Local Drinks

1. Byalwa bya xintu

   Traditional beer

   Usage

   Beer brewed at home by the old methods; elders drink it at gatherings and it is not normally sold

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia says "byalwa bya xintu lebyi swekiwaka" (traditional beer that is cooked). "byalwa" covers alcoholic drinks in general

2. Muqombhoti

   Muqombhoti (traditional beer)

   Usage

   A cloudy traditional beer of water, meal and leaven; elders drink it and it is offered to visitors

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia describes it as made from "mati, mugayo na comela" (water, meal and leaven), whitish, drunk by elders and shown to guests. "comela" means leaven in the Bible

3. Mbhambha

   Mbhambha (traditional beer)

   Usage

   A traditional beer of water, brown sugar and bread, drunk by elders

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia describes it as made with "mati, chukele ro tshwuka, xinkwa" (water, brown sugar, bread) among other things; "chukele ro tshwuka" literally means red sugar

4. Nghwevu

   Nghwevu (traditional beer)

   Usage

   A white traditional beer made and drunk on the same day, compared to modern beer

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia says it is made from brown sugar and a leaven, brewed and drunk on the same day, and compares it to today's beer

5. Xiriwana

   Xiriwana (traditional beer)

   Usage

   A clear, water-like traditional beer made at harvest time and drunk by young men

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia says it is made at harvest time, looks clear like water

6. Nyota

   Nyota (traditional beer)

   Usage

   A traditional beer made by cooking porridge and mixing it with muqombhoti

   Grammar Note

   In the Tsonga Wikipedia the porridge (mukapu) is cooked and mixed with muqombhoti, and it is ready the next day once it froths

7. Vukanyi

   Vukanyi (marula beer)

   Usage

   A traditional drink made from marula fruit, brewed in the fruit season

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia calls "Vukanyi", made from the fruit of the marula tree "nkanyi", a Tsonga drink; the fruits are "makanyi"

8. Amarula

   Amarula (marula cream liqueur)

   Usage

   A cream liqueur from South Africa, made from marula fruit

   Grammar Note

   The Tsonga Wikipedia describes a cream liqueur of sugar, cream and marula fruit at 17 percent alcohol

9. Vhinyo

   Wine

   Usage

   Wine; "vhinyo" occurs often in the Bible

   Grammar Note

   It occurs 33 times in the Tsonga Bible and the Wikipedia has an article on it; whether it is used on everyday menus varies by place

10. Swakunwa swa xihoko

    Alcoholic drinks

    Usage

    The general term for alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine

    Grammar Note

    A Tsonga Wikipedia title meaning drinks of alcohol; it is also used in the article on "byala"

11. Byalwa a byi hi khomi ku fana

    Alcohol affects everyone differently

    Usage

    A caution about drinking too much; a sentence from FLORES

    Grammar Note

    The FLORES sentence for "Alcohol affects everyone differently". "a byi hi khomi ku fana" expresses that it does not affect people the same way

12. Masi ya homu

    Cow's milk

    Usage

    Milk taken from the cow

    Grammar Note

    The Tsonga Wikipedia has "masi ya homu loko ma ha ku sengiwa" (cow's milk just milked). "masi" is in the ma- class, so agreement on following words is "ma"

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