The Acai Berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee and translates into “fruit
that cries”), is a purple fruit the size of a grape that grows on
large palm trees in northern Brazil and across the Amazon region. It
was eaten by Inca warriors prior to battles because of its strength
and stamina enhancing qualities. Today, many Brazilian athletes use
it for the same reason prior to competitions. The Acai is harvested
by the indigenous people of the region and has become a staple
export of their economy. Environmentalists endorse the production of
Acai because the palm trees are not harmed and provide a sustainable
alternative to the economically driven defoliation of the Amazon. A
fresh bowl of Acai Berries is a common staple at Brazilian Breakfast
tables
The Acai Berry Legend
Brazilian folklore tells the tale of an Incan Princess named Iaca whose
father was the tribal chief of her people. As the years passed and
she grew to adulthood a serious problem had emerge; the tribe was
outgrowing its food resources! After a particularly dry season the
chief and his advisors came to realize that the starvation of his
people was eminent unless drastic action was taken.
Having just
witnessed the birth of his only granddaughter the decision the chief
would make was even more heart wrenching: In order for his people to
survive he would need to order the execution of all newborn babies.
His daughter Iaca pleaded with her father to spare the newborn’s
life but the chief knew granting her wish would create dissention
among the ranks and destroy his people. He ordered his most loyal
bodyguard to carry out the execution.
Iaca was devastated at the loss of her child and after two days of
mourning fell asleep. That night she heard a haunting cry emerging
from the nearby woods; the cry of her daughter! She quickly awoke
and ran deep into the forest following the eerily foreboding sounds
echoing through the night. Her journey led her to a large palm tree
towering into the night filled with succulent purple berries. The
bounty of food before her would save her people and her daughter had
they only known the sacred location of the tree.
So distraught was Iaca that she collapsed and died. Days
later the chiefs scouts, in search of his missing
daughter, found Iaca’s body at the base of the life
giving tree. The distraught chief had found the food to
save his people but at the price of two people he loved
very much. To honor the sacrifice he ordered the tree to
be named after his daughter “Acai” (which is Iaca
spelled backwards) and to be known as “the fruit that
cries.”
