American against Papuans from LiveJournal. Papuans of New Guinea Vodka of the Papuans

It is difficult to say exactly when alcohol appeared. However, it is quite possible to assume that he is not much younger than humanity itself.

The Papuans of New Guinea, who did not yet know fire, already had their own methods of producing alcohol. Many ancient tribes used it in their numerous rituals: with its help they communicated with the gods and the dead. At a later time, the rite of twinning appeared. The blood of the ritual participants was dripped into the cup of wine and the cup was passed around in a circle. Perhaps this is where the tradition of gathering guests and always putting a bottle of wine on the table came from.

With the invention of ceramic (dishes approximately VIII thousand years BC) it became possible to prepare a variety of alcoholic drinks from honey, grapes and other fruits. One of the most ancient drinks is beer. It is known that it was brewed in Babylon in the 7th thousand years BC. e. Cuneiform writing discovered by archaeologist E. Huber contains recipes for 15 varieties of this drink.

In Ancient Greece and Egypt, beer was very popular and was consumed every day along with bread and onions - the staple foods of most of the population. In addition, it is very naturally woven into the culture and religion of these peoples. Many drawings depict people drinking or making beer, gods and rulers with cups in their hands. In Greece they even believed in a special god of wine - Dionysus. In his honor, festivities (Dionysia) were regularly held with huge amounts of alcohol, of course. Maybe that's why Dionysus was one of the most revered gods among the Greeks.

Pure alcohol The Arabs first received it at the beginning of the 7th century. The word alcohol itself is of Arabic origin and means “intoxicating.” In Western Europe, they learned to make strong alcohol in the Middle Ages by sublimating wine. The legend says: the alchemist monk Valentius was the first to prepare and drink such a drink. Having sobered up after being heavily intoxicated, he declared that he had discovered a wonderful remedy that turns an old man into a young man and adds vigor and strength. We can say that it was from this moment that the active spread of alcohol began to spread throughout other countries.

The opinion that drunkenness - an original trait of the Russian people, erroneously. In Rus' they drank very little. Only on major holidays were they brewed mash, mead and beer, the strength of which did not exceed 10 degrees. Drinks were always brewed only for themselves and never for sale. The drinking process itself was significantly different from the modern one: a drink was poured into a glass and passed around in a circle. Moreover, each person could only take one or two sips. Agree, in such conditions it is difficult to get very drunk. And if anyone drank alcohol on a weekday, it was a sin and a great shame.

In 1386, grape alcohol was brought to Russia (aqua-vita). However, it did not take root, and was later even recognized as harmful to health. Vodka - the Russians invented their own, original drink in 1448-1474. Then vodka was diluted grain alcohol, so it had a different name - bread wine or bread vodka.

For another hundred years after the invention of the traditional alcoholic drink for the Russian people, there was no drunkenness in Rus'. This was largely facilitated by the patriarchal way of life of the Russian people and their deep religiosity. “Domostroy” is a book containing answers to absolutely all everyday questions, and gives specific instructions about alcohol: “Drink, but don’t get drunk. Drink a little wine for the sake of joy, and not for drunkenness: drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

In "Domostroy" it is also written that if the husband comes home drunk, then the wife should not have sexual intercourse with him, but let him sleep. Because it is harmful to health.

Drunkenness comes to Rus' at the moment when the state takes control of the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Hence, the development of alcohol in Russia took two paths: the alcoholization of the common people with low-quality vodka and the production of high-quality drinks for the upper classes of society.

Around 1555, taverns began to close throughout Russia. (something like modern cafes) where you could eat and drink. Instead, it was ordered to open taverns (essentially, drinking houses), where you could only drink, but not eat or just have a snack. Such consumption very quickly led to alcohol intoxication and the formation of alcohol dependence. After some time, a ban was introduced on the production of alcohol by the peasants themselves. The state became a monopolist in this area and received huge income from it to the treasury.

At the same time, the right to produce alcohol for themselves remained with the nobles and other upper classes. Almost every family had its own original recipe with the addition of special herbs and berries. Such elite drinks often became gifts for high-ranking officials. It is known that Catherine II sent Russian vodka as a gift to European monarchs and the famous philosopher and writer Voltaire.

