The oil palm is a journey through names and cultures

The oil palm is one of the most important edible oil-producing trees in the world.

We all know that oil palm is called “sweet” in Malaysia and Indonesia, but have you ever wondered about the origin of this word?

One theory relates the origin of the word to the Javanese phrase “sak wit” (sak wit), which means “the trunk of a single tree” — an appropriate description of the shape of the standing oil palm.

Popular legends tell of a great tree that towered over a village in Indonesia and inspired the name “Suet” — a name that has deep roots indeed!

Here is another linguistic turning point: in the Indonesian dictionary, the word “sawitan” means “identical clothes” — does this reflect the simultaneous ripening of oil palm fruits in their dark red or glowing orange color? Excellent, elegant palm.

From a poetic point of view, in the Old Javanese language, the word “suet” also means “necklace” or “thread” — imagine the oil palm as a thread that connects generations and lives in Southeast Asia, as a legacy attached to the shoulders.

But just a moment! There's a surprise in Tagalog — “Sweet” means “endless gossip” (yes, verbiage!). An appropriate description of a highly controversial crop: costs, taxes, trade wars, European deforestation laws, sustainability — all from the “Sweet” talk.

As soon as you think the meanings are over, the acronyms appear: SawIt - South Asian Women in Technology, or South African Wine Industry Trust - the institution of the wine industry in South Africa.

From palm oil to technology and wine — the word really does go around the world.

Prickly link: oil palm vs snake fruit

Did you know that the oil palm is known in Indonesia as “Kelapa Bali” (Kelapa Bali)? Don't ask me why — even Google can't explain! But here's a fun twist: in the Bahasa Sundanese language, it is known locally as “salak minyak” (salak minyak).

Just don't mix it with “Salah Minyak” (Salah Minyak), which means “wrong oil”, because in this case, the name is correct.

Why? Just look at the taste of fresh oil palm fruits — thorny, red, tightly packed — similar to snake fruit that practiced bodybuilding and turned into an industrial and agricultural giant.

Add the word “oil” (minyak), and you've got the perfect metaphor for this tropical giant.

But “Slack” isn't just a cute name — it means “silver” in Sundanese, referring to its shiny, scaly shell.

Like oil palm, snake fruit hides value behind a natural shield — spiny treasures created by nature.

Slack fruit belongs to the same palm family and is genetically close to the oil palm. Its shell is similar to snake skin, but inside it has a sweet and refreshing pulp, sometimes slightly sour depending on the type. But be careful of tough seeds — bite them only at your own risk.

The similarities to the oil palm are striking: both are thorny, often misunderstood, and full of usefulness.

Oil palm feeds the world industrially and nutritionally, and silks satisfy the exotic natural taste. Therefore, calling the oil palm “Slack Menik” is not just a poetic metaphor — it is a tribute to the steadfastness of the palm family.

But the legacy of “Slack” is not limited to plants only — it extends geographically as well.

In Malaysia, the name appears in “Slack Tinggi”, “South Slack”, “Kampong Slack”, and even “Slack Highway” — a symbolic star in postal codes.

Outside Malaysia? There is Mount Slack in western Java, the town of Slack in northern Sumatra, the village of Slack in Iran, and even one in northern Cameroon — who could have imagined that a thorny fruit would grow its name across continents?

Next time you see “Sweet” or Salak fruit, take a moment — behind the thorns are stories of strength, sweetness, and an unexpected world journey.

“Kelapa Suite”: a town inhabited by ghosts

Did you know that there is a town in the Malaysian state of Johor called “Kelapa Sawit” (Kelapa Sawit)?

It is located on the Kulai-Air Hitam road. Its roots go back to the 1950s during the “Malayan Emergency”, when Chinese villages were moved to the “New Villages”.

Today, it is a cultural gem of Hakka, where time is slowing down and Singaporeans visit it on the weekends in search of rustic magic and food tours.

But behind the calm of “Sweet”, not everything is reassuring.

In the nineties, I heard whispers from farmers about the town's police station — known to be one of the most feared detention centers in Malaysia. I don't know if they were joking or not, but the stories were horrifying. They said that the detainees were exposed to strange phenomena to the extent that some of them wet themselves out of fear.

Ghosts of war or emergency? Who knows? But the scary reputation persists. Honestly, this place can rival escape rooms — imagine a guided tour called “A Night Behind Bars.” Bye Ghostbusters!

The name “Sweet” appears everywhere — Phuket Suite, Sweet Spring, and throughout villages and farms in Southeast Asia. It's not just palm oil; it's a blend of folklore, economy, and identity wrapped in a barbed bundle.

Palm oil or oil palm oil?

Here is a confession that may upset some journalists: I am upset when the “oil palm industry” is confused with the “palm oil industry”. I know it seems like excessive scrutiny, but believe me, the difference matters.

“The oil palm industry” refers to the agricultural aspect: farms, farmers, small owners, and work in the fields.

This is where the real action happens — from seed to taste. While the “palm oil industry” begins later: refineries, chemical industries, packaging — the industrial processing side.

As for palm oil factories, they are the bridge between the two sides. They turn taste into crude oil. Not exactly at the top, not completely at the bottom — but in the middle and suffering from an identity crisis!

If we talk about the Malaysian agriculture sector, what is the correct name? In my opinion, “oil palm industry” — this is the beginning and what feeds everything later.

Without the agricultural part, there will be no gold oil in the end.

One last personal note: the wrong pictures!

The second thing that bothers me the most is the false images of oil palm trees in the media. You read an article about oil palm — and suddenly a picture of a date palm appears!

Like writing about elephants and attaching a picture of a mammoth! What's next? An article about koalas with a picture of a kangaroo?

What about artificial intelligence? Don't get me started. Some of the images produced show palm plantations that look like a tropical Minecraft game — exotic tastes, fantasy trees, and perfect fields as if they were from an old video game. But the reality is? Real farms are full of mud, sweat, and effort. We don't fly fancy drones — we work in the rain and the hot sun.

Why is it all important?

Here's a quick review in botany: the palm family (Arecaceae) includes 2,600 species. But only the type Elaeis guineensis (African oil palm) is the star of high oil production that fuels the global edible oil market.

Date palms and coconuts? Beautiful, but not as productive.

Media errors — wrong images or terms — may seem minor, but they affect public understanding. If we want people to understand oil palm, we need precision in language and image. It's time for a better media definition, some “Oil Palm 101” lessons, and even improved AI promptate.

The next time you see a date palm used as an image of an oil palm, remember: there is confusion in the palm!

Let's honor this industry with the exact name — palm oil products don't just “grow on trees”, they grow livelihoods... and deserve to be seen clearly and respectfully.

Source: The Star

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