Mahogany is a strong, reddish-brown hardwood used for high-quality furniture, musical instruments, and boats. The tree grows in tropical regions.
Probably from a Caribbean or Taino word such as 'moganwo,' used by Indigenous peoples and adopted into European languages through colonial trade. The word came to represent both the tree and its valuable wood.
Mahogany became a symbol of luxury in Europe, but its story is tied to colonialism and deforestation. Every polished mahogany table holds a hidden history of rainforests cut and ships crossing oceans for wealthy buyers.
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