Preserve the aroma of fermented rice wine.

In the vibrant tapestry of ethnic groups across Vietnam, rice wine stands out as a distinctive cultural symbol of the mountainous ethnic minorities. In the Southeast region, a melting pot of long-established local communities and those who migrated historically, rice wine is not just a beverage but also a bridge connecting the past and present, a link between the cultures of different ethnic groups.

From Loc Quang commune to the heartland of Bu Gia Map and even the legend of Bom Bo village, the aroma of rice wine tells different stories about the vibrant vitality of cultural identity.

Thai rice wine in Loc Quang - "Lau Xa" and the longing for my motherland in Thanh Hoa province.

A unique aspect of the traditional rice wine-making process of the Thai people in Loc Quang is that they don't use forest bark as yeast like neighboring ethnic groups. Instead, they use four precious types of leaves: khuong leaves, nhan leaves, pau leaves, and wild betel leaves – these plant species are not readily available in the South but were brought by the Thai people themselves from their ancestral homeland of Thanh Hoa when they migrated here, and they planted them in their home gardens.

Ms. Ha Thi Doan (residing in Hiep Hoan A hamlet, Loc Quang commune), a traditional Thai ethnic minority artisan who makes rice wine, shared: “Choosing the leaves is a ritual that requires a deep understanding of nature and is passed down from grandparents and parents. The leaves must be harvested when they are mature, with sufficient astringency and essential oils. If young leaves are picked, the wine will be sour, pale in color, and cannot be preserved for long. This is not just a technique for picking leaves, but a respect for the heritage passed down by our ancestors as a family secret.”

In Thai culture, yeast is the "heart" of the rice wine. Good yeast makes the wine stronger, and drinkers get drunk in a meaningful way. After grinding various leaves and red ginger roots, the mixture is molded into round balls. The drying process is the test of the craftsman's skill. The yeast must be sun-dried for three days in dry weather conditions.

The family of Mr. Vi Van Thach is one of the few Thai ethnic minority households in Loc Quang commune that preserves the traditional craft of making rice wine. Photo: Thu Ha

Artisan Vi Van Thach, known as "Father Thach," whose specialty rice wine has achieved OCOP (One Commune One Product) quality certification, said: "Just by looking at the color of the yeast, you can tell whether the wine is of good quality or not. Standard yeast should be ivory white or light brown, emitting a gentle aroma of forest herbs. If the yeast turns black, the Thai people definitely discard it, because they believe it's a bad omen and the wine's quality is not guaranteed. 'Lau Xa' wine is brewed from cooked glutinous rice, mixed evenly with a secret yeast recipe, and fermented in earthenware jars covered with dried banana leaves. After more than a month of fermentation, the wine reaches its maturity, offering a pure, sweet aftertaste that captivates visitors from afar."

Thai rice wine differs from that of other ethnic groups in that it is made with fresh leaves instead of forest bark. The glutinous rice is cooked, mixed with yeast, and fermented in earthenware jars for over a month before it is ready to drink.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, Chairman of the Loc Quang Commune Farmers' Association, said: "The Commune Farmers' Association, together with local authorities, is supporting farmers in obtaining loans and displaying their products at major conferences to introduce the unique flavor of rice wine to international friends and tourists from afar."

The rice wine of the Thai, M'nong, and S'tieng ethnic groups in Dong Nai today shares a common point - the essence of diligent labor and reverence for nature.

M'nong rice wine in Bu Gia Map - the taste of the ancient forest.

Leaving the Thai ethnic minority area in Loc Quang commune, our journey led us to Bu Gia Map commune, the long-standing home of the M'nong and S'tieng people, closely associated with the Bu Gia Map National Park. While the rice wine of the Thai people possesses the refined elegance of the lowlands, the M'nong rice wine embodies the wild and robust character of the deep forest core.

The M'nong people's journey in making rice wine begins with foraging for leaves in the forest – one of the most arduous steps in the process. Forest leaves are a crucial ingredient that determines the wine's distinctive flavor. There are two types of forest leaves: those from trees and those from shrubs. Tree leaves give a sweet and bitter taste, while shrub leaves give a subtly sweet taste. Finding and gathering these leaves requires the skill and years of experience of the artisan.

