abaka

The Tagalog word abaka (also spelled abacá) is the indigenous name for the plant Musa textilis, a species of the banana family (Musaceae) native to the Philippines. The plant is not a true banana — its fruits are inedible — but it grows in the same way, with a pseudostem made of tightly wrapped leaf sheaths from which long, strong fibers can be extracted. These fibers, known in international trade as Manila hemp, are among the strongest natural fibers in the world, with exceptional resistance to saltwater and a tensile strength that makes them ideal for ropes, cables, and cordage. The Tagalog name abaka is of uncertain pre-colonial origin but was in use long before Spanish colonization; the plant and its fiber were already important trade commodities in the Philippine archipelago and throughout maritime Southeast Asia when the Spanish arrived in the sixteenth century.

Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines recognized the commercial value of abaca fiber quickly. The plant's cultivation and the processing of its fiber became major industries, and Manila became the global center of the trade in abaca cordage — which is why the fiber became internationally known as Manila hemp, even though it is botanically unrelated to true hemp (Cannabis sativa). By the early nineteenth century, Manila hemp was the dominant material for ships' rigging worldwide. A square-rigged sailing ship of the age of sail required kilometers of rope — for standing rigging (shrouds, stays) and running rigging (halyards, braces, sheets) — and abaca fiber was superior to European hemp and sisal in saltwater environments because it floated, resisted rot, and retained flexibility when wet. The British Navy, the American merchant fleet, and navies worldwide depended on Philippine abaca.

The American period of Philippine history (1898–1946) saw abaca cultivation intensively developed, with American agricultural interests establishing large plantations particularly in Mindanao. American demand for abaca drove exports to record levels in the early twentieth century, and Manila hemp was one of the most strategically important natural resources in American military and commercial planning. The Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II cut off the American supply of abaca, which was a significant strategic problem and contributed to the development of synthetic fiber alternatives — nylon and polypropylene rope. This wartime substitution permanently reduced, though did not eliminate, the commercial importance of Philippine abaca.

Despite competition from synthetic fibers in the rope and cordage market, abaca found a secure niche in specialty paper manufacture. Abaca fiber makes exceptionally high-quality paper — strong, flexible, and resistant to aging — and it is the primary material used in making banknote paper worldwide. The paper in most of the world's currency notes, including US dollars, contains a significant proportion of abaca fiber; its strength and durability (a banknote survives thousands of foldings before tearing) depends on the physical properties of the Philippine plant. The word abaca thus names a fiber that has been in continuous international commercial use for over four centuries, moving from ships' rigging to currency paper through the same principle of extraordinary strength.