Raising a glass to tradition

Connecting today's youth to Indigenous wisdoms through the art of rice winemaking

Text and Photos by Lorena Binisol, Sabah, Malaysia

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^{the Daily Express Malaysia on April 3, 2024:}
^"^{Passing Lihing know-how to next generation}^"

Nuin Tompul is a firm believer in passing down skills to the younger generation, specifically in the art of making rice wine, or 'Lihing,' a traditional drink popular among Kadazan communities and other Indigenous groups in Sabah, Borneo island, Malaysia.

“It is better for them to acquire this skill so they also have an alternative to earning extra income. This way, our culture can also be preserved,” she said, adding that the beverage is also widely used in cooking.

In Sabah, there is declining interest among the Kadazan community, particularly the younger generation, towards the Kadazan language, with many using Malay and/or English instead. Kadazan is one of the biggest ethnic groups in Sabah and is also the name of their language.

However, under a pilot project, four workshops on the art of making Lihing were held throughout March in Penampang District, in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah - with over 30 participants showing interest.

Additionally, the event was attended by community elders Okong Moluntang, Ros Mosoli, and Alis Boijol. Their presence added value, as they hold invaluable knowledge about the traditions and stories associated with making traditional drinks in the past.

These community elders expressed concern that the skill of making Lihing might face a fate similar to the Kadazan language, which is increasingly not spoken among the younger generation.

Kadazan parents often do not converse in the Kadazan language during everyday interactions at home; as a result, children are not exposed to their mother tongue, leading to a lack of proficiency and usage among them.

Without proactive measures to promote the language, there's a risk it could be entirely forgotten. Thus, there's an urgent need to preserve cultural practices like Lihing-making to ensure they remain relevant and are transmitted to future generations.

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Tradition's continuity and relevance in society

Organized by The Pickles & Me, the initiative aimed to assess the feasibility and practicality of conducting such classes.

Mary Jim - a social entrepreneur and grassroot economist appointed by the government to assist them in identifying where and what assistance is needed and by whom - highlighted the significance of preserving tradition and culture among the young. She mentioned that classes like these on making Lihing are relevant and should be made accessible to many."

“By reaching out to as many people as possible, these classes not only create an interest among the youths but also inspire them to acquire the skills, whether for business ventures or personal enjoyment,” she said.

Nuin Tompul (right) guiding a workshop participant through the process of making Lihing. (Photo by Lorena Binisol)

Nuin Tompul (right) guiding a workshop participant through the process of making Lihing. (Photo by Lorena Binisol)

Making Lihing 101

To find out how to make Lihing, the team at The Pickles & Me sought the assistance of several elders from the local village to participate in storytelling sessions, sharing anecdotes from their past lives and recounting the traditional methods of rice wine-making.

Lihing or rice wine is made using only two ingredients: glutinous rice and yeast.

The entire process is conducted naturally, relying on the fermentation process to transform these ingredients into rice wine.

The fermentation usually takes a month or more, during which a liquid forms between the fermented rice.

Traditionally, Lihing was fermented in porcelain jars, but today plastic containers are used instead.

The end product of the fermentation process is a sweet liquid with a distinct alcohol flavor.

Traditional Lihing fermentation jars (Photo by Lorena Binisol)

Lihing fermentation at 21 days (Photo by Lorena Binisol)

The end product of the fermentation is Lihing wine. (photo by Lorena Binisol)

The workshops aim to distil traditional values and Indigenous wisdoms to the younger generations. (Photo by Lorena Binisol)

The workshops aim to distil traditional values and Indigenous wisdoms to the younger generations. (Photo by Lorena Binisol)

Scaling up through business realities

Also present at the workshops were representatives from three government agencies; Raziq Abdul Rahman from Insken (under the purview of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development & Cooperatives), Anasty Majus representing Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM), and Hemin Osumping from Tekun Nasional (Business Group Economic Fund).

Representatives from these agencies elaborated on their roles in supporting small and medium entrepreneurs to establish or expand their businesses.

They explained the commitment of government agencies to assist entrepreneurs in navigating the business landscape and achieving their goals.

Datuk Gilbert Sham, Chairman-elect of the Momogun Economic & Entrepreneurship Bureau Penampang and guest of honor, expressed full support for the initiative, emphasizing its importance in preserving the culture of the Penampang people.

“A very crucial initiative, the Knowledge Transfer Programme is aptly designed to impart knowledge and exposure, especially to the current and younger generation,” he said.

Participants learnt the art of making Lihing with knowledge gleaned from local Kadazan village elders.

Four NGOs—Seed (Sabah Social Entrepreneurs & Eco Development), Sawena (Sabah Women Entrepreneurs of Excellence Association), SLDN (National Dual Training System, Sabah & Labuan), and the Lions Club of Keningau Downtown—sponsored the event.

They recognized that such initiatives are instrumental in sustaining culture and preserving its legacy.

Future Fermentations

Mary Jim said that supporting these efforts contributes to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, ensuring its vibrancy and relevance for future generations.

“It does so by fostering innovation, resilience, and product development, ensuring that our cultural heritage is respected and not exploited,” opined Mary.

The Pickles & Me, the organization that initiated this project, is a small entity that does not yet have sufficient funding for future planned activities.

More villages have already expressed enthusiasm to also learn about and preserve this tradition, but they do not have the funds to buy the raw materials and equipment to start.

A significant challenge also originates from the Lihing itself. Being alcoholic, obtaining funding from federal government is difficult, if not, impossible.

The Pickles & Me are actively exploring new funding sources for future activities to preserve this aspect of Indigenous tradition and wisdom of the Kadazan people.