THE Drink Of The D.R.

from CaribJournal

Caribbean spiced rums aren’t particularly exotic — there’s hardly a bar in America where you can’t order a “Captain and Coke,” for example. But there’s one unique variety of Caribbean spiced rum that you may not have heard of, even though its origins date back more than 800 years: Mamajuana.

As originally made by the native Taino people, mamajuana (or Mama Juana) was prepared as a tea with a mix of herbs, tree bark, and — if legends hold true, the private parts of a turtle.

The latter is important because all through its long history, mamajuana has been touted as an aphrodisiac (its local nickname is ”the baby maker”) as well as for its medicinal qualities, such as improved digestion and blood circulation.

The recipe for mamajuana endured even long after the Taino disappeared from the Caribbean, decimated first by the rival Arawaks and then enslavement and disease brought by Europeans. The latter added spirits and red wine to the recipe, and gave the concoction its modern name (which comes from a nickname for the type of squat, wicker-covered bottle the drink was traditionally stored in).

Today, mamajuana is considered the national drink of the Dominican Republic, although until recently you were more likely to find it served at a local bar than at a Caribbean beach resort.