Malope wine

The Mukas people have a special rite of passage into adulthood. This celebration is called ‘The Coming’. This celebration is held once a year and each island holds the celebration at different times. The weeks before the celebration either the one winemaker on the island or a couple of winemakers work on the most important part the Malope wine. The Malope wine is drunk only once in a lifetime at this celebration. This wine has been said to taste like burnt reeds, the sourest thing you have ever drunk, or a mix of the two. It is not a popular drink, however, it is a huge part of ‘The Coming’ celebration.
The celebration is held one week to a month after the harvest of the Malope pendula, depending on the island you live on. The celebration starts in the evening with all those that are 20 years of age gathering in the largest village or town on the island in a large gathering hall with one parent or guardian. Once in the hall, each 20-year-old is given a tiny cup of Malope wine, barely a sip. The adults depart out of the hall, giving the name of their 20-year-old as they do. Once all adults except those in charge of the celebration are gone. The 20-year-olds are told to mingle and get to know one another until there is a flash of gold. Once the flash of gold the females are brought to the right and the men to the left. They leave for the night. Each group is guided to two different locations. Over the next three days, the groups are tested on many different skills that the Mukas feel are the most important for adulthood. The requirements change about every 100 years or so. The last test that the 20-year-olds are tested on is how well they mingle with the opposite sex. This happens on the fourth day with the two groups meeting back in the hall. They are fed lunch then it is a party until sunset. At sunset, the 20-year-olds are brought to the village center, where many gather from all over the island. There the head of the village leader calls out the 20-year-olds by name. They walk to the village leader, who hands them a full cup of Malope wine for them to drink. Once they have done this they are considered a full adult with all the expectations that come with it.