In 1647, in many cities of Russia Due to the inability of the urban poor to repay debts to taverns and a sharp decline in the quality of alcoholic beverages, “tavern riots” arise. To suppress these riots, the king had to use troops. After this, the state begins to take measures against the drunkenness of the Russian people. At the Zemsky Sobor of 1652, a decision was made to limit the number of taverns, and days were determined when selling alcohol was prohibited (in total there were more than 180 of them). Vodka was now sold one glass (143.5 grams) per person. Revenues to the royal treasury decreased sharply and after seven years these prohibitions were virtually no longer observed.

Despite the fact that alcohol was invariably present in a person’s daily life, its excessive use was always condemned by society. On a stone slab found in Egypt there was an inscription: “Do not destroy yourself when you sit in a pub, do not lose your mind and do not forget your vows...”. In Rus', drunkenness was considered a great sin and shame. After Muhammad banned alcohol, it was not produced or consumed in Muslim countries for 12 centuries. Drunkenness is still a socially condemned phenomenon today.

Each people of the world has its own characteristics, which are absolutely normal and ordinary for them, but if a person of another nationality falls into their midst, he may be very surprised by the habits and traditions of the inhabitants of this country, because they will not coincide with his own ideas about life. We invite you to learn 11 national habits and characteristics of the Papuans, some of which will terrify you.

They "sit" on nuts like drug addicts

The fruits of the betel palm are the most harmful habit of the Papuans! The fruit pulp is chewed and mixed with two other ingredients. This causes profuse salivation, and the mouth, teeth and lips turn a bright red color. That’s why Papuans endlessly spit on the ground, and “bloody” blots are found everywhere. In West Papua, these fruits are called penang, and in the eastern half of the island - betelnut (betel nut). Eating fruits gives a slight relaxing effect, but is very damaging to teeth.

They believe in black magic and punish for it

Previously, cannibalism was an instrument of justice, and not a way to satisfy one's hunger. This is how the Papuans punished witchcraft. If a person was found guilty of using black magic and harming others, he was killed and pieces of his body were distributed among clan members. Today, cannibalism is no longer practiced, but murders on charges of black magic have not stopped.

They keep the dead at home

If in our country Lenin “sleeps” in the mausoleum, then the Papuans from the Dani tribe keep the mummies of their leaders right in their huts. Twisted, smoked, with terrible grimaces. The age of the mummies is 200–300 years.

They allow their women to do heavy physical labor

When I first saw a woman seven or eight months pregnant chopping wood with an ax while her husband rested in the shade, I was shocked. Later I realized that this is the norm among Papuans. Therefore, the women in their villages are brutal and physically resilient.

They pay for their future wife with pigs

This custom has been preserved throughout New Guinea. The bride's family receives pigs before the wedding. This is a mandatory fee. At the same time, women care for piglets like children and even breastfeed them. Nikolai Nikolaevich Miklouho-Maclay wrote about this in his notes.

Their women mutilated themselves voluntarily

In the event of the death of a close relative, women of the Dani tribe cut off the phalanges of their fingers. Stone axe. Today this custom has been abandoned, but in the Baliem Valley you can still find toeless grandmothers.

A dog teeth necklace is the best gift for your wife!

Among the Korowai tribe, this is a real treasure. Therefore, Korovai women do not need gold, pearls, fur coats, or money. They have completely different values.

Men and women live separately

Many Papuan tribes practice this custom. That's why there are men's huts and women's huts. Women are prohibited from entering the men's house.

They can even live in trees

“I live high - I look far away. Korowai build their homes in the canopies of tall trees. Sometimes it's 30m above the ground! Therefore, you need to keep an eye on children and babies here, because there are no fences in such a house.

They wear catsuits

This is a phallocrypt with which the mountaineers cover their manhood. Koteka is used instead of panties, banana leaves or loincloths. It is made from local pumpkin.

They are ready to take revenge to the last drop of blood. Or until the last chicken

A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye. They practice blood feud. If your relative was harmed, maimed or killed, then you must answer the offender in kind. Broke your brother's arm? Break it for whoever did it too. It’s good that you can pay off blood feud with chickens and pigs. So one day I went with the Papuans to the Strelka. We got into a pickup truck, took a whole chicken coop and went to the showdown. Everything happened without bloodshed.

