I know I have mentioned dolo in other blog posts but figure its time to talk about it a little more since I feel like so much of my time in village is spent at the cabaret. First an explanation of terminology. Dolo is the local brew here made from red sorghum. A cabaret is the "bar" where dolo is sold, usually just a shady spot under a tree or a small courtyard in someone's house. Dolo takes three days to make from when it is first started cooking until it is properly fermented. It is only made from women though both men and women (and children) partake in the drinking. Dolo tastes a lot like hard cider to me except its always warm or (Burkina) room temperature and I would never drink warm booze in the US.
I have enjoyed drinking dolo since I first arrived but it seems like it has become a much more regular part of my life in the last few months. I think part of this is I feel more integrated in my village and comfortable drinking and partly because sorghum was harvested in the fall so there is a lot more around and therefore more dolo being made. The family I live with and all of my neighborhood is Muslim and nobody drinks there so I have to go into the center of village to drink. I try to make it a point not to rub it in my family's face that I drink since I know they don't approve. That said word spreads quickly in village and gossip is rampant so I know that everybody knows and now realize its really not a big deal.
My best friend in village, Dabre, makes dolo occassionally and I enjoy helping her out. She first has to wash the sorghum and then leave it out to sprout. Then whenever she wants to make it, she cooks it down with water in a canary (huge clay pot) over a wood fire. This takes about a day or so until it tastes right. They then do something kind of like straining it so the liquid is put in another pot and the chunky sorghum that is left is saved to feed the pigs. This then sits overnight and ferments. The next morning (often starting at 6 or 7 am), its ready to begin selling.
I try to help with making it but usually don't do much. I am very much involved in the selling though. I guess everyone loves to buy dolo from the nasara (white girl) in village! There are a lot of traditions surrounding selling and drinking dolo. When someone shows up to the cabaret, they are given lengha (like a first taste) for free in a calabash. If it is good, they are then expected to buy more. They can get about a cup worth for 25 CFA or a liter for 100 CFA (about 20 cents). When someone requests it, you take it to them and squat down to hand it to them. You then take a sip first to show that it is safe and good before handing it to the customer. Everyone loves when I am willing to squat in front of them.
I also have recently invested in the dolo industry. The price of sorghum was going up a few weeks ago and my friend had the opportunity to buy about five huge grain sacks for $70 but didn't have the money to afford this since she hadn't yet made dolo from the last sorghum she bought. I bought the sorghum before prices raised with the agreement that I would be repaid once we make and sell dolo again. She has already repaid half and it is nice to be able to help in this way. I wouldn't feel comforable doing something like this with most people but this is my best friend and I am happy to help her increase her income since she can make a bigger profit if she can buy sorghum at a lower price. I feel like I have no money here but my PC monthly living stipend is still much higher than what many large families in village live on. I would like to do more to help but don't know how while still letting people see I am trying to live at the same level as them. I don't want to come across as the rich American with money to throw away since I do see the many NGOs that come through and waste money on unnecessary projects.
Didn't mean to turn this blog into a discussion of development work but I guess every part of my life comes back to that. Anyways I do enjoy my dolo and the community that surrounds partaking in this local Bukinabe beverage. I'd love to share it with you all but unfortunatley it doesn't last and has to be drank within about two days of being made.
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