PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 4:05 PM by Luigi

The meaning of “Karat”

A message from Dr Lois Englberger on Karat bananas.....

The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) has asked me about the meaning of "Karat," and where the name came from, as a journalist is writing a story on this banana for a French scientific journal for wide audience. I need to provide this information back to INIBAP for passing on to the journalist. Several persons here suggested that it would be good to ask as many people as possible as there are many ideas around about this.

One story that I got was this: Karat is one of the three original banana plants of Pohnpei, along with Mangat and Utin Iap. There is a legend saying that “in the beginning,” all three were brought from the place called Katau, this being a legendary place that no one knows the actual location of. Katau is also the place from where Sakau (kava) was brought. Katau often comes up in Pohnpei legends. The names of bananas are taken from the name of the person bringing the banana, so that means that Karat is the name of the person bringing Karat from Katau.

Other people say that Karat is simply one of the original bananas of Pohnpei and is the banana used for feeding to infants.

Thank you for any advice.

Dr Lois Englberger
nutrition@mail.fm
Island Food Community of Pohnpei
Research Advisor
P.O. Box 2299
Kolonia
Pohnpei 96941
Federated States of Micronesia



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The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) has asked me about the meaning of "Karat," and where the name came from, as a journalist is writing a story on this banana for a French scientific journal for wide audience. I need to provide this information back to INIBAP for passing on to the journalist. Several persons here suggested that it would be good to ask as many people as possible as there are many ideas around about this. One story that I got was this: Karat is one of the three original banana plants of Pohnpei, along with Mangat and Utin Iap. There is a legend saying that “in the beginning,” all three were brought from the place called Katau, this being a legendary place that no one knows the actual location of. Katau is also the place from where Sakau (kava) was brought. Katau often comes up in Pohnpei legends. The names of bananas are taken from the name of the person bringing the banana, so that means that Karat is the name of the person bringing Karat from Katau. Other people say that Karat is simply one of the original bananas of Pohnpei and is the banana used for feeding to infants. Thank you for any advice. Dr Lois Englberger nutrition@mail.fm Island Food Community of Pohnpei Research Advisor P.O. Box 2299 Kolonia Pohnpei 96941 Federated States of Micronesia * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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