Palm Wine has transcended generations and tribes in the African cultural landscape. In Nigeria, it has become an essential part of celebrations and ceremonies, and without Palm Wine, occasions could even be considered incomplete. I’m certain this statement wouldn’t be called a lie if it were said in a room full of village elders.
I remember a humorous moment when my friend’s uncle told her during her knocking-on-door ceremony that if he came to her traditional wedding and the Palm Wine was found lacking in sweetness, he would leave. He even joked about taking the elders’ committee with him.
Although this was said in jest, it gives you an insight into how much importance and cultural relevance this drink holds. In this article, we will dive into the minds of these elders and uncles and see how this beverage with such a fleeting shelf life has managed to endure through the ages.
Palm Wine is an ancient alcoholic beverage created from the sap of a variety of palm trees, with its discovery dating back thousands of years across various cultures in Africa and Asia. While there isn’t a concrete, universally accepted date or origin story for when palm wine was discovered, historical records and traditions suggest that the practice of palm wine tapping dates back at least several centuries BCE.
The drink is widely consumed in West and Central Africa, particularly among the Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, and other ethnic groups in Nigeria, as well as Ghana, Cameroon, and parts of India and Southeast Asia.
Palm Wine, popularly referred to as ‘Palmy’ or ‘Tombo’ in Nigeria, has a distinct taste from other beverages. It is a unique blend of a milky flavor and powerful sweetness. New, freshly tapped Palm Wine carries these tastes effectively, as old wine can have a bit of sourness.
This god-sent liquor is gotten directly from nature, from 2 tree sources, the Raffia and the Oil palm trees. Producing palm wine takes a process. A relative once told me that it is not every raffia palm tree that you can get palm wine from and that it takes the professional eye of an experienced tapper to discern which tree is ready for tapping.
First off, palm trees are huge. How do tappers get up there?
A palm wine tapper could make use of a rope to climb up the palm tree. This rope is tightly curled around the tapper’s waist and the tree when climbing. The rope could be a manila rope, or two or more ropes twisted together firmly, for thickness and support. Traditionally, palm fronds or water cane plants are woven to create a rope long enough to go around the tapper and the palm tree. A hole or buckle system is then created to hold the rope in place around the tapper’s waist like a belt as he climbs up.
Apart from the rope, the tapper can also climb the palm tree using a locally fabricated ladder, which is simply a bamboo stick or wooden plank with protrusions grafted onto it to act as steps.
Predominantly practiced in Ghana is another method called ‘Fall/Burn Process’. This involves cutting down the palm tree. It is considered a lot easier and safer than the climbing process as the risk of falling is reduced.
Now, how is the palm wine collected?
When the tapper climbs to the top of the palm tree, he cuts off a branch to expose the tissue, and using a knife, he delicately carves a hole into the spot (this is where the palm juice will flow out from).
A hollow bamboo or empty pipe is then inserted into the hole and the other end into a jerrycan or keg, which is fastened securely to the tree. The container is left there for at least 2 days so it can collect enough sap, after which the tapper climbs up to collect or transfer it, and takes it to where it will be distilled into hard liquor or gin, or sold immediately. This process is repeated and can go on for up to a month, as an average palm tree can yield up to a liter of wine per day.
If the tapper were to use the fall process, after he has cut down the palm tree, he’d let it stay for a minimum of 5 days. Afterward, he’d cut off the palm fronds, and a rectangular hole wide enough for the burning process was constructed at the neck or a few meters before the neck of the branch.
Using a knife or sharp spike, holes are bored into the dug hole, and a pipe or funnel is fixed and connected to a gallon or container.
The extraction takes place early in the morning, and midday is for the burning process, where heat will be applied to the drilled rectangular hole. This process is repeated until the palm tree can no longer produce sap, which can last between 25 to 35 days depending on the tree’s size.
Fermentation begins immediately after palm wine has been collected due to the natural yeasts in the air. Within two hours, fermentation creates an aromatic wine of up to 3%-4% alcohol content. Mildly inebriating and very sweet.
Apart from being a cultural treasure, this ancient juice is packed with vitamins and health benefits. Palm wine is rich in nutrients, including minerals, amino acids, potassium, iron, and zinc. It is also a rich source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 which reduces the risk of heart disease.
Palm wine has also been shown to help in the prevention of cancer, improve eyesight, promote healthier skin, hair, and nails, improve digestion, and boost immunity and bone health. It has also been associated with increasing fertility and lactation.
Palm Wine In Nigeria
In social gatherings like weddings, parties, or funerals, palm wine commands a lot of respect and plays an important role in many ceremonies in many tribes in Nigeria, such as among the Igbo, Yoruba, and other regions in Central and Western Africa. Guests at these celebrations are served in generous quantities. In a traditional setting, the elderly men and women are served first in the absence of titled men and women.
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In most parts of southeastern Nigeria, also known as Igboland, palm wine, locally referred to as “mmanya ocha” or “ofe,” plays a crucial role in traditional Igbo settings. A young man who is seeking a girl’s hand in marriage is required to bring palm wine when going for his first introduction at his in-laws’ house, without which, spousal relationships are not considered solid. There are varying gallons of palm wine required, depending on the customs in different regions in Igboland.
Apart from enriching wedding ceremonies, Palm wine is largely considered ‘The Drink Of The Gods’. During traditional practices in most African religions, palm wine is an essential part of ceremonies. It is mostly used for libations and rituals, which are a way of giving homage to ancestors, performing prayers, or appeasing gods. Similarly, it is used to pay respect to a deceased during funerals in some cultures, and many drinking sessions begin with a small amount of palm wine spilled on the ground.
Palm wine is also often infused with medicinal herbs to remedy various physical complaints. The drink can be combined with other local herbs for consumption during malaria attacks.
Palm wine transcends age or gender barriers. It is enjoyed by the old as much as the young. Over time, this traditionally sacred drink has transformed as new generation drinkers of palm wine have found new ways of drinking it. Nowadays, they mix palm wine with Stout beer or some spirits. This cocktail, they call “ Bloody Mary.”
In local joints and restaurants, palm wine is served with local delicacies like Ugba (oil bean salad), Isi Ewu (goat head), and pepper soup made either of chicken or goat, creating a platform for social interactions and bonding between friends and family.
“Palm wine makes us happy. It is our holy water”, Nnanna Anyanwu, a 90-year-old man, told Vanguard, and I couldn’t agree less. Palm wine has survived urbanization in Nigeria, retaining both its social and cultural values. There are numerous cultures in Africa, and events in most of these cultures are deemed well celebrated when there is an abundance of palm wine to grace it. Unarguably, it’ll forever be a symbol of oneness, happiness, and our deep cultural heritage.
I think I might have just created the best reply to wedding invitations — “No palm wine, no attendance! Deal or no deal.”
