster containing many egg sized nuts. The nuts are at first of a jelly like consistency and edible but eventually harden to resemble animal ivory. Tagua nuts are eaten by forest animals such as agoutis, squirrels and pacas.

Thank you for helping save the rain forest by purchasing my Tagua Nut Malas!!

 How much do you know about the Tagua Nuts?

Botanical Name: Phytelephas Macrocarpa Palmae

The palm-like tree which grows to a height of 20 to 30 feet has a nut ranging in size from a cherry to a tennis ball, the average size is of a walnut. The fruit is made up of interconnected oval segments or nuts. The tree must grow for over 20 years before it products its first fruit and is not profitable.

Habitat: Southern Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia.

Characteristics:

Dried tagua nuts are pure cellulose. Before the nut matures, they have a milky sweet liquid in the center composed mainly of manose sugar, and they are edible when first harvested. When ripe, the nuts fall to the ground and are gathered and dried from four to eight weeks, after which they become close grained and extremely hard.

The cellular structure and grain is similar to that of elephant ivory. It often resembles fine ivory in texture and color, and is slightly softer than mammal ivory. The color varies from blueish-white to amber with most nuts ivory-amber. Variations within the nut are not uncommon. The nut is Nontoxic.

Its similarity to elephant ivory has been known by craftsman for years and is frequently passed as elephant ivory on objects fashioned from it and can be very deceptive. It resembles so much like mammals ivory that pieces carved from it are sold at the same price as elephant ivory.

History:

For over two hundred years vegetable tagua nut has been used by ivory carvers in the making of netsukes (Oriental miniature carvings), dice, dominoes, chess pieces, cane and umbrella handles, pipes, Mahjong tiles (Chinese solitaire game), sewing needle cases, and the fine art of scrimshaw (engraving pictures on bone or ivory). In the late eighteen hundreds up through World War II this ivory nut was used to make some of the finest buttons in the clothing industry.

For close to eighty years the ivory nut was a commodity of global importance and factories on three continents used to manufacture articles of utility and luxury. Celluloid and plastic overtook the need for the world ivory nut market after the early forties.

The vegetable ivory nut has begun a comeback because of the slaughter and near extinction of mammal ivory, such as elephants, whales, walrus, and other species.

Other notes:

Tagua nut is the valuable and highly sought after nut of a family of palm trees. It is said Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, and natives of south and Central America used the nut for emotional and spiritual health and well-being. The meat of the tagua nut has the strength and intelligence of an elephant, thus natives of South America call it vegetable ivory.

The tagua nut industry in Ecuador commissions hundreds of people for the production of beads and other crafts. The beads you are holding in your hands are made by the natives of the rain forest with primitive tools. They carve and drill each nut with precise craftsmanship.

The preservation of ivory has made this incredible nut the best alternative, without harming our wild life. In addition, your purchase makes possible the preservation of the rain forest.

THANK YOU !!