Tigrai owns many indigenous drinks and foodstaffs. Preparing, conservation and serving requires a proven skill and endurance that passes from generation to generation. The lion’s share in this process goes to our mothers and sisters. They are master in those indigenous stuffs.
SIWA, a traditional, organic drink is such one. It is the most common, local traditional drink in Tigrai. It is our own unique product, unlike the costly Irish Whisky, the Russian vodka and the German beer.
Ingredients depend from location to location. Dagusha is common ingredient in western, southwestern and central Tigrai. Meshela/Mashila (Sorghum) is common in many parts of Tigrai including Mekelle and the south part of Tigrai. Geisho is a common ingredient in all cases.
A flour of those cereals is baked. Its known as Meteqa. Meteqa by itself is delicious when dried.
Siwa is served in weddings, and other public and religious holidays. Its presented in different local drinking cups such as Shelekua, Korefe Shekla, plastic and metal cups.
Although it has been the most common drink among our society, its preparstion, its conservation nor its packaging continued as they were centuries ago. If we had acted on its improvements, it would have reached the level of other commercial drinks such Whiskys and Vodkas, and could have made it to the liquor stores.