Hura crepitans, known in english as sandbox tree or possumwood, is known in Venezuela as Javillo or Cachito (little horn). It is a thorny big tree that grows in the river banks of our towns. Ironically, after many years without contemplating such an impressive tree, I have noticed that they are spread all over Caracas.
They grow dangerously tall among buildings and electric wires, their untamable roots breaking through sidewalks and pavement.
Here you can see some of the trees along Baralt Avenue.
One day, I heard a bunch of parrots making a fuss on top of one of the trees and ran into one of the fruits. They are shaped like tangerines and contained the "shells" that protect the seeds.
When dry, these shells split and each side constitute the raw material for a beautiful handcraft.
I did not know if the green capsule I had found could be used for the handcraft I had in mind. Luckily, it dried perfectly.
And here I had, the little "horns" that we used to craft when we were little, turning them into shiny pendants.
I did not have any wood-carving tools, so I had to improvise with a small kitchen knife. The great thing about this handcraft is that it only requires sandpaper and some varnish.
This is how they look after sanding
And this is how they look with some varnish. They can be worked some more. Some people even fry them in vegetable oil and they will turn pitch black.
I added a little "stone" and it is almost done. I still have to find a way to drill a hole and add a cord or some kind of chain.
I can't express how exciting it was for me to work on this after so many years. Childhoos memories came back to me and I could not resist sharing this with some chidlghood friends who were as surprised as I was to see these pretty jewel hidden in the cement jungle of Caracas.
