Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 6(1), January 2007, pp. 133-135

Kiad⎯A popular local liquor of Pnar tribe of Jaintia hills district,

Hajal Samati & Samim Sofika Begum* Botanical Survey of , Eastern Circle, Shillong 793003, Meghalaya Email: [email protected] Received 16 January 2006; revised 21 August 2006

Kiad, popular local liquor plays an important role associated with various socio-cultural life of the Pnar tribe of Jaintia hills district. The paper highlights the indigenous method of preparation of the popular local liquor. Key words: Kiad, Local liquor, Pnar tribe, Meghalaya IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A01G1/00, A01G17/00, A47G19/00, A23L1/00, A23L1/06, A23L2/02, C12G

Jaintia hills, one of the seven districts of Meghalaya, Methodology lies between 24° 58′-26° 30′ N Latitude and 91° 59′- The data based on ethnobotanical information was 92° 51′E Longitude. It covers an area of 3819 sq gathered while conducting survey in several Patas km.and bounded on the North by Karbi-Anglong (local wine factories) located in various villages district, on the East by Cachar and North Cachar hills inhabited by Pnar people in Jaintia hills district. districts of , on the West by East Khasi hills Village folks who are involved for the preparation of district of Meghalaya and on the South by Kiad were interviewed and the entire method of . The district was locally known as Ka Ri preparation were observed and documented. The plant Ki Khadar Doloi or the land of twelve kingdoms. The specimens were collected, processed identified and topography of the district is composed of undulating deposited at Regional Herbarium (ASSAM)². hilly landscapes dissected by numerous rivers and streams. Altitude ranges from 100-1800 m above Results mean sea level. Vegetation of the district can broadly The method of preparation consisted mainly of two be group as tropical and subtropical types. In Jaintia parts, Thiat (natural yeast) preparation, and Kiad hills district, original inhabitants are Pnars also brewing. Kho-so –a local red rice (Oryza sativa L.); known as Synteng or Jaintias. They have their own leaves of Khaw-iang /Haw-iang (Amomum dialects, different from those spoken by the Khasis. aromaticum Roxb); Sla-pashor - leaves of banana According to the legend, Pnar people considered (Musa paradisiaca L.); Um-pohliew (spring water); themselves as the descendants of Ki Hynniewtrep Thlong-a mortar made of hard wood of Schima (Hynniew’=seven; Trep=huts). Their main occupation wallichii (DC.) Korth.; Surai - a pestle made of hard is agriculture and in olden days they also practiced wood of Docynia indica (Wall.) Decne.; Malieng - a jhum or shifting cultivation. Only scanty information round basket, Khrie -a cone-shaped basket, La-er- a is available about the ancient history of the origin, rectangular frame--all made of bamboo migration and culture of Pnar tribe and also only a (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Munro), are required for few ethnobotanical accounts have been published so the preparation of Thiat. A handful of washed and far 1,3-5.. The present study serves as the first source of cleaned Khaw-iang/Haw-iang leaves are sun dried information on the indigenous method of preparation and ground into powder in Thlong by Surai. 1-2 kg of of Kiad (local liquor) amongst the Pnar tribe of Kho-so soaked in water is also ground in a Thlong by Jaintia hills district of Meghalaya. It also throws light Surai. The process is continued until a fine powder is on the various materials used along with different obtained. Thiat (natural yeast) cakes are made from steps involved from the preparation of Thiat (Natural the ground rice powder mixed with Khaw-iang/Haw- Yeast) up to Kiad brewing. iang leaves powder, which are put in a Khrie and Um- ______pohliew is added to make a sticky paste and small *Corresponding author round cakes are prepared with standard size of 4-5 cm 134 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 6, No. 1, JANUARY 2007

