Kithul

The wish - conferring tree:

by Madhavi Sandhyalekha Wijerathna

The sunrise brings another new day to the village. The villagers get ready to harvest one of the most valuable products from mother nature. Here is how they turn their thoughts into words:

"Waradak nathuwa bammak bandinawa dutimi
Ledak nathuwa bethak kawanawa dutimi
Dukak nathuwa kandulak watenawa dutimi
Kalayak aran jalayak banawa dutimi"

(I saw a bond bound without any need \I saw a medicine given without any ill \I saw a tear shed without any sorrow \I saw an empty vessel brought down full)

The kithul or fish tail palm is a popular tree among the rural community in Sri Lanka. This tree is botanically known as Caryota urens which belongs to the family Palmae. Traditionally the coconut tree, Cocos nucifera which belongs to the same family Palmae is known as the wish-conferring tree, ("Kapruka") since all parts of this tree have important and different uses as a multipurpose tree.

All parts of the Kithul tree too have different and valuable uses. Therefore, it is worthwhile to recognize this multipurpose palm as another or second wish - conferring tree ("kapruka") for Sri Lankans.

Under favourable conditions, the Kitul tree may grow to a height of 40 - 50 feet and a girth of 4-6 feet. The girth of the lower part of some Kitul trees is less than that of the middle part which is not common among the other tree species.

These types of trees are known as female trees by the village community. Kithul leaves are bipinnate and leaflets are broadly toothened. A well-grown tree contains 10-20 leaves.

The rural people obtain a number of economically important products from the Kitul palm.
 

The flower is the most useful part of the tree. The Kithul flower is tapped to obtain sap of the tree and that is the most important primary product of a Kitul palm. In general a single tree yields 7-14 liters of sap per day and the sap exudation continues to 3-4 months.

Tapping the flower for obtaining the sap is an art and technique that has to be learnt. These techniques are inherited from generations to generations as secrets through the centuries.

A bamboo tree is fixed to the trunk to reach the inflorescence. Climbing the tree as well as the sap collection process is a risky and trying job, which should be done carefully.It is needed to temper or season the flower before its maturity to obtain the sap.

Objectives of seasoning are delaying maturity to extend longevity of the sap flow, bending a flower downwards to facilitate the easy collection of the sap and the tenderisation of the flower for easy slicing.

In rural villages the tapping process of an inflorescence is started on an auspicious day or a time. The number of pre-treatments involved in seasoning a flower vary from location to location and person to person.

Basically the main treatments involved are: burning, piercing, beating and treating with botanicals. The natural mixtures used in seasoning may be Spice-based, Citrus-based, Medicine-leaves-based, Pepper-based, or Ash based mixtures and some are non-specified. Materials and equipment used for these processes as well as for the sap collection are location specific.

Rural people in Sri Lanka respect the Kithul tree as they receive an endowment from nature in the form of sap. Many rituals and beliefs are connected with this tree and some of them have contributed for the natural existence of this tree species without extinction.

One such practice is leaving the first flower of a tree without tapping for the deities above which ensures the seeds for the birth of the next generation.

Treacle and jaggery are the main products of the Kitul sap. Unfermented sap is needed to make both these products. Therefore, the sap collected should be boiled without delay before it gets fermented.

The tappers apply a light coat of slaked lime inside the sap collecting pots to prevent microbial activities which cause fermentation of the sap.

The collected sap is filtered to remove extraneous matter as the first step of the treacle production process. Then it is boiled at a moderate temperature until it reaches the proper concentration.

People who are engaged in this industry know the appropriate concentration for treacle through experience. Finally, the produced treacle is filled into cleaned bottles for marketing. The rest is stored in clay pots in rural villages for their use as well as to be used in the future. The unfermented Kithul sap is concentrated further to make jaggery. Stirring is needed throughout the heating period.

After the correct concentration is reached, the stuff is decanted into coconut shells to solidify and to get the formal shape of the jaggery. In commercial production, a wooden frame is used for this purpose to obtain a flat and squire shape which facilitates easy packing, transport and storage.

Traditionally the Kitul jaggery is wrapped within dried banana leaves. Presently polythene bags are used for this purpose. Sri Lankans use jaggery with different herbal drinks and beverages like tea, and coffee as a substitute for sugar.Kitul flour is another product of this valuable palm.

The flour is in the pith of the trunk. In the extraction process of flour, first a kithul tree is cut down. Then, the pieces of pith are removed from the trunk. After that, the pith is cut into small pieces and powdered using the mortar and pestle.

Next, a pot is filled with water and a clean cloth is tied to its mouth. Then the crushed pith is mixed with water and allowed to strain through the cloth to the pot. After sometime, the flour settles down in the pot. It is sun dried to make Kithul flour. This flour can be kept for a long time. The flour is used for different preparations. "Kithul thalapa" is one such preparation.

The fermented sap of the Kitul tree is known as toddy, which contains 5.0-5.5 per cent of alcohol equal to the strength of beer. It is widely used by the rural community in Sri Lanka as an alcoholic and energizing drink.

Presently there is a high demand for Kitul-based products both locally and internationally. Therefore, the Kitul industry is a good income source for the rural people and to the country as a whole. With the recent findings of scholars at the Industrial Technology Institute that Kitul sap and its products have anti-diabetic properties, the future demand for Kitul products would definitely increase.

The Kithul based products are popular as organic foods since the primary product is obtained from naturally grown trees, which are free from chemical residues. On the other hand, the Kitul tree and the Kitul products have a high medicinal value. The roots and barks are medicinal ingredients in native treatments. Native physicians prescribe Kitul flour for gastric ulcers, hypertension and migraine headaches.

The mature Kitul trees are a source of valuable timber. It is hard and durable. Therefore, the rural people use it especially to make mammoty handles, walking sticks, motar and pestles, rafters and reapers.

It is widely used for many other purposes due to its strength, durability as well as the availability. Furniture made out of Kitul timber has a high market value due to its attractive black colour and durability. Different handicrafts are produced using Kitul timber and other parts of the tree as well.

Kithul trees especially the dwarf varities have an aesthetic value. Therefore it is used to add beauty to the landscape. The leaves are used for different decorations and floral arrangements. Therefore, the leaves have become an exportable item. The long spikes of the Kithul flower is also used for different decorations.

Kitul is a multipurpose tree but its potential has not yet been fully exploited. By considering all these aspects the effective measures should be taken by the relevant authorities to develop the Kitul industry in Sri Lanka.