To the ordinary person, this might just look like a plate with some dry coconut. However, it symbolizes no ordinary feat…..

Growing up, I had seen my father crack open the coconut and husk out the edible portion, but I had never done it. Some years ago when I was living on my own and wanted dry coconut, I got someone at work to break open the shell for me, since I did not have a cutlass. I then attempted to husk out the coconut and in the process, broke the tip of the knife. See Exhibit A.

Coconuts are making a comeback, so I started buying them again. The last couple of times, I got someone at work to break open the shell AND husk out the coconut. But in a few short weeks, I won’t have access to the people at work. Time for self sufficiency.

I had picked up a co-worker and had to stop in the grocer’s. “Do you think I could open this coconut at home, without a cutlass?” Yes, he assured me. How? I was skeptical. “Just knock knock it with a knife, or on a stone or something.” Awright boss. Mi ah go try dat.

Knock, knock I did, and all the “hair” and pieces of shell flew all over my kitchen. I was hitting it for some time and nothing was happening, except a few chipped out parts. Then it happened! I had a big grin on my face. Pity you couldn’t have seen me. I had manged to cut it in half horizontally. Ideally, I would need to now break up each half into smaller pieces so I could easily husk out the coconut. I decided that if I chipped away with the chipped knife, I would eventually get everything out.

That I did. Another DIY achievement! Yay!