Khyak Mechidu - Session 03, 23 February 2024

OH-008-24-3a Standing in his Palm grove, Khyak Mechidu shows a cluster of Makung variety of the Palm. He shares that it can be identified easily through the leaf. The leaf is bigger and the petiole is thicker and the stem is very tall. Sago is the same in colour as the other varieties but the leaf and stem look different. It has less fibre, and sago can be extracted easily. Depending on the soil, whether there are rocks or not, the cluster may support many stems or fewer stems. OH-008-24-3b Khyak Mechidu shows another variety called Matchinyo, whose stem is smaller and thinner and the leaf is also smaller in size. Sago is the same colour, i.e. reddish and has less fibre after it has fruited. It bears many young suckers depending on the soil. He shares that it grows slowly, not rapidly. OH-008-24-3c Khyak Mechidu describes another variety he cultivates, called Misa, which opens its leaf sheaths as it matures. The leaf is the same, just like the one he showed before this variety. The stem of Misa has greater girth and being bigger in girth, each piece yields more sago. Its sago, he says, is also the same. If maintained well, and in good soil, the cluster is bigger, with more stems. In his opinion, Makung variety yields more sago. OH-008-24-3d Khyak Mechidu shows a cluster of Nichve variety of the Palm, which has many young suckers. In appearance, he says, that the rachis of Nichve leaf is longer. He shares that he has learnt which variety it is from before, so he remembers it. Its sago is the same colour as other varieties. The trunk has less fibre and thus of better sago quality. The cluster size again depends on the soil. He has planted Matchinyo variety the most. Time-stamped section headings OH-008-24-3a (00:00:00) Description of Makung variety of the Palm. OH-008-24-3b (00:00:00) Description of Matchinyo variety of the Palm. OH-008-24-3c (00:00:00) Description of Misa variety of the Palm. OH-008-24-3d (00:00:00) Description of Nichve variety of the Palm.