Parakari is a

fermented Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...

alcoholic beverage An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...

made by Amerindians of

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

. Like other cassava alcoholic beverages, parakari is made by dual fermenting

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...

(a large starchy root), which involves the use of an amylolytic mold (Rhizopus sp., Mucoraceae,

Zygomycota Zygomycota, or zygote fungi, is a former division or phylum of the kingdom Fungi. The members are now part of two phyla: the Mucoromycota and Zoopagomycota. Approximately 1060 species are known. They are mostly terrestrial in habitat, living i ...

) by chewing it. Parakari is produced by

Wapishana The Wapishana or Wapichan (or Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Vapidiana, Wapixana) are an indigenous group found in the Roraima area of northern Brazil and southern Guyana. Location Currently the Wapishana are located in the State of Roraima, Brazil, nort ...

Macushi The Macushi ( pt, Macuxi) are an indigenous people living in the borderlands of southern Guyana, northern Brazil in the state of Roraima, and in an eastern part of Venezuela. Identification The Macushi are also known as the Macusi, Macussi, Ma ...

Patamona The Patamona are an Amerindian people native to the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana and northern Brazil.Patamon ...

tribes, and production was observed among the Wai-wai, but is said to have ceased due to Christian missionary suppression. For the Makushi tribe, parakari making and drinking are an important part of group cohesion and cultural identity. In a study of the production process in a Wapisiana village, thirty steps were involved in parakari manufacture, including the use of specific cassava varieties, control of culture temperature and boosting of ''Rhizopus'' inoculum potential with purified starch additives. The cassava contains high amounts of cyanide and can be deadly if not prepared properly. To prepare parakari, cassava root is grated and placed in a long, woven strainer to drain out the juice of the cassava. Toxins are rinsed out and the resulting flour is made into bread. The bread used to make parakari is deliberately overcooked, as burning lends the drink its characteristic taste. This bread is then soaked in water, broken up, and placed in a bed of leaves. A powder of dried cassava leaves containing the Rhizopus inoculum is added as well as tapioca starch and dried cassava slices that encourage fermentation. The bread is removed after a number of days and placed a vessel for further fermentation, in which a shorter time will yield a sweeter drink, and a longer time a more bitter, alcoholic drink. This second fermentation can take between 1 day to 5 weeks. Sarawi is another cassava-based beverage made by the Wapisiana tribe.

References

External links

The Importance of Parakari
A video from Cobra Collective of traditional production. {{Alcoholic beverages Alcoholic drinks Amylase induced fermentation Fermented drinks Guyanese cuisine Indigenous cuisine of the Americas

See also

References

External links