Good & Bad things about chewing betelnut in Papua New Guinea

Betel nut chewing has good and bad. It is one of the cultural norms and widely chew by many Papua New Guineans. The betel nut is commonly grown in the coastal areas for commercial purpose as well as other local growers own consumption.

Good things about betel nut.

Social friendship. 

Betel nut can open up new friendships and strengthen existing social friendship with betel nut chewers. 

Betel nut sharing is caring. So, sharing betel nut, mustard and lime is common practice amongst the chewers. The chewers gather together in betel nut selling venues, they buy betel nuts, mustard and lime, so they chew together.  In this way, they build social relationships which are unbreakable,  and it's a very strong social network.

Door to opportunity.

Betel nut culture can open lots of jobs, businesses and political opportunities. Recruiters can easily be influenced through betel nut sharing culture. It can open up business opportunities such as bank loans, or contracts.

Make money

Betel nut is the biggest gold mine in Papua New Guinea. Millions of kina are circulating in the betel nut industry. The local farmers from the coastal areas sell their produce to the highlanders.

The highlanders travel everywhere in search of betel nut in the coastal areas. The transport operators make money by transporting the betel nut up to the highlands highway.

The local farmers, transport operators, wholesalers, major retail sellers and small hamlets villages and roadside sellers make money through betel nut.

The betel nut industry is huge and the benefits spread across Papua New Guinea households. 

Betel nut- stimulant.

Betel nut is a stimulant and chewing it can keep the cheers awaken. Those disciplinary officers, security guards find betelnut as the best options that keep them awake during the night or day at their locations. 

Even those working in offices chewing betel nut does a better awakening job than the cup of coffee.

Self social confidence 

For some people, chewing betel nut rewards them social self-confidence to mingle around with people in betel nut social culture. So, those who lack social self-esteem can chew betel nut to gain self-confidence about themselves hanging out with friends chewing the betel nuts.

Social qualifications.

The young kids gather together in the name of a social betel nut spirit that builds and strengthen peer social friendship. Such friendship lasts for a long time.

Bad things about betel nut.

Poor personal hygiene 

Chewing betel nut can contribute to poor personal hygiene that includes betelnut stains on the teeth, shirts, and all over their bodies. Betelnut chewing makes them look hugely before the public eyes and truly their social appearance is not good.

Cost money 

Chewing betel nut can be a costly exercise and in fact, it cost lots of money chewing betel nut. Reading more on how much money betel nut cost by clicking this link.

Health conditions 

Chewing betel nut can cause many health conditions such as high blood pressure, mouth cancer, tooth decay. 

For those who have high blood pressure, chewing betel nut can increase the high blood pressure and can cause fatal accidents.

Unhygine social health environment.

It's common knowledge and evidence on the streets of Papua New Guinea that the chewing betel nut contributes so much rubbish in major cities, towns, rural district stations.

The splitting of betel nut stains can aid the spread tuberculosis and coronavirus etc. Both betel nut cells and stains contribute to lots of rubbish which the authorities spends lots of money to clean up..All the public rubbish bins are filled with betel nut stains and cells, which is public eye sore.

Travel health risk.

The betel nut traders travel far and wide at the cost of their lives. They travel on the road, water and in the air looking for betel nut trade. It's not an easy task looking for quality betel nut, mustard and lime.

Bribery & Corrupt practices.

Betel nut builds social relationships that can easily facilitate bribery for jobs, business contract deals etc.

So betel nut chewing culture in Papua New Guinea is part of human social survival. It has been there for many generations and it's here to stay.