This drink helped win the war with Napoleon, is mentioned in the works of Tolstoy, Turgenev, Goncharov, Pushkin, Herzen and Lermontov drank it, Gogol loved to cook it. We are talking about zhzhenka - a hot mixture of white wine, champagne, rum (cognac), fruit, spices and sugar, which in the 19th century was one of the most popular alcoholic drinks of the rich classes of Russia.

Zhzhenka differs from punch in that some of the sugar is not added along with other ingredients before heating, but is laid out on a grate, poured over with rum and set on fire. Melted (burnt) sugar gradually flows into the main brew.

Classic burnt recipe

A version adapted to modern conditions, mentioned in the book “The Orderly for the Cook” (a cookbook for the military) published in 1914.

Ingredients:

• rum (cognac) – 0.5 liters (1 bottle);
• champagne – 1.5 liters (2 bottles);
• Sauternes (sweet white wine) – 0.75 liters (1 bottle);
• medium sized pineapple - 1 piece;
• granulated sugar – 700 grams;
• refined sugar – 200 grams.

You can add other fruits (lemons, oranges, sour apples) and spices to taste, for example, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, clove buds, allspice, etc.

Preparation

1. Cut the pineapple into small pieces along with the peel.

2. Mix wine, champagne, granulated sugar, pineapple slices (other fruits and spices) in a large saucepan.

3. Heat the mixture over low heat to approximately 65-70°C, boil for 10-15 minutes, without bringing to a boil. Turn off the heat and you can remove the pan from the stove.

4. Place a metal grill over the pan or fold two kebabs crosswise (the hussars used sabers).

5. Place the refined sugar in a pyramid on the structure, pour it over with rum (cognac) at room temperature, and set it on fire.

6. Periodically pour rum over the sugar so that the burning does not stop until all the refined sugar has melted.

7. Pour the rest of the rum into the drink and stir.

8. Ready-made zhzhenka is drunk only hot from mugs or glasses, according to the hussar tradition, while standing.

Historical reference. It is believed that the burnt recipe was brought to Russia by the hussars after the war with Napoleon in 1812. But in Europe there are no similar drinks (in composition and preparation technology). Perhaps the burnt drink was invented by the hussars themselves while on the road to keep warm in cold weather, mixing and heating captured alcohol. Burnt drink was an excellent remedy for colds, intoxication dulled the fear of battle, and burning sugar on combat sabers lifted the spirits.

After returning home, the officers yearned for the romance of the field. To remember the old days, they began to make burnt food in peacetime, inventing new traditions. For example, in many hussar regiments the drink was brewed during the initiation of cornets as officers.

The preparation was entrusted to the oldest hussar, who knew a lot about this matter. Each regiment had its own “signature” recipe and special expensive silverware with patterns and engravings. Only after drinking burnt drink with their senior comrades were young officers accepted into the regimental family. The hussars also cooked zhzhenka for other holidays or simply to make it more interesting to play cards. The cauldron was installed directly on the parade ground or in the officers' mess.

Thanks to the unique preparation method, the drink also caught on in other wealthy classes of Russia, who could buy expensive ingredients. Students cooked burnt soup at friendly gatherings, nobles and writers - for family holidays. According to the recollections of contemporaries, Gogol was very good at preparing the burnt drink, accompanying the process with jokes, and Pushkin, after a few glasses, challenged his friends to a duel, but forgot everything in the morning :) Sometimes the drink was served even at official events.

• Metaxa - flying brandy
• Brandy
• Calvados
• The drink of kings and sailors - cider
• Greetings from Italy. Grappa
• Absinthe or Green Fairy
• Cognac
• Cachasa
• Drink for ladies - liqueur
• Aperitif
• Tequila
• And a bottle of rum, echo-ho!
• Cocktails
• Whiskey
• Plum wine
• Champagne
• Vodka

