Still in the thick of decluttering, I found these seeds I picked up during a trip to Siquijor years ago. They were nestled in a small pocket carved by the waves on a beachside rock. I was fascinated by their shape--they looked like stone-gray eggs--and when I picked one of them up and shook it instinctively, I was amused to hear it rattle.
I found out today what they are called: nickernuts, sea pearls, or fever nuts, the seeds of the coastal Caesalpinia bonduc vine.
In our language, they are called kalumbibit or bayag-kambing.
They usually come in pairs in a pod that cracks open, releasing them into the sea, where they travel on currents, crossing oceans and washing up along beaches.
Apparently, they have medicinal (they are used to treat fevers, expel worms, ease period pains, and many more ailments) and traditional uses (children use them as marbles or as tokens in the board game sungka).
What fascinates me more, however, is that they are also considered good luck charms in many cultures.
The Aztecs believed they had protective energy. In Santeria, they are considered "curse removers." In India, these seeds are strung on necklaces to ensure a safe pregnancy.
In the Philippines, they are seen as natural tokens of protection and fortune. In fact, they are for sale in Shopee and Lazada as "pampaswerte sa sugal at negosyo."
How serendipitous that I gravitated naturally towards picking them up. I'll take all the positive juju I can get, thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment