A woman was regarded 'incomplete' without brewing skills

MPHO TLALE
Staff Writer | Friday March 22, 2013 00:00

For one to be considered a woman in the old days, she also had to have the know-how to brew bojalwa jwa Setswana (traditional beer). Only a few women from that generation with the proper skill to brew can now be found - and Polena Tshukudu is one of them. Now at the age of 87, Tshukudu holds the reputation around Goora Bobi ward in Gabane of a legend when it comes to brewing.

In an interview with Mmegi, the rather shy Tshukudu stated that she still gets called once in a while, especially at family occasions, to come and give brewing tips to young and inexperienced brewers. She mentioned that she became a brew master because she learnt from the best, her mother and then later her mother-in-law after she got married.Tshukudu, with some 72 years brewing experience, said, 'I have been brewing bojalwa ba Setswana for almost all my life because I was born into the culture. I got the skill from my mother who passed it on to me.She, too, was a master at her trade and I doubt I could ever match her though I am good.'

Clearly feeling nostalgic about her youth days, Tshukudu, who had by now gained a conversing momentum, said that at around the age of 15 she was considered a woman and had to demonstrate that. She said that when her mother taught her, she didn't take long to learn as she had already observed her whenever she brewed. She added that back then when one knew how to make beer, it enhanced her reputation, as she became highly regarded.She said that 'Unlike nowadays where people are just making beer to sell and make a profit, we made beer differently.

We specially made it for celebratory purposes on special occasions within the Setswana culture such as during wedding preparations of handing over of bogadi (bride price), Christmas and Mantsho a ngwana whereby a child is released from the house after being confined indoors since its birth.' She elaborated that the traditional beer was also made and used to celebrate the bumper harvest. Furthermore, with some radiance in her eyes Tshukudu said that on some occasions one would just make the beer for the pleasure of her husband to drink and enjoy.She said that one could also make the beer for her husband when he embarked on a journey to go and find a stray cow. 'The beer was packed in what we called modutwana (a container) so that when he got tired he could take a break and relax for a bit with the beer before proceeding in his search.'

According to Tshukudu, the drinking of the traditional beer was associated with men back then but it was considered polite that when invited for gatherings women could also have a sip or two. On a sombre note, she however said that the beer could be brewed at funerals of elders under a practice called mogoga where it would be drunk with meat being eaten on the side.Tshukudu then stated that she still has the nkgwana (clay pot) she used for brewing the beer in her mud hut at the back of the modern house.She said that she also has the sego, which is used to serve the beer from the clay pot into the drinking vessels.She however said that she lost the motlhotlho (sieve made from cloth) that she used for decanting the beer once it had fermented and was ready to be served to the guests.

Another tool that Tshukudu regards highly is the phafana (cup), which she stated was used to drink the beer from.She pointed out that 'Back then we served the beer in the phafana not like now where people can just drink from anything. It was the norm that the beer be drunk from a phafana.'A rather surprising point that Tshukudu raised next was that although she made the beer, she did not drink it. According to her she only tasted the beer when it was still at the mogetlo stage. She explained that this is the middle stage when the grounded sorghum has been cooked and cooled down before moomelo (fermenter) could be added to now make the beer ready. Tshukudu proceeded to say of the brewing process.

'Ha bo go ratile sente ne bo itseela letsatsi hela go bela', meaning that when the beer agreed with what you had in mind, it only took a day to ferment and be ready for consumption. She added that under no circumstances had she been tempted to use yeast as an ingredient to speed up the fermentation process because moomelo is just as good. The old woman also shared her secrets in making  the best beer. In some of the tips she said that only natural products should be used when making the beer and caution should be taken to make sure that only the best sorghum is used. She advised that before adding moomelo, the mogetlo should have been mixed with water to cool down because if not cooled properly the beer would get destroyed and have a bitter and unpleasant taste.She revealed that she has passed on her skill to one of her daughters and her daughter-in-law so that they carry on the legacy of a skill that is on the verge of extinction.She added that this is because there is competition from modern ales that come ready made and some brewers who now add foreign ingredients like battery acid and yeast in the hope of making a quick buck.