Kadazan culture is heavily influenced by the farming of rice,
culminating in various delicacies and alcoholic drinks prepared through
differing home-brewed fermentation processes. Tapai and lihing are the
main rice wine variants served and consumed in Kadazan populated areas,
and are a staple of Kadazan social gatherings and ceremonies.Place the bamboo straw provided firmly into the rice lump, preferably
with one swift insertion rather than having to pull it back up again, so
as not to break the rice lump.The actual way to drink the siopon is first to sip the potent fluid in
the jar (called tapai) until the fluid level comes off contact with the
plastic sheet, that’s about the equivalence of a cup of tapai. A cup of
clean water is then refilled into the jar. So as the process is
repeated, the potency of the tapai will taper off until it becomes
tasteless. When does that happen I don’t know. My guess is that 1 jar of
siopon could actually give out up to 5 jars of potent tapai. That’s a
lot of refilling to do.Jar is called “tempayan” in malay or “tajau” in local dialect: to be
true KadazanDusun…or better still: Pokok Tajau…I forgot the other
names..siopon?
