Coconut Srilanka's Flexible Friend
The life-sustaining coconut tree has often been called the Tree of life because it can provide people with shelter, food, fuel and medicineSrilankans use almost every part of the coconut tree within their daily lives-indeed, it has been described as being a Fairy Godmother to whoever grows it.Although the coconut tree is one of the most distinctive features of srilanka's landscape, it was native to tropical America and had a long journey, via New Guinea, Malaya and Polynesia before it reached the west coast of Srilanka, where it now flourishes In the 19th century, the coconut tree, along with tea formed the basis of the island's economy.
Legends of the King Coconut
King Kustaraja (the leper king) whose figure is carved on a rock at Weligama, where the nut was first established, discovered the medicinal value of the oil of the thambili (the golden king coconut) when kandyan ceremonies to evoke protection were performed for king panuwas in the 5th century BC, he demanded yellow coconut to be placed at hisfeet. Even today the pale green leaves (Gokkala) of the thambil are woven into fine traditional forms to provide decoration at weddings and other festivals. According to another legend this tree of life grows best when planted near human habitations and within reach of the human voice.

A Fruit For all Seasons
The coconut is a major fealure of Sri Lankan cuisine and is used in a variely of ways. The bud at the lop of Ihe slem (badas) is ealen as a gourmel pickle, and Ihe sofl white kernel inside Ihe nuls and Ihe lender shools which grow around the coconut palm are also considered delicacies. Coconul milk is used daily in both savoury and sweet Sri Lankan dishes, while coconul oil provides a distinclive flavour to many dishes -as well as an unmislakable smell. The sap, known as toddy, is bled slowly from the flower (spathe) inlo a clay pot. Fresh toddy is full of yeasl and in its unfer- menled form is a heallh drink (thelijja). Once dislilled, il becomes Ihe nalional spiril, arrack, a hard liquor. The sap is also boiled down and Ihe resulling Ireacle is sel into an unrefined sugar (jaggery), which is oflen used 10 sweelen tea or as a lopping for curd. Whal remains of Ihe coconul is finally lurned into poonac, a nulrilious feed for callle and pigs.