Banana: origin & history

Everybody already ate one: a banana. But did you know that the bananas we now eat are not the original ones? The fruit origin of the banana is a long history. But I dove into it to find out more about the history facts of the banana (just like I already did for Brussel sprouts).

The origin of the banana

We can find the origin of the banana some thousands of years ago. The first banana fruits are supposed to be cultivated by the first peasants in our human history, some ten thousand years ago.

But like with all the other fruits and vegetables these first settles planted and harvested, the process of cultivation influenced every aspect of the used plants. Taste, look and the way to cultivate the fruit or vegetable were only some of the parameters in this long history. Farmers are still looking to the best variation of the plant. And the best means the most easy one to cultivate and sell to the public.

Like with other plants, this process of cultivation also happened during the history of the first banana.

The origin place of the banana plant

From which country do bananas come? In modern times, thanks to globalisation, they are cultivated in many places. But let’s have a look at the origin place of the banana plant, or let us say: banana tree.

It’s commonly accepted that New Guinea is the origin country of the banana plant. This is a large island in the north of Australia, in the Pacific Ocean and south of the equator. From here, the banana tree was spread around the globe via the warmer regions of Asia and Africa. But by now, you can even find small banana trees in European living rooms.

The banana: history facts

We already talked about the cultivation process. concerning the banana plant, it was an important part of its history. Because the first banana fruit was almost impossible to eat!

The original banana fruit was rough, filled with seeds. The first use of the banana tree was probably for construction, because the leaves and stems are big and strong. I think this ‘start’ of the banana as building material and not as a fruit can count as a funny history fact!

It’s only by selection during cultivation that we came to the banana that we know now: yellow, easy to peel and tastefull to eat.

Another banana history fact I can tell you is the colour. The first banana fruits were probably red or green. They were supposed to be boiled before they were ready for consumption. A long way from the soft sweet fruits we know now!

The banana flavoring origin

If we take a closer look to the flavoring origin during the history of the banana, the name of Jamaican farmer Jean Francois Poujot pops up.

He is the farmer who, supossedly, discovered a good edible variation of the banana. He was also the one to start farming this varation. The start of this part of the banana history? The 19th century.

The origin & history of the banana plant: a long way

Although the edible variaton is supposedly cultivated since the 19th century, the other banana plants were already part of our history.

It started some ten thousand years ago with the first farmer settlers. also the Romains, from the 1st century B.C. were known for cultivating banana plants. The spread around the world would go fast during the first wave of Europeans colonizing the world. For example, the Portuguese ships did transport the fruit from their colonies on the African west coast to Europa since the 15th century A.D.

You can say that, because of the process of cultivation, the banana we know now is a mutant compared to the first banana.

But the history of the banana is also a long one, probably starting before the cultivation of rice!

I think it’s clear that eating a banana is not just eating a fruit, it’s eating a part of a long history. Want to know more historical facts about food? I also wrote an article about the origin of the Brussel sprout and the Mozart chocolate balls.

Source:
The Spruce
Wikipedia
Pexels.com