Palm nut Jewelry from Burundi
Burundisgarden is a small enterprise who manufacture fashion jewelry items and small figurines carved out from the inner seed of a local palm tree, the Hyphaene Benguellensis ventraciosa. This palm tree grows in the forests of eastern Congo and northern Burundi. Locally this palm is named "umukoko" and it is known also as "ivory palm". The seeds of the ivory palm are solid and as big as an egg from small chicken. Vegetable ivory, which is made of 100 percent cellulose, is used to create small objects such as jewelry beads, buttons and figurines. This type of vegetable ivory is smooth and absorb dyes easily. This material is also known as Tagua in South America. This alternative ivory has the same hardness and creamy color as real ivory, which is why it is considered the only substitute that's completely sustainable for elephant ivory. Harvesting this kind of vegetable ivory, the palm nuts, it does not require cutting down trees for farming, making it environmentally sustainable. It is possible to harvest the seed without damaging the tree or any wildlife. The ivory palm produces the seeds about two times at year. After the seeds has been harvested, they must be left to dry totally so that it will achieve the required hardness. Once the seeds have hardened, their brown skin must be removed.Then the seed can be cut, carved, dyed or polished to make small attractive jewelry items such as blocks, discs, beads and droplets. Its beautiful color makes the vegetable ivory seed one of the commonly used materials for creating fashionable jewelry. Since it is lightweight and durable, this ivory seed is perfect for making earrings, necklaces,and other similar jewelry items. The advantage of using this kind of ivory is that it does not age-its color and shape will never change. Using vegetable ivory for jewelry and handicrafts is an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to true ivory, and it gives the Burundi economy a boost because it provides jobs for many people in that area.
