Iroko Tree
Encyclopedia
Iroko is a large hardwood
tree from west coast of tropical Africa
. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African Teak, although it is unrelated to the teak
family. The wood color is initially yellow but darkens to a richer brown over time.
It is yielded mostly (probably) by Milicia excelsa
. In much of the literature on this timber the names of the trees that yields it are given as Chlorophora excelsa and Chlorophora regia.
In the forest of Ouidah
, Benin
, Iroko is sacred to the Yoruba people
. The tree is feared and hence is shunned or revered with offerings. Yoruba people believe that anybody who sees the Iroko-man face to face who is said to inhabit becomes insane and speedily dies. According to the Yoruba, any man who cuts down any Iroko tree results in devastating misfortune on the woodcutter and all of his family. They also claim that the spirit of the Iroko can be heard in houses which use Iroko wood and that it is the spirit of the Iroko, trapped in the wood. There are similar trees in Nigeria which have the same claims by the Yoruba people.
, a Basque musical instrument constructed of wooden boards, due to its lively sound.
It is a very durable wood; iroko does not require regular treatment with oil or varnish when used outdoors. Although it is almost as durable as teak it does not have the same stability.
In the UK there are trade restrictions on the machining of this timber as the dust is known to be carcinogenic.
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
tree from west coast of tropical Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African Teak, although it is unrelated to the teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
family. The wood color is initially yellow but darkens to a richer brown over time.
It is yielded mostly (probably) by Milicia excelsa
Milicia excelsa
Milicia excelsa is a tree species from tropical Africa. It is found in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda,...
. In much of the literature on this timber the names of the trees that yields it are given as Chlorophora excelsa and Chlorophora regia.
In the forest of Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
, Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
, Iroko is sacred to the Yoruba people
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
. The tree is feared and hence is shunned or revered with offerings. Yoruba people believe that anybody who sees the Iroko-man face to face who is said to inhabit becomes insane and speedily dies. According to the Yoruba, any man who cuts down any Iroko tree results in devastating misfortune on the woodcutter and all of his family. They also claim that the spirit of the Iroko can be heard in houses which use Iroko wood and that it is the spirit of the Iroko, trapped in the wood. There are similar trees in Nigeria which have the same claims by the Yoruba people.
Uses
The wood is used for a variety of purposes including boat-building, domestic flooring and furniture. From the late 1990s, it was used as part of the txalapartaTxalaparta
The txalaparta is a specialized Basque music device of wood or stone, similar to Romanian toacă. In Basque, zalaparta means "racket", while in the nearby areas of Navarre "txalaparta" has been attested as meaning the trot of the horse, a sense closely related to the sound of the...
, a Basque musical instrument constructed of wooden boards, due to its lively sound.
It is a very durable wood; iroko does not require regular treatment with oil or varnish when used outdoors. Although it is almost as durable as teak it does not have the same stability.
In the UK there are trade restrictions on the machining of this timber as the dust is known to be carcinogenic.