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Areca nut is the most graceful & delicate of the Sri Lankan palms. It rises
to a height of fifteen to twenty meters, with a smooth, slender trunk which is
green towards the top and sustains a crown of feathery foliage in the midst of
which are clustered the small, soon nuts for whose sake it is so carefully
tended.
The
chewing of the Areca nut with lime & a betel leaf provides the people of
Sri Lanka with the same enjoyment afforded by tobacco the inhabitants of other
countries. However, like tobacco, the habit his dwindling. The origins of the
custom probably lie in some sense of utility. The “Chew” unconsciously provides
a perfect prescription compounded to give the practical combination of antacid,
tonic & carminative.
The
Betel Leaf
The
Sinhalese first made contact with the west, in the shape of the Portuguese soldiers
who arrived in 1505; they reported to the king of “kotte” that the Portuguese
drank blood. This was actually the red wine, which Portuguese consumed in great
measure. Western observes the Sinhalese referred to their habit of chewing s
green leaf which made their mouths bleed. The so-called blood was the deep red
coloring which results when betel leaf and areca nut are chewed.
Betel
chewing is common to many Asian countries, but nowhere is the betel leaf so
involved in the life of the people as in Sri Lanka. It is prominent in every major
event in the life of a Sri Lankan and at all social functions. A sheaf of betel
is a must when a guest is invited to a wedding or another important occasion.
Children
give it to their elders at the New Year. People forget their past difference
with a gift of betel. When an arranged marriage takes place, he prospective
groom identifies his bride to be at her house by the tray of betel she carries
to offer to guests a sheaf of betel leaves is also a necessary gift when
consulting a physician, a Buddhist monk or an astrologer. As a sign of plenty,
betel leaves are placed on the nuptial throne or poruwa. At Sri Lankan wedding,
together with rice & coconut. Sorrow is also show with betel. The
announcement of a funeral requires the sheaf of betel to be offered with the
leaves turned down.
Most
Sri Lankan homes have a hand crafted betel tray of brass, known as the
“heppuwa”, for special occasions. Outside
the main cities, a full tray of betel is standard in every home to provide a
chew for anyone who passes by. A chew of betel comprises of betel leaf in which
is wrapped some pieces of Areca nut, coften but wrongly, called betel nut, a little
slaked lime & some tobacco leaf. The mixture makes the mouth red and the
breath fresh &, to the novice, it is heady. In olden times, women chewed
betel to make their lips red.
Betel
is also not surprisingly, part of the ayurvedic (traditional medicine of Sri
Lanka) pharmacopoeia. A warm betel leaf is used to soothe aches away. Often,
medicinal oils are applied with the betel leaf, which is also included in many
medicines.