P thief of sanity - this is what alcohol has been called since ancient times. People learned about the intoxicating properties of alcoholic beverages no less than 8000 BC - with the advent of ceramic dishes, which made it possible to produce alcoholic beverages from honey, fruit juices and wild grapes. Perhaps winemaking arose even before the beginning of cultivated agriculture. Thus, the famous traveler N.N. Miklouho-Maclay observed the Papuans of New Guinea, who did not yet know how to make fire, but already knew how to prepare intoxicating drinks. The Arabs began to obtain pure alcohol in the 6th-7th centuries and called it “al kogol”, which means “intoxicating”. The first bottle of vodka was made by the Arab Raghez in 860. Distilling wine to produce alcohol sharply worsened drunkenness. It is possible that this was the reason for the ban on the use of alcoholic beverages by the founder of Islam (Muslim religion) Muhammad (Mohammed, 570-632). This prohibition was subsequently included in the code of Muslim laws - the Koran (7th century). Since then, for 12 centuries, alcohol has not been consumed in Muslim countries, and apostates of this law (drunkards) were severely punished. But even in Asian countries, where the consumption of wine was prohibited by religion (the Koran), the cult of wine still flourished and was sung in poetry.

In the Middle Ages, Western Europe also learned to produce strong alcoholic beverages by sublimating wine and other fermenting sugary liquids. According to legend, this operation was first performed by the Italian monk alchemist Valentius. Having tried the newly obtained product and becoming highly intoxicated, the alchemist declared that he had discovered a miraculous elixir that makes an old man young, a tired man cheerful, a yearning man cheerful...

Since then, strong alcoholic drinks have quickly spread throughout the countries of the world, primarily due to the constantly growing industrial production of alcohol from cheap raw materials (potatoes, sugar production waste, etc.). Alcohol entered everyday life so quickly that almost no artist, writer or poet avoided this topic. Such are the pictures of drunkenness in the paintings of old Dutch, Italian, Spanish and German artists. The evil power of alcoholism was understood by many progressive people of their time. The famous religious reformer of those years, Martin Luther, wrote: “Every country must have its own devil, our German devil is a good barrel of wine.”

The spread of drunkenness in Rus' is associated with the policies of the ruling classes. An opinion was even created that drunkenness was supposedly an ancient tradition of the Russian people. At the same time, they referred to the words of the chronicle: “Merry in Rus' - there is drink.” But this is slander against the Russian nation. Russian historian and ethnographer, expert on the customs and morals of the people, professor N.I. Kostomarov (1817-1885) completely refuted this opinion. He proved that in Ancient Rus' they drank very little. Only on selected holidays were they brewed mead, mash or beer, the strength of which did not exceed 5-10 degrees. The glass was passed around and everyone took a few sips from it. No alcoholic drinks were allowed on weekdays, and drunkenness was considered the greatest shame and sin.

But in the 16th century, massive imports of vodka and wine from abroad began. Under Ivan IV and Boris Godunov, “tsar taverns” were established, bringing a lot of money into the treasury. However, even then they tried to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages. So in 1652 a decree was issued “to sell vodka one glass per person.” It was forbidden to give wine to “pituhs” (i.e. drinkers), as well as to everyone during fasting, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. However, due to financial considerations, an amendment was soon made: “in order to make a profit for the great sovereign’s treasury, the roosters should not be driven away from the circle yard,” which actually supported drunkenness. Since 1894, the sale of vodka became a royal monopoly.

Nowadays, it is very fashionable to have small mini-bars in your home. So we decided to host such a bar. It’s nice when, with a glass of your favorite drink, you can talk about its history.

About the use of the kew drink by the Papuans in New Guinea

N Some customs of the natives of Poly- and Micronesia are of particular ethnological interest, their distribution and similarity confirming the identity of the tribes and separating them from the inhabitants of Melanesia, among whom these customs are not found or are not yet known.

Between these characteristic customs, the consumption of the kava drink was still very common in the islands of Polynesia and the islands of Micronesia. The Melanesians did not seem to know the use of this intoxicating drink, which is prepared from the root of a pepper plant (Piper methysticum).

The root is chewed or broken between stones and, diluted with water, produces a bitter, intoxicating infusion. A completely similar drink is prepared in almost the same way by the Papuans of New Guinea. The Papuans call the plant (also from pepper) and the drink Astrolabe “keu” or “kau”, a name that is also very similar to the Polynesian name “kava”.

