Village Life - Southern Highway Photo by Romesh & Jeneen Weerasooriya - Text by Siri
The uses of the mature coconuts are well known. The rough outer covering or the "husk" yields a strong fiber (coir) with so many uses, it is impossible to name all. Some of the major uses include the making of large diameter ropes used for mooring ocean going liners, door mats, brooms, and brushes. Serving spoons and ladles made from the hard outer shell of the coconut are used in every Sri Lankan kitchen. Fancier uses of the coconut shells include, musical instruments, when applied with multi-colored lacquer, beautiful piggy banks and other containers, and ash trays. The strong spine (eakel) of the leaf makes a fine tooth pick, and when bound together (with rope made from coir, of course) make a great brush for keeping the front yard debris free.

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