Xhosa beer joins global list of near-extinct foods

Say "umqombothi" and most people think of Yvonne Chaka Chaka's hit song of the 1980s, which went on to feature in the international hit movie 'Hotel Rwanda'.

Last week umqombothi (traditional Xhosa beer) found a different claim to fame. It became the 4,000th passenger on the Ark of Taste, Slow Food's international catalogue of food products at risk of extinction.

The international body catalogues plants, animals and local dishes that are either unique or in danger of disappearing. Products from over 50 countries are documented.

The heavy, sour beer is made from maize meal, crushed corn malt, crushed sorghum malt, yeast and water.

Melissa de Billot, "curator" for Ark of Taste South Africa, says the catalogue is the first step in a process to rediscover and revive rare products.

"It was created to point out the existence of these products and draw attention to their risk of extinction, and motivate people to protect them."

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She says that, in the case of umqombothi, the survival of the beer lies with the younger generations.

"If there is no interest from an increasingly urbanised youth in their traditional culture, and an increasing preference for large-scale industrially brewed beer, there is no hope. Young people are no longer eager to spend the time with their grandparents to learn the traditional recipes and crafts," says De Billot.

"The goal of the Ark of Taste is to encourage young people to see the value of the product and the role it plays in cultural tradition."

The beer is traditionally filtered through a tube-shaped, woven grass strainer called an "intluzo", made only by elderly people using a centuries-old technique. The intluzo was given as a wedding gift to the newly married. Today metal factory-made strainers are more commonly used.

"The beer strainers are often used as decorative light fittings in upmarket homes, but this is not really the best way of preserving them because they become glorified museum pieces," says De Billot. "The only way to preserve something properly is by making it popular again and using it for its true purpose."

There are currently 50 South African products in the Ark of Taste, with eight nominations under assessment and many others in the research phase, including Zulu tea, stamfrug, millet, sorghum and mopane worms. The hope is that this number will be increased to 100 by the end of the year.

• This article was originally published in The Times.