| Original Message: Re: "Tagua nut" ? |
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Hi Carl, This is an example of one of those problems I am always warning people about. Using one name for different things, or calling different things by the same name, and thereby confusing other people as to what the thing is and what the name indicates. I'm not saying you have instigated this—but rather that you seem to be a victim of the confusion. Tagua palm nuts come from South America. They are popularly called "vegetable ivory" because they can be carved into objects and products and will resemble bone or ivory. Their use is easily ca. 100 years old. Lots of literature supports their history and functions. (I have documented beads, necklaces, prayer bead necklaces, buttons, needle cases, etc. From present industries, we know that some wonderful work is produced from them, now.) If we think about it, the names "tagua" and "vegetable ivory" are respectively specific and general. Like saying "Kleenex" and "face tissue." LOTS of face tissues are made, but only one Kleenex—but in spite of this, most people refer to all face tissues (regardless of brand name) as "kleenexes." They say, "please give me a kleenex." They don't say "pass me a cheap bargain-brand knock-off tissue." In the 1970s, ivory-like carvings made from large hard off-white seeds became available out of Africa. When these were referred to as "vegetable ivory," my reply was: "no, 'vegetable ivory' is tagua nut from South America. You have the wrong continent." Usually the reply was "well, it's the same thing," OR "what's the difference"? Or (of course) even more vitriolic words about my unfathomable need to classify and correct everything (as they saw it). Even Peter Francis offered the opinion that these African seeds, even if they were not tagua were at least a sort of "vegetable ivory." In the 1980s, with the growth of beadmaking industries in Indonesia, yet another hard off-white, ivory-like seed material came into popular use, that was again grouped with "vegetable ivory," and mistaken for "tagua"—this being the buri seed. However, the buri seed problem was further compounded by the fact that these were dyed different colors, and then misrepresented as whatever that color resembled. Yellow-to-brown ones were called "amber," and red ones "carnelian." Whatever the region, material in question, or how it is or may be represented and/or misrepresented, in the arena of ivory substitutes, there are lots of vegetable materials (hard off-white nuts, or pods, or seeds) that can be carved into ornaments that will resemble ivory (or bone). It would be practical and useful to have recognized generic names (to identify groups or sets and subsets), as well as specific names that refer to specific plants' products. But unless people decide to use these names with care and respect, the classifications, divisions, and recommendations are pointless. And the result will be that someone who shows a thing from Africa will be asked if he means this is a thing from South America. Jamey All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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