Today, when referring to the Acai, we immediately think of the Acai palm tree; a tall fruiting palm tree found mainly in Brazil. It was named by the natives who lived on the land known as the ‘ica-ica’, which means ‘the fruit that cries’. This is a very unusual name but it has a story behind it all.
Years ago lived an Amazon Indian girl named ‘Iaca’ and her father was her tribe’s chief. Their tribe had outgrown their food supply so the chief then declared that all newborn babies be killed until the food supplies were sustainable again. When Iaca, the daughter of the chief, had a baby it was also ordered that her baby be killed.
The mother mourned her death for days until one day, heard the sound of a baby crying and followed it into the jungle. She came across a palm tree covered with purple fruit. She told herself that if this food has been found earlier she would still have her baby. Iaca then leaned against this new found tree and died.
Members of the tribe began to look for Iaca the next day and found her body under this tree and the food that could have save Iaca’s baby and so many other peoples. The chief of the tribe declared that this tree be named after Iaca; it was called the acai tree (Iaca spelled backwards). The tribe had a new source of food, the death order was lifted and the tribe prospered.
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