in diameter and 0.8-1cm in thickness. These cakes are as Kiad-thnam. The residue called Ja-Jyndem, is a then kept in Malieng and covered by Sla-pashor. good fodder for cattle and pigs. After that, Khiaw- Malieng is hanged on La- er, which is exposed to diang-kiad filled with Kiad is cooled and Kiad is sunlight or tied about 1.20-1.50 m above the ready for consumption. Water is added for dilution fireplace/hearth for drying until the cakes get harden depending on the taste or requirement. and then are used for rice brewing as natural yeast. The materials required for Kiad brewing are--Kho- so; Khiaw lyrnai -an earthen vessel; Khiaw-heh, Khiaw diang–kiad, Khiaw Theh–Um - different sized metallic vessels; Dew-byrtha-clay; Um-pohliew (Spring water); That- cloth; Shang -cone-shaped basket, Siang-ja- rice spoon, Mok- mug-- all made of bamboo (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Munro). 4-5 kg of Kho-so is mixed with Um-pohliew and cooked in Khiaw-heh. During cooking, it is repeatedly stirred by Siang-ja to avoid burning or over cooking. Cooked rice is taken out from Khiaw-heh and spread on Malieng for cooling and drying. 1-2 Thiat (Natural Yeast) cakes after finely crushed by hand are mixed. The above mixture is put in a Shang, which is externally covered with Thiat and kept for 2-3 days for fermentation. The fermented mixture is called Jyndem, from which yellowish white coloured beer locally known as Sadhiar is extracted. Boiling of Jyndem produces Kiad. A set of apparatus called as Shet-Kiad (Fig.1) are used, by piling different sized vessels one above other. The lower one is called Khiaw- heh is filled with Jyndem, middle one, an earthen pot called is Khiaw lyrnai and upper one is called Khiaw Theh- um. Khiaw lyrnai is with hollow bottom and inside it Khiaw diang-kiad is kept. Khiaw Theh- um is filled up with cold water to help the condensation of liquor vapour into liquid. The size of the vessels depend on the quantity of the Kho-so used. During the process at every piling, joint of each vessel is made airtight by wrapping with Thats or Dew- byrtha to prevent the leakage of the vapour. Discussion The distillation is done by boiling of Jyndem, kept Kiad plays a vital role in the various socio-cultural in the Khiaw-heh and boiled with firewood in the lives of Pnar people associated with each and every specially made fireplace/hearth. Vapour from Jyndem, religious festivals and ceremonies. Minimum passes through Khiaw lyrnai and condensed at the consumption is considered to be good for health and base of Khiaw Theh- um. The condensed vapour after acts as a remedy for various ailments/diseases. liquefies, drop down into the Khiaw-diang-kiad. Sadhiar is use to cure urinary trouble, Kiad-thnam is During the process, water inside the Khiaw Theh- um used to cure dysentery. A minimum consumption is replaced by cold water as soon as it gets warm. For daily, before or after meal is advisable as a health replacing warm water from Khiaw Theh- um, Mok is tonic, but maximum or excess consumption may be used. Concentration of Kiad depends on the lesser intoxicated and harmful. Kiad production serves as a replacing time of cold water in Khiaw Theh- um. For good source of income for livelihood of the Pnar example, if replacing is 10 times or less, concentrated people and a source of revenue to the state. The Kiad will be produced and this type of Kiad is called nutritional and medicinal potentials of Kiad need SAMATI & BEGUM: LOCAL LIQUOR OF PNAR TRIBE OF MEGHALAYA 135

further detailed study. Many of the tribal people have people of Jaintia hills district, Meghalaya for their full not carried out modern experiment as they still have co-operation and valuable information during the an indigenous method of local liquor preparation study. coupled with a clear understanding of nature and how it works. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take References every effort to document, preserve and encourage the 1 Joseph J & Kharkongor P, A preliminary Ethnobotanical practice of the traditional method of the tribal people survey in Khasi and Jaintia hills, Meghalaya, In: Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany by Jain S K, (Oxford and IBH and scientifically validate before it is too late, for the Publication. New Delhi) 1981, 115-123. prosperity of mankind. 2 Jain S K & Rao R R, Handbook of Field and Herbarium methods, (Today & Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, Acknowledgement New Delhi), 1977. 3 Kharkongor P & Joseph J, Floklore medicobotany of rural Authors are thankful to the Director, Botanical Khasi and Jaintia tribes in Meghalaya, In: Glimpses of Survey of India, Kolkata; Dr TM Hynniewta former Indian Ethnobotany by Jain S K, (Oxford and IBH Joint Director, Dr AA Mao, Botanical Survey of Publication, New Delhi), 1981, 124-136. India, Eastern Circle, Shillong for various help and 4 Samati H, Kitchen garden plants of Pnar tribe in Jaintia Hills encouragement; Dr SK Borthakur, Head of Botany district, Meghalaya, Ethnobotany, 16 (2004) 125-130. 5 Samati H & Begum S S, Plant indicators for agricultural Department, Gauhati University, Guwahati for his seasons amongst Pnar tribe of Meghalaya, Indian J valuable guidance. Thanks are also due to Pnar Traditional Knowledge, 5 (1) (2005) 57-59.