Why the big fuss over gaharu?
Published on: Sunday, January 10, 2010
By: Kan Yaw Chong
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The slew of determined jungle thieves who want to track it down and cut every wild gaharu in sight has forced CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) to list it on Appendix 2 (threatened with extinction unless trade is closely controlled).
Sabah Parks rangers had actually captured and charged thieves from Vietnam who had ventured into its remote protected forest to 'mine' this wild 'black gold'.
The big irony is this 'black gold' is the product of a natural fungal disease!
The big money is actually in the very dense, diseased dark resin embedded heartwood most commonly called agarwood.
But what's behind this big, big fuss about gaharu which had inspired great cultural and religious significance especially in ancient eastern civilizations in the world among the Arabs, Central and Northern Asians?
Aroma, unsurpassed aroma and fragrance of agarwood oils and essential oils.
Its cherished and valued effects is more than just passing whiffs of nice smelling perfumes.
Its distinctive fragrance, scent, its unmatched deep, dense, sweet, woody aroma which stimulates, triggers and activates a whole range of productive, positive moods, including romantic moods, is the reason for its staying value down through the ages.
Fragrance especially natural fragrance can bring out strong emotional responses from the brain which stimulates hormones and other chemicals and bring healing changes to the body.
As a result, it has spawned a whole new health industry around organic essential oils aromatherapy in which the scent of the oils is the key to the therapy.
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