Huevas Paki??

[Tania]

I got seeds as a gift labelled 'Huevas Paki'. Not sure if the name is spelled correctly or not... Did anyone hear about this one?

[Wi-sunflower]

Hueva is Spanish for "spawn" and huevos is Spanish for "eggs" if that is any help.

Possibly some egg shaped variety.

Carol

[Tania]

Carol, do you think a correct spelling should be 'Huevos'?

[Doug9345]

According to a couple of on line dictionaries it translates to roe - fish eggs. I'd take that to be some kind of small cherry tomato that either grew in groups that someone thought looked like roe or maybe they looked that way in a pile. I assume Paki means Pakistani. I believe it was considered derogatory. Other possibility was that it's a type of tomato that someone who is or perceived to Pakistani used with a roe dish.

Since I know nothing of Pakisani culture or about the tomato this is pure supposition.

[Wi-sunflower]

Yah, I saw the roe part too.

Since roe are "eggs" it's really the same thing. and "spawn" are sort of another word for roe. I was using an older dictionary (book) to get the translation.

Carol

[maf]

Yes, Paki is considered an ethnic slur in the UK. If this tomato had been introduced by Pakistani people it is unlikely they would have chosen that name.

[dice]

Paca?
http://www.agrov.com/animais/peq_ani/paca.htm

edit:
(I have no idea how one connects "roe" or "eggs"
to a paca.)

[dice]

Actually I do have an idea or two: the less whimsical
of the two is a tomato some local brought into a
cafe somewhere in southern Mexico or Central
America to have with his breakfast of "paca and eggs"
(admittedly a longshot, because although pacas are
occasionally eaten by hunters, villagers, and so on,
I have never particularly heard of them as a breakfast
food).

A more fanciful idea is a chance hybrid that was
seeded by birds or whatever in an uncultivated area
near the garden or field of someone living in an area
where pacas are native. The plant grew there,
sprawled, producing egg-shaped tomatoes that
everyone ignored because they had actual tomatoes
that they had planted to eat instead. One day the
farmer/gardener and one of his children were standing
near it when some bird landed and began to peck at
the fruit for food or moisture. As they watched, a paca
ran out from under it and chased the bird away.
Someone named it "paca's eggs" and saved some
seeds.

(As likely an explanation as any, I would think.)

[Tania]

Very interesting ideas folks - thank you!

I know Paki is not a good word. But I am at loss what to do with the name - it is not good to rename... and I am still not sure if Paki refers to Pakistani or to 'paca'.

I wish my seed source could tell me more about the history and the name, but he is not sure about it, he got it labelled this way.

[Patti1957]

Paki is the Hawaiian name for Patti, Patty, Patsy.

[Wi-sunflower]

Did your source say if they are egg shaped ??

Carol

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Tania

Very interesting ideas folks - thank you!

I know Paki is not a good word. But I am at loss what to do with the name - it is not good to rename... and I am still not sure if Paki refers to Pakistani or to 'paca'.

I wish my seed source could tell me more about the history and the name, but he is not sure about it, he got it labelled this way.

It could just as easily be paqui as paki or paca Even if it is Paki, doesn't mean it is related at all to Pakistan and even if it is related to Pakistan it doesn't mean it is meant as a slur!

A quick search reveals:

Paki could refer to a settlement of Maidu, who are an indigenous people of northern California

Paki referring to Pakistani was not considered a slur until the 1960's, what if it is an heirloom from prior to that?

Pākī was a Hawaiian high chief (1808–1855). What if it is actually a Hawaiian cultivar named in honor of him?

Tuheitia Paki is currently the Māori King in New Zealand. What if it is a new cultivar named in honor of him?

Could be something else entirely. Since it is seemingly Spanish with the huevas...and many new strains of small cherries, currents, grapes etc...are coming from Central and South America which is primarily Spanish. It could be a heirloom strain from some remote region down there. If it is, the paki could be a corruption of Paca the small pig like animal. Or even Alpaca related to the Llama. If the seed and name were passed along verbally for generations, then given to someone searching for wild and semi wild or early strains to cross with, they would spell it like they heard it, or thought they heard it. In the end it could possibly roughly translate to Llama eggs. (If you think that is stretching it a bit too much, ask anyone from the country what a dingleberry is.)

First problem is in assuming it is wrong, might not be. Second problem is even if it is wrong, knowing what the correct might be.

You might get some clues once you grow it out.

[maf]

It is a tricky situation to know how best to deal with such a name, I agree. There is at least one seller who renames 'Barlow Jap' to 'Barlow Japanese' because he finds the original name to be derogatory. Where do you draw the line? Is 'Huevas Chink' acceptable? How about 'Huevas Ni★★er'?.....?..

A google search for tomato "huevas paca" yields zero results so that seems unlikely also, particularly as the animal in question does not lay eggs.

[remy]

Did the person you got the seed from grow it? Or are they just sharing from what they received? Is it egg shaped?
I think it is a misspelling of another word.
Remy

[Tania]

I sent him an email yesterday, still waiting for an answer. Hopefully there will be a bit more info to work with.