The Palm-tree, known in Enuani and all of Igbo land as "nkwụ", is widely regarded as the female symbol just as yam is regarded as the male symbol.
The apical, perennial and monocotelydonous plant serves many cultural, physical and spiritual purposes. Alongside kolanut and yam, the palm-tree has rightly earned its place as one of the three most important plants in all of Enuani and other parts of Igbo land.

Interestingly, it is forbidden for females to harvest the fruits and tuber of the three plants, whether Kolanut, yam or palm fruits (the tall palm tree is nkwụ, while the short ones are referred as "akiti or oppo").

The significance of palm-tree lies not only in its immense economic value but for what it signifies in different aspects of Enuani and Igbo culture. Below are the uses of palm tree.

The palm-tree houses all the ingredients required for, weaving and saponification, two major trades that ancient Igbo women are known for.

In fact, in Enuani, the greeting "Ome-Akwu", maker of palm products, is the most revered greeting among the womenfolk renowned for their affluence.
Important commercial products such as; broom, baskets, mats, jewellery boxes, etc are obtained from the palm tree. The women who make and sell this item earn a living from it and contribute to the economy of their family and community.
Although, this palm product is harvested by men and mainly used by them, it is important to enlist it as one of the most culturally important product from the palm-tree. Palm-Wine is the basis upon which the Igbo traditional marriage is known and named. It is therefore a misrepresentation of culture for a couple not to use palm-wine during their marriage ceremony.

The spiritual symbol of "Ọmụ" inflorescence of the palm-tree must be noted as it is from it's sacredness that the "Ọmụ institution" (a matriarchal system of leadership in most Enuani communities) was christened.

Palm-wine just like kola nut, is consumed in social gatherings as a sign of fellowship. It is accompanied by kola nut as the symbol of prayer during marriages, funeral ceremonies, conferment of chieftaincy titles, coronation of Kings etc.

The thick dregs of the palm-wine are particularly meaningful and regarded as fertility boosters. In the famous novel "THINGS FALL APART" by Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, the thick dregs were given to a man named Igwebo, who it was said "has a job in hand," because he had recently gotten married.

The Ọmụ Institution is derived from the Palm Tree according to a research conducted by late Prof Onwuejiogwu from Ibusa, the Founder of The Department of Anthropology, University of Benin.
He wrote...
"The concept of ỌMỤ seems to have been derived from the idea of 'MU or MUA', that is give birth or OMUMU, giving birth. It is associated with the Palm Frond of the Palm Tree called OMU, a very powerful symbol of womanhood. In Igbo Cosmology, the Palm Tree is female while it's frond connotes fertility and life, just as yam is male symbol. It is therefore consistent with the logic of the Culture for a woman's Institution to be named OMU and given the same role in those areas with or without a monarchy".

Looking at food and traditional quizines as part of culture, the traditional ceremonial soup of many communities in Enuani is made from squeezed palm fruits and is known as "ogwulu" or "ofe-akwụ" for a smaller quantity.

Most people are often engrossed with questions like, “what does palm tree represent in Igbo Culture, what is the spiritulual use of palm wine”?
We will consider these topics in our subsequent articles.