The strong, pungent tơr'đin wine on the Trường Sơn mountain range.

It is an important product that shapes the culinary customs and culture of the Ta Oi, Co Tu, Bru - Van Kieu ethnic groups, and is an indispensable drink for them in traditional festivals.

The Tơr'đin tree, belonging to the palm family and scientifically known as Caryota urens, typically grows at altitudes of 1,000 meters (above sea level) or higher, thriving in humid, shady environments. This species is found in old-growth forests and stream beds. When the ripe fruit falls, rain, floods, or birds and animals inadvertently carry the fruit away, causing new saplings to sprout.

The tree can grow to a height of 10-15 m, with a trunk diameter of 40-50 cm; the leaf sheaths spread out around the trunk, the leaves are compound, pinnate, and irregularly serrated. The tree will produce bunches of fruit around 10 years old. A single tơr'đin tree usually produces 4-5 bunches in 4-5 years. Each year it produces one bunch, each bunch containing tens of thousands of fruits, each fruit usually having 1-2 seeds. The fruits are small, concave, spherical, resembling betel nuts, and reddish-brown when ripe. The fruit bunch hangs down, 2-3 m long.

To extract sap, people wait until the tree produces fruit but hasn't yet bloomed. First, they observe which trees are suitable for sap extraction. Usually, there's a small, pointed shoot at the top of the tree; if it doesn't branch into several smaller twigs, then sap can be extracted.

Drill holes into the trunk of the tơr'đin tree to extract the sap.

To extract tơr'đin sap, the villagers build a sturdy frame and climb a ladder, using a knife to chisel along the trunk of the tree, close to the base of the fruit cluster. They only extract sap when the shoots are level with the old leaves. After about 3-4 days, a whitish, viscous liquid appears, indicating the tree has begun to produce sap. They use a bamboo tube or a small container to collect the sap. A small trough is placed between the chiseled trunk and the tube to guide the dripping sap. The tube contains the bark of the apăng tree – a relative of the bứa tree – which is used for fermentation. Cutting the shoots must be done regularly. Each time, a small amount of sap emerges from the tree trunk. Once a day, the villagers come to cut and collect the tơr'đin sap to drink. If they cut twice a day, more sap comes out, but it also runs out faster. During festivals or when honored guests visit their homes and villages, the villagers go into the forest to cut and collect sap twice a day to ensure a plentiful supply of sap for entertaining.

Each family chooses a few tơr'đin trees as their personal property, and each person harvests their own wine, absolutely without争夺 (competing/disputing). Tơr'đin wine is drunk at home, in the fields, at the village hall (gươl), during leisure time, and at weddings and funerals… Because it cannot be preserved for long periods or transported far, it is mainly consumed locally; whatever wine is available is shared among everyone. In the village, everyone knows which trees yield the best and most abundant wine. Inviting each other to drink "wine from the tree" has become a beautiful custom, clearly demonstrating the spirit of sharing joys and sorrows, and strengthening community bonds among ethnic minorities. Each time they are invited to drink wine, neighbors meet, visit, and chat to learn about each other's family circumstances and difficulties, and to find ways to help one another.

The Da dá dance of the Katu girls under the tơr'đin leaves.

The fragrant, rich aroma of rice wine from the vast forests not only strengthens the body but also instills noble and deeply humane feelings in people's hearts. Today, the local people have learned how to distill and preserve it, allowing it to be stored for a long time, transforming tơr'đin wine into a mountain specialty, serving the needs of locals and tourists alike.

Tan Vinh

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202507/men-nong-tordin-tren-dinh-truong-son-72a104a/