Kayah Tradation Wine

A Kayah bride offers millet wine to her husband

The traditional Kayah wine is very important for Karenni people as they practice hospitality. They build friendships by drinking Kayah wine together. It is the main drink for Karenni people, who use the wine as herbal medicine. They treasure it as an important part of their cultural heritage.

The wine has no side effects since it is made by natural red corn, rice & Tasay (the main compound of wine). However, a health worker said it can cause diarrhea if measurement is wrong when preparing the mixture of yeast and boiled millet. As well, drinking too much can cause diarrhea.
   

Kayah traditional wine is used during a traditional spiritual celebration

Farmers are tired and hungry after they work in their farms for the whole day. So, they often drink the wine to renew their strength.

The wine was used when Karenni people defeated the defeat of the Yun people in battle more than century ago. Then they drank the wine and ate sticky rice packed with Dee Ku leaf. Today, young women provide the wine in bamboo cups to visitors during the annual celebration of the victory over the Yun.

As well, Karenni people offer rice, curries and traditional wine to visitors to the “Traeilu Festival”, held in April. And, many people drink the Kayah wine during water festival. Karenni people offer pork, chicken, rice and the traditional wine during annual spiritual sacrifices, too. They believe it can help them to be successful and keep safe from danger.


A Kayah Woman is enjoying tradational wine

Kayah wine cannot be kept more than 3 days, but the first stage liquid can be kept many days. That early stage millet wine is much better and more expensive.The wine can be made with rice instead of millet, but it is not considered to be as good. The millet wine is sweet and very tasty.

Some people like to drink fresh wine from the pot, by using a bamboo-pipe.