Greenland Coconuts!!

 

It could be the fact, now we are living in Mohamed's family house as opposed to his guest house behind us, that has renewed his interest in this property or it could be the fact that now we are here he doesn't want to kill us but, after they appeared looking for work, two young looking boys have climbed the coconut trees and trimmed all the branches, dropping the coconuts to the floor while we hid in safety taking photos!!

Coconut trees can produce coconuts every two months and some people and resorts have their trees climbed every two months ensuring safe guests and a constant supply of coconut juice.

Our house, Mohamed's house, however, through no fault of his own, has not really been loved and cared for for the past three years and so the trees have also lost out.

Three years without a trim can lead to some seriously over grown trees bulging with over ripe coconuts that, when a good breeze blows in from the Arabian Sea, hit the ground with stone splitting force!

One solid looking tree is located just outside our back door... 

...not a problem as such as we have a kitchen door, side door and front door all of which are tree free!

While Hubby was working on the flat roof, he noticed just how many of this tree's coconuts were near to falling mode.

He reached for a big stick (doesn't everyone keep a big stick on their roof for hitting coconut trees?) and shouted instructions down to me not to come out of the back door for a moment and then proceeded to knock multiple coconuts out of the tree.

The first one to hit the ground just missed me as I stuck my head out of the back door to ask him to repeat whatever it was he was shouting about!

Ten further coconuts proceeded to hit the floor with alarming force as up on the flat roof Hubby played his own version of snooker with his big stick and the tree.

When Mohamed arrived for his evening chat we proudly showed him the ten coconuts all lined up on the floor outside the back door. He looked confused and asked how we had managed to collect so many coconuts as they tend to fall just one or two a day, three if the wind is strong.

Hubby is a large man (a very large man!) and informed our fabulous yet slightly gullible landlord that he had shaken the tree until they fell.

“No No!” Mohamed exclaimed alarmed,

“Too dangerous!” he tapped his head and looked most concerned.

“No problem!” Hubby returned “I put motorbike crash hat on, all safe.”

Mohamed relaxed a bit and looked carefully at Hubby.

“Really you do this?” he questioned.

As Hubby nodded enthusiastically I began to smile, a smile that was not lost on Mohamed.

“You show me!” he smiled at Hubby but Hubby smiled back.

“Too tired now, you come in morning I will show you!”

Hubby turned to walk back inside trying not to laugh.

“Really he do this?” Mohamed asked me.

“No Ji,” I could keep the joke going no longer.

“He use big stick on roof to hit coconuts down”

Mohamed began to laugh, Hubby returned to the door laughing too and together we gathered up the coconuts for our fabulous landlord to take home.

Since our arrival we have sort of taken on the duties of caretakers for both properties here.

Mohamed lives 1km away in his married family home, this being his parents married home before their passing a few years ago.

As guests come to enquire about rooms for rent at the back of our house during the day, I either call Mohamed or if they are just after information I give them the chat about prices, location benefits and facilities.

When two young boys

(to my 58 years anyone under forty is young and if you are under twenty you are a boy!)

walked down the newly paved driveway that leads to Mohamed's guest house and started looking around, I popped my head out of the back door and asked if I could help.

“Coconut cutting!” was the only English they had so I called Mohamed and tried to explain to him that there were Indian boys here,

“They want room?” he asked.

“No Ji, coconuts.”

Our conversation was getting lost in translation so I passed the phone to the boys so they could to talk to him.

A two minute rapid conversation flowed between everyone and eventually the phone was handed back to me.

“Boys will come tomorrow 8am to cut coconuts, Thank you.” the phone went dead.

I smiled at the boys, they nodded and smiled back. I was sure all would be explained during our evening chat with Mohamed so I returned to my sewing.

In the morning two boys dressed in smart shirts and jeans arrived by motorbike at the house. I called Mohamed as we needed him to be here to supervise, this was something that neither Hubby nor I had first hand knowledge but we were learning fast!

As they waited their shirts were pulled over their heads, lungis replaced their trousers and as Mohamed arrived they began to climb the trees.

Large machetes swung from their waists as they climbed a tree each.

As they reached the canopy they used their bare hands to rip away the dried and dead palm fronds, these were then dropped to the floor with loud crashes and plumes of dust.

If a frond was stubborn the machete was unslung and used, cutting through the stem with ease.

Once some of the palms were cleared the coconuts could be reached and with greenery crushing crashes the boys batted the coconuts out of the trees to the floor below directing their fall as best they could.

Coconuts bounce!

In fact coconuts seem to bounce quite well and as the first few hit the nice new driveway, that was only finished ten days ago, they ricocheted around as Mohamed looked on with concern.

“Boys not careful!” was all he would say as Hubby and myself headed to the safety of the covered flat roof to take photos.

Within minutes the tree was clear and the boys descended rapidly only to climb the next two trees that were even higher!

Within half an hour they had climbed all six trees, trimmed palm fronds and dropped coconuts all over the gardens.

Four fresh from the tree coconuts were expertly opened by our boys and handed out to Hubby, myself and the two guests staying in the home-stay.

A quick wash was taken beside the outside tap before their shirts were replaced, as were their jeans and they were gone.

50 rupees per tree plus a coconut each.

No safety equipment.

No equipment at all for that matter save a machete and a skill that was amazing to watch.

How does one learn to climb a coconut tree to the height of fifty foot as it sways in the breeze.

At what point do you decide yes you can now let go with one hand or even both hands as you wrap your leg around the trunk to pull at a stubborn palm front hanging from the tree.

As the boys drove away Mohamed and I looked at the driveway and gardens,

“I help you Ji” I reassured him as we began to drag the the brown and green palm fronds that now littered the flower beds and driveway to my burning pit.

Slowly we gathered the coconuts into piles, some would go home with Mohamed, others would be stored for now in the outside toilet.

“Three years Ji?” I questioned looking at the huge pile of coconuts and palm fronds as well as the nice and clear trees,

“Three years too long” Mohamed stated mater of factly.

I wondered if he said it out of awe at the amount of coconuts he now had or out of relief for of his guests who were now technically out of danger.