Sandalwood, Sealers, the Sandwich Isles

About This Event

The unique properties of sandalwood as well as the sandalwood trade historically are both interesting and tragic. Even today, sandalwood is smuggled into China because it is very valuable and highly prized. Several species are known to science some in the Hawaiian Islands as well as other South Sea Islands and Australia. The use and cultivation of this small tree will be described as well as the unique features of the molecule that gives sandalwood it’s scent . Used since ancient times for it’s fragrance and as medicine it was also used in material culture. Recently, methods for large scale commercial cultivation have been perfected and the first commercial crop is about to reach the market.