Dictionary Definition
raffia
Noun
1 leaf fibers of the raffia palm tree; used to
make baskets and mats etc. [syn: raphia]
2 fiber of a raffia palm used as light cordage
and in making hats and baskets
3 feather palm of tropical Africa and Madagascar
and Central and South America widely grown for commercial purposes
[syn: genus
Raffia, Raphia,
genus
Raphia]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
-
- Rhymes: -æfiə
Noun
raffia
- A fibrous material used for tying plants, said to come from the leaves of a palm tree of the genus Raphia.
Extensive Definition
The Raffia palms (Raphia) are a genus of twenty species of
palms
native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar, with
one species (R. taedigera) also occurring in Central
and South
America. They grow up to 16 m tall and are remarkable for their
compound pinnate leaves,
the longest in the plant kingdom; leaves of R. regalis up to 19.81
m long http://www.virtualherbarium.org/teach/zonapalmlecture.html
and 3 m wide are known. The plants are either monocarpic, flowering once
and then dying after the seeds are mature, or hapaxanthic, with individual
stems dying after fruiting but the root system remaining alive and
sending up new stems.
Cultivation and uses
Raffia fibres have many uses, especially in the area of textiles and in construction. In their local environments, they are used for ropes, sticks, supporting beams and various roof coverings are made out of its fibrous branches and leaves. The membrane on the underside of each individual frond leaf is taken off to create a long thin fibre which can be dyed and woven as a textile into products ranging from hats to shoes to decorative mats. Plain raffia fibres are exported and used as garden ties or as a "natural" string in many countries.Raffia palm also provides an important cultural
drink. The sap contains sugars. It is traditionally collected by
cutting a box in the top of the palm and suspending a large gourd
to collect the milky white liquid. Unlike an oil palm tree, this
process kills the raffia palm. Both the sap from the raffia and oil
palms can be allowed to ferment over a few days. When first
collected from the tree it is sweet and appears slightly
carbonated. As it ages more sugar is converted. The sap is usually
called wine. The raffia wine tends to be sweeter at any age when
compared to oil palm wine. Both kinds of palm wine can also be
distilled into strong liquors, such as Ogogoro.
Traditionally in many cultures, guests and spirits are offered
these drinks from the palm tree.
The raffia palm is important in societies such as
that of the Province of Bohol in the Philippines, Kuba of
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nso of Cameroon, the
Igbo and
Ibibio/Annang of
southestern Nigeria and the
Yoruba of
southwestern Nigeria, among
several other West African
ethnic nations.
External links
raffia in German: Raphia
raffia in French: Raphia
raffia in Portuguese: Raphia