Al Narilah – Coconut Tree Legend
Al Narilah is an old Emirati legend that attempts to explain the origin of the coconut tree through a supernatural story combining myth with observation of nature. The tale says that the Narilah tree grew from the skull of a person who had been unjustly killed and secretly buried in an unknown location. Rain later fell and a strange tree grew from the grave, with a smooth trunk resembling a date palm although it was not one. Its fruits were enormous and unusual in shape. People later noticed that the dried shell resembled a human skull and came to believe that the spirit of the murdered person was sending messages from the other world through these fruits, telling his story and exposing the crime that had been concealed.
Al Narilah is an example of supernatural origin myths through which earlier communities sought to explain the appearance of plants or natural phenomena by linking them to tragic events or human symbols.
Culturally, Al Narilah symbolizes an injustice whose trace never disappears, as the victim’s head remains a witness even after death.
Tangible elements associated with the legend include dried coconuts, whose shells resemble skulls, and children’s games embodying the story, such as “Khaddayna Al Narilah,” in which adults hold and shake a child’s head while repeating the traditional phrase. Coconut shells were also used as drinking vessels during pearl-diving periods.