Butuan City takes steps to save historic Kayam tree
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) —The city government of Butuan took the lead to save the historic Kayam tree and called for community engagement and shared responsibility.
Through the City Environment and Natural Resources Department (CENRD), it conducted a Kayam tree Planting Activity on August 29 at Būd Eco Park, previously known as Bood Promontory and Eco Park, this city.
It formed part of the “Adlaw Hong Butuan” or Butuan City Day celebration, highlighting the call to save the said historic tree and create a Kayam Forest at Būd Eco Park, ensuring the sustained availability of Kayam tree as a raw ingredient of local products and pasalubong delicacies made in the city.
Polynesian chestnuts scientifically known as Inocarpus fagifer are locally called Kayam that typically grow in wetlands or along and near the river.
Kayam is believed to have been introduced by Polynesian traders, serving as tangible evidence of Butuan City’s participation in maritime trading activity with the other polynesian countries. Other than its historical value, Kayam tree also plays an important role in the environment, serving as a habitat for bats.
The edible seed of the Kayam fruit was obtained by chopping across the fruit. It can also be obtained by slicing its pericarp and slit open the fruit cover to extract the whole seed. One preparation is boiling the seed, removing it from the water then partnered with “latik” or cooked coconut milk with brown sugar until sticky.
With the mighty Agusan River, Butuan City served to be an ideal habitat of the Kayam tree. However, due to generation change, the city’s development, modernization, and changing lifestyles, planting of Kayam trees lessened thus, causing the population of Kayam trees to decline.
Engineer Albert Arcamo, head of CENRD, said that most of the new generations lack knowledge on planting and the historical value of Kayam. He recognized the need to educate the younger generations.
“Historically, during world war II, Kayam trees have helped our ancestors. It served as their hiding places and landmarks, all necessary for survival. With the difficulty of planting rice, Kayam became one of their food sources. Through this tree planting activity, we want to promote awareness to the younger generation of the Kayam tree and encourage them to plant.” said Engineer Arcamo. “We have an existing Kayam Forest in Barangay Pagatpatan which became an attraction.”
According to the City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department (CTCAD), under the “Bag-ong Sinugatan” or new souvenirs initiative of the CTCAD, the city government is encouraging Butuanons to develop innovative food products using Kayam as the main ingredient.
This will potentially increase demand for Kayam fruit and will eventually become a source of income for Butuanons. Creating more opportunities for the locals, including preserving the city’s historical values.
CTCAD also thanked the students from Caraga State University (CSU), Agroforestry Department for their assistance in collecting Kayam wildlings from Barangay Banza, saying, “Students from CSU Agroforestry Department collected 300 Kayam wildlings, embodying the spirit of volunteerism and stewardship that Butuanons are proud of.” (MFC, PIA Caraga)
