Tall, slender and majestic, its image evokes visions of alluring tropic isles, the magic of the Orient, the history of antiquity. The stately palm has inhabited this earth, in warm tropical climes for over 50 million years. Evidence of fossils even go as far back as 140 million years, yet it has neither aged nor withered, nor lost its charm and mystique. Along the rivers of the Nile and the Euphrates it clustered and flourished, loving, serving and feeding its people. With its spirit of beauty and grace, it has attracted countries around the world to cultivate this miracle of nature. It adorns homes, hotels, streets, buildings and even ships and restaurants. By the dawn of the 20th century palms were going international….and why not? Gazing at the palm brings a ray of sunshine into our lives, or perpetrates dreams of idyllic lands so far away. The towering palm tree however, is identified with our corner of the world, particularly Egypt, its golden desert, its ever-flowing river, where it has stood watch over the banks of the Nile and drank from its waters for over 7000 years. There it stood and there it stands, unaltered, immovable, indomitable, and there it will stand till the end of time. It has witnessed the glorious history of this land. It has seen mighty empires rise and fall. It has slighted omnipotent conquerors with feet of clay and sneered as they disappeared beneath its roots. It stands solid, unyielding, triumphant, sheltering man from the piercing arrows of the midday sun, from the howling winds of the dessert storms. Its sweet fruit has nourished and sustained its people. Its heroic role in the day-to-day life of the people of Egypt is unmistakable. Even when the air is still, the magnificent feather-like leaves of the palm gently sway to and fro, worshipping their creator. Look up to the heavens and the last sight will be the astonishing beauty, the super-natural power, the ancient mystery of the palm. During this holy month, dates are traditionally a prominent food consumed at the break of the fast by all Muslims who follow the example of the holy Prophet Mohamed. In one of his hadith, the prophet counsels his followers to partake of the date every morning, thus they will be saved from many ills. In the holy Koran, in Surat Mariam verses 25& 26, God commands the pregnant Virgin Mary to eat of the fruit of the palm and be comforted. The ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor bore the title of Lady of the Date Palm. She reaches out of a palm to give food and drink to the deceased. The palm was also associated with the sun god Ra because of its tall stem and ray-like leaves. The date palm, mostly grown for its fruit was probably cultivated by humans before any other tree. Egypt ranks as the world's leading producer of the fruit of the palm, the exquisitely luscious date. Iraq comes second, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Algeria, Pakistan and Sudan, according to FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation). It is also important in North Africa, west to Morocco. It has played an important role as a staple food in the Arab world for centuries. As the rest of the world came to learn about the delicacy and value of dates, worldwide production has increased threefold over the last 40 years. No longer limited to the Arab peninsula but to all who ever tasted its sweetness, a date palm can cost up to $20,000. A symbol of luxury and leisure today, the stem stands tall and straight about the same thickness. A crown of large leaves shaped like feathers grows on top. Pagans, Jews and Christians have used those leaves in religious ceremonies from earliest times. Early Christians used the Palm branch to symbolise victory over the flesh, as on Palm Sunday. Ancient Greeks and Romans used them as symbols of victory, peace and fertility. Born under a palm tree, it is the sacred sign of their god Apollo. Like the palm, palm stems represent long life. Not all palms are created equal. While the coconut palm is prevalent in the West, producing its own fruit, the coconut, there are however, 2600 different species of the palm. The date palm serves in a variety of ways providing date syrup, date paste, date wine, date juice and date oil, used for soap and cosmetics. The wondrous leaf is 3 to 5 metres in length, while the tree itself can reach up to 30 metres and more. The sweet, succulent date is loaded with nutrients. It is known to possess health-benefitting flavonoid polyphenolic anti-oxidants known as tannins. Tannins have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhaging properties. One or two dates will replenish your energy and revitalise the body instantly. Rich in dietary fiber it prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. An excellent source of iron, potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese and Vitamin K one can safely say that eating dates is bound to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung and prostate cancer. Go ahead and help yourself to a serving of dates and make it a regular habit. The palm has been here a long time and knows more about earth than we do. Look up to the heavens and praise the palm, and with it pray and give thanks to its creator.
“Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree” Joyce Kilmer (1886-1916)
