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Ackee Poisoning And The Evolutionary Biology Of Jamaica'S Ackee Motif

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  • Rashford, John

Abstract

There is a Jamaican riddie that asks: "Me fader send me to pick out a wife; tell me to tek only those that smile, fe those that do not smile wi' kill me" (Beckwith 1969). The answer to this riddle is the ackee (Blighia sapida Konig) ~ the fruit of one of Jamaica's best loved food trees which is generally considered poisonous if improperly harvested, processed or prepared. According to Jamaican tradition, the fruit must open on the tree naturally ~ it must "smile" or "laugh" — before harvesting. This clear association between open ackecs, smiling and well being is the most important recurring ackee theme in Jamaican culture, and its expression in oral traditions (such as riddles and folk beliefs) reveal in an essential way what Jamaicans need to know in order to eat ackees safely, The purpose of this paper is to explain within the framework of evolutionary biology why Jamaica's ackee motif has developed, and to show from this perspective that the most important of the early accounts of ackee poisoning must be reconsidered,

Suggested Citation

  • Rashford, John, 1996. "Ackee Poisoning And The Evolutionary Biology Of Jamaica'S Ackee Motif," 32nd Annual Meeting, July 7-13, 1996, Zamorano, Honduras 257046, Caribbean Food Crops Society.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:cfcs96:257046
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.257046
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    1. Rashford, John, 1999. "A Critique of Scott's Theory of the Relationship Between Ackee Seasonality and Ackee Poisoning," 35th Annual Meeting, July 25-31, 1999, Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies 256782, Caribbean Food Crops Society.

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    Crop Production/Industries;

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