The best way to hold it is to plant the blade of a machete in the stem of the leaf. Two or three of those giant leaves next to each other offer the best temporary shelter from a strong rain in the jungle. In two minutes, a few people and all their belongings can be completely protected. The same leaf is used as plates or to store a snack. Dried, the young leaves are very thin and flexible.
People use it as paper to smoke tobacco and even as writing paper.
The green leaves can also be used to make women's skirts, to cook food wrapped in it, or to make a comfortable mattress for overnighting on the jungle floor. Folded into a cone, it makes a good glass to collect water from the rain and can also be braided into a hat. This multi-purpose plant is used in everything from carpentry to cooking. It preserves the juices. Once split in half after cooking, the dry fibers make good firewood.