The Kapasanglay Tree

There is this unassuming tree in our backyard- the kapasanglay tree, popularly known as kapok, or silk cotton tree, scientific name Ceiba pentandra (L) Gaertn. This tree has given us its white floss as filling material for our home-made pillows and which my late grandmother, Lilang Alli, did in her afternoon rest when light tasks could be undertaken at a leisurely pace . Most households had these cotton pillows before the commercial synthetic fiber-filled ones or magic pillows appeared in the market.

When our kapasanglay tree has not yet grown to its behemoth size, we could reach for the dried pods by climbing or by using our sukdal (long bamboo pole with a diagonal stick tied with a string around its tip). We collected and laid these out to dry in the sun , cracked them open with hammer, smooth stone or wood. Afterwards we patiently separated the fibers from the seeds either by rubbing the pod’s contents on the rattan holes of the butaka (easy chair) or over the yakayak (bilao with holes). It is inevitable that fluffs of cotton would fly, get stuck into and irritate the nose, get entwined with the hair and stick into our clothes. There would be an occasional sneeze which could bring in some laughter.

The kapasanglay fiber would then be placed inside the cloth pouch and sewn when the right amount of filling has been pressed firmly. An abel pillow case is sheathed over the pouch, and presto! a pillow for a good night’s sleep is created . Sometimes, however, some seeds would escape our sifting method . These would end up at the edges of the pouch and felt by fingers hugging the pillow.

The kapasanglay tree can grow to as tall as 230 meters or 70 feet. Our tree has grown to something like a building about three stories high with its lowest branches beyond reach. No one dares climb it as there are no ridges nor branches to anchor one’s feet on.

In this case, the art of waiting for a strong wind to rattle the branches so that the pods would fall becomes the norm. . We wait for the pods to fall but many of these would break open while still on their branches and the soft willowy cotton would drift to the ground. The good ones which land on clean ground , we could pick up and clear. It may take weeks for all the pods to finally fall at which time we could gather several pieces in a day.

The whole process entailed in producing sufficient amount of silk cotton filling material can be described as labour-intensive job, but a most loved pillow, one which the owner can use for decades, is worthy of such effort. Patience ( kinaanus) is the main key to finally covet the fluffy kapasanglay pillow. Kas tay kunadan, “ Ti makaanus , makauray.”(He who perseveres gets his reward.)

(The kapasanglay tree which lived for 3 generations rotted out and I thought that was the end of our fiber supply. But I recently discovered a couple of young kapasanglay trees on our hill that have started to bear fruits.It's a bit difficult to get there, but "ipamusposan no kasapulan.")

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