At Everyday Froday, we OBSESS about plantaining all year around and we know many of you do too! Today is particularly special as it's World Plantain Day! powered by Dodo Gang. And although many of us enjoy chopping plantain, do we actually know much about its history?
Well, in this post, we give you the low down on plantain's history - something that many from across the African diaspora connect with.
Plantaining Origins
To many African's surprise, plantain actually originates from Southeast Asia, mostly in Malaysia and Indonesia. There are also two different types of plantain groups; the Horn plantain and the other is French Plantain.
Both of these grow in Africa, as well as other countries including India and tropical America.
Once Europeans came to Africa, they ate plantains for their travels to the Americas. Some slave boats carried dozens of plantain to plant wherever the slaves they carried were sold.
How Did Plantains Come To Europe, Africa, and The Caribbean?
Plantain also found its way into African countries, like Madagascar, directly from Malaysia and India through trading Asian merchants and by Arabs during the Trans-Saharan trade boom.
In About 327 BC, during his world conquest 🙄, Alexander The Great came across plantains and introduced them to Europe. It's thought that Plantains were then introduced to the Caribbean Island, Santo Domingo, by the Portuguese Franciscan Monk in 1516.
Are Plantains A Fruit Or Vegetable?
As plantains are related to bananas, they are technically a fruit, even though they behave much like a vegetable.
Internationally, plantains make up about 85% of all banana cultivation globally. That's right; plantains are taking charge! No wonder we love them so much!
So that's a brief history of plantains. Why not celebrate by boldly proclaiming your love for this banana plant with one of our plantaining tees, here!