The True Story of Meemure Kithul Honey – A Tradition Carried Through Generations
Hidden deep inside the Knuckles Mountain Range, the people of Meemure continue one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and toughest traditions — tapping the Kithul palm (Caryota urens) to collect the precious sap used to make treacle and jaggery. Locals call this sap Kithul Pani, sometimes referred to as Kithul “honey”, but it is not bee honey — it is the sweet natural sap that drips from the Kithul flower.
A Day in the Life of a Meemure Kithul Tapper
The day begins long before sunrise.
A tapper wakes up around 4:00 AM, prepares his tools, and starts trekking into the deep forest. The mountains of Meemure are breathtaking, but extremely challenging — steep slopes, thick jungle, leeches, and slippery rocks test the tapper’s strength every single day.
Many Kithul-bearing trees stand far inside the forest, so tappers must walk for hours. They carry:
- Coir ropes
- Bamboo ladders
- Clay pots
- Small axe and knives
- Food and water
- Temporary tent sheets
In older times, and still today in the deepest areas, tappers spend 2–3 weeks living inside the forest. They build small shelters using branches or cover themselves with tar sheets when it rains.
Climbing the Giant Fishtail Palm
Tappers know exactly which flower will yield good sap — knowledge passed down for generations.
To climb, they build a bamboo ladder tied tightly to the tree using coir ropes and strong jungle creepers. Each bamboo stem acts as a foothold. The structure must survive rain, wind, and the tapper’s body weight.
Climbing itself is dangerous. A single slip can be fatal.
Preparing the Flower – The Secret Medicine
Once at the top, the tapper prepares the flower for sap production.
He applies a special traditional mixture known only to experienced tappers. This includes:
- Chilli
- Kocchi
- Garlic
- Pepper
- Fennel
- Cumin
- Souring agents
This mixture helps increase both the yield and quality of the sap.
After a few days, he makes a gentle incision in the flower and ties a clay pot to collect the sap that slowly drips through the day and night.
Life Inside the Knuckles Forest
A tapper usually taps multiple trees spread across different hills.
This means walking long distances between them, often in heavy rain or thick mist.
To avoid returning home daily, they stay inside the forest:
- Sleeping in small huts
- Cooking over wood fires
- Keeping their food safe from animals
- Checking pots at dawn and at dusk
It is a life of patience, skill, and survival — unchanged for hundreds of years.
Returning Home With the Precious Sap
After days of collection, the tapper carries the heavy clay pots back to the village.
Fresh sap is immediately boiled:
- Slowly on a wood fire
- Continuously stirred
- Reduced into a golden thick syrup
This becomes pure Kithul treacle, known for its smoky, floral, caramel flavor.
Boiling even further produces Kithul jaggery, poured into coconut shells to harden.
A Versatile Food Source of Sri Lanka
The fishtail palm provides more than treacle and jaggery:
Kithul Treacle
Used for:
- Curd and treacle
- Kavum and Aluwa
- Herbal porridges
- Desserts, cakes, smoothies
The pure version is becoming rare and highly valued.
Kithul Jaggery
Used for:
- Milk rice
- Herbal teas
- Traditional sweets
- Wattalappam
- Modern desserts
BBC once described this as “the essence of millennia-old tradition.”
Kithul Flour
Extracted from the trunk of non-flowering trees.
It helps with:
- Gastritis
- Constipation
- Anaemia
- Energy boosting
This makes the Kithul tree one of Sri Lanka's most versatile natural food sources.
A Tradition Worth Protecting
For the people of Meemure, Kithul tapping is more than a job — it is identity, culture, and survival. Every drop of treacle or jaggery represents:
- Hours of walking
- Dangerous climbs
- Nights spent in the jungle
- Skills passed through generations
And even today, as export demand grows, these villagers continue their craft with the same dedication as their ancestors.
This is the real story of Kithul honey in Meemure — a beautiful, harsh, and proud tradition that deserves to be known by the world.
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