Hemp

The word “hemp” is of Germanic origins adopted into Old English. According to Etymology Online Dictionary, “hemp” comes from the Old English word “hænep,” referring to Cannabis sativa It is a result of from the Proto-Germanic word “hanapiz,” which is also the word source of the Old Saxon word “hanap,” the Old Norse word “hampr,” the Old High German word “hanaf,” and the German word “hanf.” It really goes to show how words evolve over time. It’s also related to the Dutch word “hennep.” Today, however, hemp is only used to refer to non-psychoactive cannabis varieties.

Dagga

While countries in northern Africa use different terms, in South Africa and surrounding areas, “dagga” is commonly used to describe cannabis. The Afrikaans term for cannabis, Dagga, was popularized in 1660s. Dagga derives from the word “dacha” in the Khoekhoe language, used by Hottentot people, and is a term used to describe cannabis and other various psychoactive plant species such as Leonotis leonurus, a smokable shrub also called lion’s tail. South Africa’s famed strains, such as Durban Poison or Malawi Gold, have made it a global leader.

Hashish

According to English Words of Arabic Ancestry, the earliest known archived record of the word “hashish” is from 1598, but it has been commonly used at least since the Middle Ages. Hashish comes from “assassin,” originating from the 13th century French and Italian words “assissini” and “assassini,” and transforming from the Arabic “hashīshīn” in the 12th century. Legend has it that assassins from the Hassan-i Sabbāh sect used hashish to recruit more members by drugging themselves and others with the potent cannabis concentrate, as described in Marco Polo’s writings.

Bhang

This ancient Sanskrit term for cannabis dates back to 400 CE or 5200 BC. According to Cannabis: A History, the word “bhang” and other variations became popular among Hindi-speaking cultures. Jan Huyghen van Linschoten, a Dutch merchant, first used the word in 1596. According to Shaivite traditions, bhang is an offering to Shiva. This term can be used to denote marijuana, hemp and other intoxicating beverages made from cannabis. Bhang, or modern cannabis tea with milk, saffron, and garam masala is often called “modern bhang”.

Pakalōlō

Literally speaking, pakalōlō, the Hawaiian word for weed, means “numbing tobacco.” The Hawaiian “paka” means tobacco, and “lōlō” means numbing or getting high. Since at least 1842 when the Hawaiian language newspaper published it, this weed has been used. Ka Nonanona. It’s also the reason for the name of the cannabis brand lōlō. In Barack Obama’s early years living in Hawaii, he and his “Choom Gang” (stoner crew) called weed pakalōlō. Maui Wowie is our favorite and Kona Gold is our favourite.

This article appears in the August 2022 issue of Chronic News. Subscribe here.