During the feasts of these Papuans, at which I was often present, I constantly saw the methods of preparing and drinking this drink and observed the effects it produces. Papuans prepare it as follows. The leaves, stem and root of a small bush, which is diligently grown near huts and on plantations, are chewed not only by adult Papuans who participate in the feast, but also by boys, to whom the drink is still prohibited and who, along with the women, do not have access to the feasting gathering.

One of the adults distributes small portions of keu leaves, stems and roots and makes sure that everyone chews properly and does not waste the precious mass by spitting it out. If the root is large and hard, then it is first broken between stones. The Papuans often take the dark green, very bitter mass out of their mouth, place it on the palm of their hand and carefully roll it into a ball, sometimes the size of a chicken egg (the mouth opening of the Papuans is remarkably large), then put it back in the mouth or pass it to someone else to continue chewing.

When the mass is soft enough, each of those chewing, taking it out of his mouth, rolls it back into a ball and gives it to the Papuan who distributed the portions, and this one has already prepared two large scraped out coconut shells for the further procedure. The upper shell, drilled in the middle, acts as a funnel and is placed on the hole of the other, representing the reservoir. The bottom of the funnel is lined with soft, thin grass, which serves as a filter.

Having collected several balls, the chief keu preparer squeezes out with his hands a copious green liquid that saturates the ball, which is nothing more than the saliva of the chewers; then he wets the pomace with water and squeezes it out again until the water is almost colorless. The liquid in the funnel is occasionally stirred to raise the sediment and speed up the filtration. If the liquid is thick, add more water.

While the keu was being filtered, the feast participants surrounded its apparatus and its preparer, and each of them took from the bag that the Papuans always carry with them a small bowl made from the shell of a young coconut. This bowl is usually well scraped on the outside, often decorated with carvings, but inside it is covered with exactly dark green moss - traces of long service, since custom does not allow washing or cleaning the inside of the bowl from which keu is drunk.

A small area is cleared in front of the large bowl with the keu, and with the blunt end of a spear, several depressions are made in the ground, in which the waiting bowls are placed so that they do not tip over. These bowls are of different sizes, depending on the love for the drink.

The one who prepared the keu pours it into bowls; the drink, as noted above, is dark green in color and usually has the consistency of melted, slightly cooled fat. When all the bowls are filled, the Papuans standing around stretch out their hands to them and take them all at the same time or one by one, and a certain sequence is observed (first the guests, then the older ones, etc.).

With bowls in their hands, the feasters disperse to the edges of the clearing where the feast is taking place, and, turning away, drink the cup of keu, and at the same moment emit urine. This custom, which is constantly observed in some villages, is modified in others in such a way that the urine is emitted before drinking the keu or a little later. Since the taste of kew is unpleasantly bitter, it is eaten in advance for this purpose with prepared scraped coconut moistened with coconut water.

The serving of keu that Papuans usually drink is approximately 3 or 4 tablespoons. For some it is sufficient to produce considerable intoxication, which, I suppose, is quite different from the intoxication of liquor.

Papuans who have drunk more than the usual portion of keu fall into a melancholy and sleepy mood; staggering, they move away from their interlocutors, sit down and stare at something, often spitting, since the bitter taste remains in the mouth for a very long time; Finally they fall asleep in a restless but heavy sleep. In this state it is very difficult to wake them up and achieve anything. The treat begins by drinking keu, nothing is eaten before it, and drunkards, having drunk a large amount of this drink, limit themselves to it and do not eat anything.

Key is drunk only by adults (tamo); This drink is prohibited for boys before circumcision and for women. No feast is complete without keu. In villages where it is widely grown, adult Papuans drink it at ordinary times, and even women are secretly very fond of it and drink it, hiding it from their husbands and sons. Not only fresh leaves, trunk and root are used to obtain the drink, but also the dried root, saved for many months, is chewed and produces an even more bitter and strong drink.

Despite the not particularly attractive preparation procedure, I myself, wanting to know the effect, once drank an ordinary portion of keu; the drink turned out to have no particular smell, no bitter, astringent taste; After a few moments of taking Keu, I felt dizzy and my legs refused to support me, which, however, passed after half an hour of sleep.

I woke up with a fairly fresh head, but with a very unpleasant bitter taste in my mouth, which remained for another 3 hours after drinking keu.

Key represents the only intoxicating drink of the Papuans of the north-eastern coast and is highly valued by them.