Ms. Thi Lien (wearing a hat) from Bu Dot village, Bu Gia Map commune - an artisan making M'nong rice wine - is harvesting leaves to make rice wine. Photo: Ly Na

Ms. Thi Lien, a traditional rice wine maker in Bu Dot village, Bu Gia Map commune, said: “To make a good bottle of rice wine, you have to choose leaves that are not infested with insects, not too young, not too old, just right. The leaves determine the sweetness of the wine. My grandparents have been making it since I was born. I went with them to pick the leaves. They showed me which leaves could be picked and which couldn't, and from there I gradually learned until now.”

To create the unique flavor of rice wine, yeast is indispensable. The yeast and leaves determine the sweetness, saltiness, and bitterness of the wine. Each ethnic group has its own way of making yeast, resulting in a unique flavor. This particular yeast is made according to a very special recipe of the M'nong people. From unique ingredients such as tree bark, forest roots, and rice, through the skillful hands of M'nong women, the yeast is created and fermented with rice and forest leaves. After fermenting in the jar for about a week, the wine is ready to be enjoyed. Importantly, the longer it ferments, the better it tastes, and once the jar is opened, it must be drunk immediately.

Besides the strong rice wine, there are also the somber notes in the story of preserving the craft of the M'nong artisans. Currently, the number of M'nong households in Bu Gia Map that still maintain the traditional rice wine making technique can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Mrs. Thi Py Ot (Ms. Lien's mother), from Bu Dot village, confided: "I really hope my children and grandchildren will preserve it. If I have one person left, they must preserve it; if I have two, they must preserve it. My children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, from this generation to the next, it will always be like this..."

In the future, to develop the traditional rice wine of the M'nong people in Bu Gia Map, the local government has set directions for preserving cultural identity in conjunction with tourism products. This includes the goal of developing M'nong rice wine to meet OCOP standards. Simultaneously, developing local ethnic tourism, exemplified by Ms. Lien's family, will offer visitors traditional cultural experiences, including the opportunity to experience making and tasting M'nong rice wine when visiting Bu Gia Map.

S'tieng rice wine - a national intangible cultural heritage.

In Bom Bo commune, S'tieng rice wine has transcended the boundaries of a common beverage to become a recognized national intangible cultural heritage in 2019. This is a source of pride for the S'tieng community in the Southeast region of Vietnam.

The biggest difference that makes S'tieng rice wine unique is the yeast cake made from forest bark. The S'tieng people don't use leaves but mainly use the bark of the "Tom cray nang" tree. The artisans carve the bark, dry it, then grind it into a powder, mixing it with rice flour in a 1:1 ratio. It is the "Tom cray nang" bark that creates the characteristic bitter, sweet, and spicy flavor. When drinking, diners will feel a fragrant taste like forest honey, sweet but with a powerful effect, making people "drunk to the point of not wanting to leave."

The S'tieng people's wine-making process is steeped in legend. When sprinkling yeast onto sticky rice, the artisans often recite incantations to the yeast spirit, hoping that the wine will be fragrant and delicious, helping young men and women find each other during the festival.

Sharing about the significance of this drink in spiritual life, Ms. Dieu Thi Xia, owner of a S'tieng rice wine processing facility in Bom Bo, said: “In S'tieng culture, if rice wine is not present in a festival, then that festival is no longer a festival. When guests come to their home, the S'tieng people highly value their guests and brotherly affection, so they will bring out jars of rice wine to offer them.” Especially in wedding ceremonies, rice wine plays the role of a “storyteller.”

The flavor of the traditional rice wine of the ethnic groups in Southeast Vietnam is not just the taste of leaf yeast, tree bark, or sticky rice. It's the taste of history, of unity, and of national pride. To keep this forest-brewed wine alive, the collective effort of the entire community is needed, from providing economic support to artisans to promoting this cultural treasure to the world.

Thu Ha

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202602/giu-huong-men-ruou-can-bb1298a/