BETELNUT – BUAI (Areca catechu)

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by Steven Mago

In Papua New Guinea, it grows in abundance in coastal areas and while it is a seasonal fruit in some areas like the northern New Guinea Mainland region, in the New Guinea Islands, it grows all year round. The best place to find them in abundance anytime of the year is Rabaul. It flourishes well there due to the rich volcanic soil and nutrients.

Buai on Sale - Port Moresby 2nd October, 2002

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In the whole of the South Pacific region, especially in the South West Pacific region including Papua New Guinea, only PNG and the Solomon Islands value the betel nut as a traditionally prized item and takes a special place in traditional society. The betel nut is mainly chewed in these countries as part of social occasions or everyday life. In Fiji however, it is mainly grown as an ornamental palm tree as Fijians have no other use for it.

Crowd at Erima Market, 2nd October 2002

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Cultivated for centuries, betel nut (Areca catechu), is a member of the palm family of trees and its origin is thought to be in Malaysia, although there are arguments that the nut originally came from India and spread through the growing tropical regions of the world from there.

Daka (Mustard) on Sale at Erima Market :

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The most common habitat for betel nut is tropical rainforests as it’s an easily grown palm for both the tropical regions and warm sub-tropical areas. The tree itself is a very attractive palm that grows to 15 meters in some parts of PNG and it has dark green leaves, a ringed trunk and has fragrant, scented white flowers which later become green and later, matured orange/scarlet fruits, measuring about 50mm (2 inches) long although on Bougainville, you will find some of the biggest sized betel nuts in the world (60mm).

Customer at the Buai and Cigarette Stand at Erima Market, Port Moresby on the 2nd October, 2002

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The betel nut in PNG is perhaps the most important social items owing to its many different and important uses in traditional life. In most parts of the country, it is chewed together with the mustard seeds, leaves or roots, which are dabbed in powdered lime, made from crushed coral and shells. It is used as part of bride price in parts of the Central Province, of compensation and dispute settlement in other areas while most use it as the main social, exchange and welcoming item in marriages, feasts, child birth, death and funerals and in casual meetings. All up the tree ingredients are betel nut, mustard and lime, and widely known in PNG as buai, daka and kambang.

Police take time out for chewing buai at the Erima Market, 2nd October, 2002

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No PNG ceremony, feast, ritual or public gathering can take place without betel nut.
There are no form statistics to confirm the estimated number of betel nut chewers in PNG, although casual estimates safely predict that it could be common among 2/3 of the population, numbering in the vicinity of 2 million people comprising adult and children.

A red mouth as a result of betel nut chewing - a common sight here in Papua New Guinea

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Considering this estimated number of potential betel nut chewers in PNG, conservative estimates tell us there are money people in PNH who chew betel nut than drink coffee and tea.

A typical scene at a buai market in Papua New Guinea

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The trade in betel nut has become such a major economic activity for grassroots Papua New Guineans; it’s now a major contributor to wealth accumulation among the informal sector. An interesting observation is that betel nut is no longer a coastal item. Highlanders now trade and chew betel nut as if they grow them. Everyday along the Highlands Highway, there are truckloads of betel nut that make their way from the coastal buying areas of Lae and Madang. Highlanders have been known to hire boats and planes for betel nut buying trips to Popondetta, Wewak, Vanimo, Rabaul, Kimbe and Kavieng.

A group of Highlanders enjoying each others company and another chance to chew buai :

Photograph supplied by The Captain : Refer his story on Buai :
http://www.pngbd.com/forum/t4235s.html

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In Port Moresby alone, there are markets which have been designated as strictly betel nut markets where wholesale and retail vendors meet in the betel nut business. It’s a 7-days trade and nowhere else in PNG will you find some of the best price negotiations and hard bargaining than the betel nut markets.

Photograph taken at the Erima Market here in Port Moresby 2nd October, 2002

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To Western eyes, the chewing of betel nut is a dirty habit as it involves spitting red resultant spittle onto anything like pavements/footpaths, road sides, into empty bottles and tins, plastics and rubbish bins and there is no regardless of cleanliness and related issues. But for a Papua New Guinea, there is nothing wrong with this practice and it’s perfectly acceptable to spit anywhere, regardless of hygiene and sanitation issues.

An example of the storyline above

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For countries and peoples who do not chew betel nut, this plant itself is a very useful and attractive addition to gardens and parks. It’s one of a few smaller growing sun tolerant feather palms.

Lady selling Lime at the Erima Market :

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According to the Palms & Cycads publication (1989), the betel nut palm is the basis of a large industry in South East Asia, where, like in PNG and the Solomon Islands and islands in the Federated Sates of Micronesia (FSM), the seed is chewed for its intoxicating properties, as well as its supposedly beneficial side effects, such aiding digestion, and controlling internal parasites and dysentery.

Papuan girl enjoying her Buai :

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In South East Asia and in the Pacific, its is used as a mild narcotic while others see it as a stimulant and others take it to feel happy about themselves and life when they are feeling low and unmotivated.

Pain / Torture or sheer Enjoyment - just take a look at his face. I am told at first it tastes bitter ! :

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For Hindus, especially from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, the areca nut is known as supari in Hindi, the mustard leaf is pan and lime is chuna.

Anyone for Betelnut ? Ladies waiting patiently under an umbrella for their next customer :

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Today, in places like Australia and New Zealand, there is a growing demand for betel nut, not so much from Papua New Guineans and Solomon Islanders, but from Indians and other Hindus from other parts of the world who use the betel nut and mustard seed and leaves in cooking as herbs and spices and for medicinal use. This is an area that PNG had not ventured into as they have not experimented on other uses for this prized nut.

Ends…/

Mmmmh, not bad once you get the hang of it !

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Footnote from the Editor

Something I read today :
Quote:
A review of all the evidence regarding the danger of betel chewing has found that:

Chewers (chewing betel nut without tobacco) have 60 times the risk of developing mouth cancer than non-chewers.
The chewers who hagve been chewing for a period of time and who chew more in a day area at highest risk of developing mouth cancer.

For example, risk is increased 275-fold if more than 20 quids (betel chews) per day are chewed vs only 26 times increased risk if chewed less than 10 quids per day.

The review reinfroces the need to prevent people from starting to chew in the first place, but also highlights potential benefit from reducing frequency of chews.

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