Kosomo

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Kosomo
Native name: Kosomo
Nickname: Banana island
EtymologyMedieval Cananganamese 'khaṣámā', originally a loan from Middle Jutean 'xosoma' (palm tree)
Geography
LocationAsura Ocean
Country
RegionSaaval a hai
CountyKosomo
Demographics
DemonymKosomoan
Population347 (as of 2015)
Ethnic groupsCoastal Juteans

Kosomo (IPA: /kɑsɑmɑ/), is an island located in the Asura Ocean, the easternmost of the collection of islands making up the main parts of Jute. It is known for having an extensive history of cultural and economical exchange with Cananganam, with Cananganamese missionaries first reaching the island in the 1150s. Several settled down and introduced, among other things, the banana plant.

Etymology

The old name of the island was Xosoma (Middle Jutean for palm tree). However, over time the word came to refer to the fruit of the banana plant introduced by Canangamese missionaries instead. In Modern Coastal Jutean a banana is therefore known as hosoma. Xosoma was also loaned into Medieval Cananganamese as 'khaṣámā' and used as a general descriptor for Jute. Later, it was loaned back into Jutean as Kosomo, which is the modern name of the island, replacing the previous Saaval a hosoma (Banana island).

History

Geography

Geology

Climate

Biodiversity

Politics

Kosomo is governed by the Meeting of the Community of Kosomo, which also doubles as the county-level assembly, as the Community of Kosomo is the only community in the county of Kosomo. The county in turn is part of the Saaval a hai region.

Kosomo airstrip

Economy

Mostly subsistence agriculture and fishing, with banana plantations forming the biggest commercial enterprise, communally led by the Kosomo assemblies.

After the opening of the Kosomo airstrip, a small-scale ecotourism sector has begun to grow. Local nature is a major draw, however the temple erected by Cananganamese missionaries and a museum of local history, with displays of the development of banana growing and religious activity are also of interest to tourists, chiefly of Cananganamese origin.

Little transport infrastructure exists beyond the airstrip with only the most basic facilities, which is connected with the main settlement by the only paved road on the island. Aside from that, the settlement also has a small pier, which is however mostly used by fishing boats, with ships coming from the main island or Etillamme being a rare sight.

Demographics

Culture

The early contact with Cananganamese missionaries has given the island a unique mixed culture not found anywhere else on Jute. It has the only temple dedicated to Lunukism in all of Jute. The local variant is called Dimevusaism, after Cananganamese dimbúsā ('People who follow good fortune').

See also