Drinking Habit of Nu Ethnic Group

“One heart wine” with deep and long affection

The Nu compatriots like to drink wine, and are also good at making wine. Their main wines are “Gulu wine”, “turbid wine” and “Sorghum spirit”.

The “Gulu wine” is made by “Gulu rice” (made of corn flour and buckwheat flour, like New Year cake). The way of making it is: make the Gulu rice cool in the air, mix it with distiller’s yeast, put it in a bamboo basket and cover the basket. After several days, if the smell of wine comes out or the wine oozes out, it should be put into a jar and sealed for tens of days. When they drink it, they filtrate the wine with a strainer first, add some boiled water or cold boiled water and some honey or sweet into it. After the wine is fermented, they drink it. This kind of wine is sweet and the smell of it is good and rich. It is the top-grade wine of the Nus. It cannot only quench one’s thirsty, but also has the effect of nourishing and building one’s body.

Wine is not only a kind of beverage in Nu people’s daily life, but also necessary in entertaining guests. When honorable guests come, the Nus entertain them with wine. Their way of drinking is usually to drink accompanying chatting. In cheerful and happy occasions, no matter men or women, old or young, everyone drinks “one heart wine” with the one who is regarded as a bosom friend. The two people’s faces keep close to each other, their mouths are next to each other, one hand holds the shoulder, and the other hand holds the wine bowl. They drink together with faces up, and with bottom of the bowl up. In such occasion with deep and heavy affection, it’s difficult even for people who don’t drink a drop of wine in normal times to evade drinking. Because only after you drink the “one heart wine”, you are regarded as a true friend of the Nus.