Noni

(Polynesian name adopted by Caribs). Ancient peoples of Malaysia and Indonesia colonised islands throughout the South Pacific. As they made their voyages from island to island in their ocean-going canoes, they brought with them useful plants from their home islands. One of these plants was Morinda citrifolia. In the South Pacific the plant is known as Nonu in Samoa and Tonga, Nono in Raratonga and Tahiti, and Noni in the Marquesas Islands and Hawaii. It has become and integral part of the Polynesian culture. There, the noni fruit of the Morinda citrifolia tree has been used for centuries as a food and medicinal plant. Introduced into the Caribbean, the leaves were used by Caribs to wrap around rheumatic joints and the juice of the fruit is now popular as a health drink.

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