Talk:Hashkʼaan bikéyah

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Latest comment: 12 years ago by 71.66.97.228 in topic This name
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This name

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How did Navajo people come up with this country name, which differs from the name "Barbados"? 71.66.97.228 16:25, 25 May 2010 (UTC)Reply

Ostensibly, as the compound of the meanings for hashkʼaan and bikéyah -- banana and homeland -- i.e., something like "home of the banana". This etymology was added to the article on 24 May 2010 in this edit. (Though the varied meanings listed for hashkʼaan make me suspicious that the entry there needs verification...) -- Cheers, Erik Anderson -- 205.166.76.15 15:42, 19 August 2010 (UTC)Reply

"Fig country" doesn't make sense at all. 71.66.97.228 01:38, 6 October 2011 (UTC)Reply

The name Barbados means "bearded ones", but it is a matter of conjecture whether "bearded" refers to the long, hanging roots of the bearded fig-tree (Ficus citrifolia), indigenous to the island; to allegedly bearded Caribs once inhabiting the island; or, more fancifully, to the foam spraying over the outlying reefs giving the impression of a beard. The golden shield in the Barbados coat of arms carries two "Pride of Barbados" flowers (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) and the "bearded" fig tree, which was common on the island at the time of its settlement by the British and may have contributed to Barbados being so named. See a graphic image of the Barbados fig-tree at w:nv:Hashkʼaan Bikéyah with the caption Hashkʼaan Bikéyahdi Hashkʼaan tʼóó ahayóí. ("There are lots of fig-trees on Barbados"). —Stephen (Talk) 17:07, 6 October 2011 (UTC)Reply

That is fascinating. From Wikipedia: "One theory is that the Portuguese name for F. citrifolia, "Os Barbados", gave Barbados its name. It appears on the coat of arms of Barbados, and the removal of one specimen, over 100 years old, was enough to draw attention." 71.66.97.228 19:57, 7 October 2011 (UTC)Reply