|
Common Name |
Karen Name |
Botanical Name |
Harvested/Collected |
|
1. Ordinary rice |
by |
Oryza sativa sp./var. |
September - November |
|
2. Glutinous rice |
by pi’ ‘i’ |
Oryza sativa sp./var. |
September - November |
|
3. Maize |
by khae sa |
Zea mays |
July - August |
|
4. Taro |
nwae |
Colocasia esculenta |
August - |
|
5. Yam |
nwae se |
Dioscorea sp. |
August - |
|
6. Yam |
nwae choe |
Dioscorea sp. |
August - |
|
7. Winged yam |
nwae doe |
Dioscorea alata |
August - |
|
8. Tapioca |
ke’ bo |
Manihot esculenta |
July - February |
|
9. Sweet potato |
nwae caupa |
Ipomoea batatas |
September - February |
|
10. Mustard greens |
sa ‘badau’ |
Brassica juncea |
June - July |
|
11. Cockroach berry |
soekhau |
Solanum aculeatissimum |
August - November |
|
12. Eggplant |
soekhau kha |
Solanum indicum |
October - |
|
13. Eggplant |
ma’ khwae sa |
Solanum torvum |
September - |
|
14. Tomato |
soekhau chi |
Lycopersicon esculentum |
June - January |
|
15. Bitter cucumber |
si phy de |
Momordica aharantia |
September - |
|
16. Cucumber |
si kha sa |
Momordica sp. |
October - |
|
17. Snake gourd |
da xy sa |
Trichosanthes anguina |
June - October |
|
18. Angled loofah |
doe re sa |
Luffa acutangula |
July - October |
|
19. Smooth loofah(?) |
to’ kwae sa |
Luffa sp.(?) |
June - October |
|
20. White gourd |
lu sa |
Benincasa cerifera |
August - January |
|
21. Pumpkin |
lu khae bau |
Cucurbita pepo |
August - October |
|
22. Pumpkin |
lu khae sa |
Cucurbita moschata |
September - October |
|
23. Melon |
di my |
Cucumis melo |
September - November |
|
24. Melon |
di khwa |
Cucumis sp. |
September - November |
|
25. Melon |
di ploe’ |
Cucumis sp. |
September - November |
|
26. Cow pea(?) |
poe thau sa |
Vigna sinensis (?) |
September - November |
|
27. Red bean |
soe be’ |
Vigna umbellata |
October - November |
|
28. Chilly |
mysa phado’ |
Capsicum anuum var. grossum |
July - |
|
29. Chilly |
mysa pho |
Capsicum anuum var. acuminatum |
July - |
|
30. Chilly |
mysa be’ |
Capsicum frutescens |
July - |
|
31. Basil |
hau’ koe’ wau |
Ocimum sp. |
August - |
|
32. Mint |
hau’ pghi |
Mentha sp. |
July - |
|
33. Sesame |
nisau |
Sesamum indicum |
October - |
|
34. Lemon grass |
hau’ koe’ wau toepho |
Cymbopogon citratus |
July - |
|
35. Turmeric |
soeghau |
Curcuma domestica |
June - |
|
36. Sugar cane |
koethi |
Saccharum sp. |
September - |
|
37. Tobacco |
njasu’ |
Nicotiana tabacum |
September - October |
|
38. Job’s tears |
boe’ |
Coix lachryma jobi |
September - December |
[1] This list of crops grown in Palokhi swiddens is the result of a collaborative effort with Wieland Kunzel of the University of Freiburg conducted in August - September 1980. Specimens of cultigens were first collected and identified according to their Karen names in Palokhi. They were then taken to the Department of Botany, Chiang Mai University, where Wieland Kunzel was able to establish their common and botanical names with the assistance of Acharn Wilaiwan Anusarnthorn. The periods when these cultigens are harvested or collected are based on information provided by the Palokhi Karen. It may be noted that the number of cultigens grown in palokhi swiddens is considerably less than those grown in Karen swiddens identified by Kunstadter (1978). I am very much indebted to Wieland Kunzel for initiating the work on cultigens in Palokhi and for generously making available his various notes on them, and to Acharn Wilaiwan for her help in identifying the specimens of cultigens from Palokhi.