Mamajuana

Mamajuana is prepared in a bottle filled with pieces of wood, peels, roots and herbs such as bejuco indio, palo de Brasil, anise and cinnamon. Rum is poured over that mixture, often along with red wine and honey, and the bottle rests until the liquid takes on color and flavor. Because the peels last, the bottle can be refilled several times, and each family adjusts the taste, sweeter or spicier.

The name is a Dominican variant of damajuana, the glass carboy protected with wicker used to transport liquids. According to linguist Roberto Guzmán, the word comes from the French dame-jeanne, entered Spanish via Andalusia and spread through the Americas with sailors; the form mama would be an affectionate variant.

The origin of the drink is told in different versions. Some historians link it to the plant infusions of the Taínos; others to the healing practices brought by Africans in the 16th century. Alcohol would have been added later. For a long time it was prepared by healers and rural families, used as a home remedy.

Historian Rafael Ramírez considers that mamajuana, once a drink of the lower classes, gained prestige and became a symbol of Dominican identity. Ready-made bottles or bottles containing only the peels are sold in markets and in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, and many travelers take it home as a souvenir. It is a strong alcoholic drink, served in small doses.