island nuts & women in Maldives

Some neighbors were crouched in the trees near the beach where I was sitting, and I could hear them chattering along with a continuous thud.  I didn’t want to bother them, but curiosity got the best of me.

They were cracking open island nuts, one by one, and filling a little jar. When I approached, they were only too kind to offer me some to try.  I had them before, but not fresh from the husk. They had left them to dry out in the sun, so the nut was still warm when it melted in my mouth. They are delicate, tender and mild like pine nuts—laborious to get to, and so delicious.

The nuts are gathered from trees, and dried out in the sun to make them easier to crack. They are brown and fibrous on the outside, similar in texture to a brown fuzzy coconut. To get at the nut, it is set on its side first and hammered until it’s moderately dented. It is then tipped with the pointy end up, and hit only once on the top to crack it open. Inside rests a single tender nut.

I look forward to a project I will support in the coming weeks for UNWomen. Women play a significant role in adapting to climate change through unique agricultural practices and innovation around water and food security.  More to come...