Hemp history
This section is fairly long. So make yourself comfortable, go
grab a hot cuppa and come back to read the next few pages. Otherwise, please
feel free to print this page and read it at your leisure. We're confident you'll
find it interesting!
Long before hemp became infamous in the USA and hence around the world as the "evil
weed" marijuana, it had its own rich history closely woven with that of
mankind’s. Its various aspects and qualities were used for millennia to clothe,
maintain good health, and enrich the many societies that held this plant a close
ally in the struggle for a comfortable existence. Hemp's story is as deep as the
eons that it came from and as colourful as the misunderstood situation it finds
itself in today.
We hope you will find this brief hemp history interesting:
The natural origin of hemp is believed to be the highlands of the Himalayas
where it grows wild to this day. Its surrounding cultures initially knew mainly
of its psychoactive properties and was revered in Tibet and India as a Herb of
spiritual significance. Ancient Scriptures dating back thousands of years
state in their mythology that hemp was present with Siva when the world was
formed. Bhang, the name given to the leaf, was so influential that two major
areas were named after it. Bangladesh (meaning "bhang land people"), and Bengal
(bhang land).
Hemp seed was spread from this region around the world by birds,
wind and explorers. The Aryans who invaded India are known to have taken hemp
seed with them to sow for fibre through the Middle East and Europe. Hemp cloth
dating back to 8000 BC was also found in the area once known as Mesopotamia and
was mentioned in Assyrian scripts where its medical properties were written
about; "Used as stomachic and poultice for swelling".
By the third Millennium BC, hemp had established itself as one
of the major fibres of the world. No less than 80% of the worlds textiles were
hemp. China fully utilized hemp by farming and cultivating it for its strong
fibber characteristics and along with silk was its most important textile.
It was the Scythian traders who carried hemp from Asia through Greece, Russia
and into the heart of Europe. Arabs later bought hemp from Africa into Spain.
Aside from serving the Greek fleets with sails, it has also been written that
"women made sheets of hemp".
Venice became the heart of the Italian hemp industry, with a
state operated spinning factory. Hemp
helped the Venetian fleet reign over the Mediterranean shipping until the defeat
of Venice by Napoleon in 1797.
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The great leap - cont'd
It wasn't until around the 16th century that hemp
began to mould the world into the Global society that we have today, for it was
around this time that the Nations of Western Europe had begun their struggle of
dominion over the seas. England, Holland and Spain were reliant on the sea to
obtain trade that would normally reach Venice via the Silk road from Asia. Hemp
allowed them to build vessels that would help them generously tap into this
market via the oceans. A great demand for hemp was born, as only the long fibres
of hemp were strong enough to make sails and rigging that could withstand the
treacherous sea journey to the Orient. It was Holland that was ready to supply
to the West the hemp needed. The Netherlands had the current technology to meet
this demand and quickly became the leading supplier of Canefis, canvas for
sails.
It was these sails that carried Colombus and the Mayflower to
the New World of America, thus changing the course of History forever.
As did many ships of that time, Columbus's boat carried hemp
seed for use in case of shipwreck to grow crops for raw materials and as a
source of nutrition itself.
In the early 1800's America's hemp needs were met by supply from Russia, at
the time, the worlds largest exporter of high quality hemp, but
by around 1850 hemp production increased domestically and by the turn of the
century, the industrial age upon them, new mechanical means of harvesting and
retting allowed hemp to be manufactured much more efficiently. However this new
era of industrialization also brought about steel cable, steam powered and Iron
hulled ships which rendered much of the hemp industry obsolete.
Hemp was in
decline as cotton also became easier to produce and petrochemicals brought about
such things as nylon. It wasn't until 1942 and the onset
of World War II that hemp was once again brought back into service for
the benefit of all. With the imported hemp supply being cut off by the Japanese,
and all forms of textile being drawn into the service of protecting the allies,
hemp was promoted as "the patriotic crop" by the Government which
requested 30,000 acres of hemp seed to be sown. Once Victory was
established, hemp was again lost to industry.
Hemp is currently grown in Tasmania, Queensland and New south Wales.
Small trial plantings produce
Hemp seed oil, paper, animal bedding, pet food and agricultural matting, but
investment in infrastructure to turn these operations into significant
commercial operations has not been available.
We believe this is a great agricultural opportunity
for sustainable economic development.
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