The traditional rice wine custom of the Thai people in Con Cuong.
For the Thai people, drinking rice wine is an indispensable cultural activity during festivals, New Year celebrations, housewarming parties, weddings, and welcoming guests. The wine is intertwined with human relationships, romantic love, and love for one's homeland. For a long time, the preparation and consumption of rice wine has become a beautiful tradition, deeply rooted in the cultural customs and practices of the Thai people in the mountainous district of Con Cuong in particular, and the Thai ethnic group in Nghe An province in general.
Located on the left bank of the Lam River, more than 10 km from the center of Con Cuong town, is Mau Duc commune – a locality with a famous tradition of making rice wine in the district. In recent years, with the attention of all levels and sectors, the rice wine making profession has been promoted. To date, the entire commune has established 8 rice wine making associations with hundreds of female members participating. In recent years, the wine has become popular with customers and has become a commodity. Thanks to rice wine making, the lives of the people here have changed significantly.
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Photo: Tran Ngoc Lan |
To make a good jar of rice wine, the maker must go through many steps. The yeast is made from leaves readily available in the forest (called leaf yeast). These leaves are pounded until very fine with broken rice or cassava flour, then symbolically shaped into the form of a boy or girl, and fermented with straw, arranged in even layers. After fermenting for 15 to 20 days, the yeast aroma rises, and the yeast cakes are dried in the kitchen attic. When needed, they are pounded into a fine powder and sprinkled into the wine, with 7 to 9 cakes per batch. The wine is made from rice husks that have been thoroughly washed, mixed with glutinous rice or steamed cassava, and then fermented again in banana leaves or forest leaves until the yeast ferments. The mixture is then placed in individual jars, sealed tightly with banana leaves, other leaves, or pieces of plastic.
After fermenting in earthenware jars for 25-30 days, the liquor is ready to drink. The longer it ferments, the thicker and sweeter it becomes. People also make liquor from other grains such as corn, cassava, and ginger, but using rice results in higher quality liquor, especially glutinous rice, which is very nutritious and delicious.
When drinking rice wine, there must be a hierarchical arrangement. Usually, only the elderly and honored guests are seated at the top. The area near the entrance is reserved for women and young people. Both sides sit in a circle around the wine jar, but always maintain a clear boundary to prevent mixing. Only those who are given the wine can drink it; guests are not allowed to drink without an invitation from the indigo maker. The indigo maker must invite everyone to drink with formality and tact, using the most heartfelt and respectful words.
When people join in the festivities of drinking rice wine, they draw closer together, dispelling all sadness and even readily forgiving each other for any disagreements or dissatisfactions. Rice wine is an indispensable pastime because it has become an integral part of community life, a cherished cultural identity. It also serves as a bridge for cultural exchange between ethnic groups. Furthermore, rice wine helps increase income and improve the lives of the ethnic minority people in this area.
Bao Ngoc - Ba Hau
