not seen or not recorded by Métraux’s sources of infor- 
mation.° 
Most chicha is made from the long ears of dull orange 
flour corn. White flint maize is seldom used. The ears 
are kept in the husks, tied in pairs and hung over a pole 
on the rafters or under the trees until needed. A pointed 
wooden peg held in the hand is sometimes used to facili- 
tate the removal of the husks and grains. 
The grains are soaked overnight in a jar of water, then 
placed in a basket lined with Heliconia leaves and cov- 
ered with more leaves (Pl. VII). Inside one basket the 
temperature was found to be 86°C. When the shoots 
are nearly as long as the seed (the sprouted grains are 
called e bi data in Takana), they are crushed with a rocker 
stone (tuwmu) on a semicircular hardwood board (tada) 
(Pl. VILa). Usually some of this ground malted grain 
is salivated slightly by mixing it in the mouth. The 
malted, ground and salivated meal (e be ten?) is immedi- 
ately placed in a jar and mixed with warm water. The 
mixture is then boiled for three or four hours. The boil- 
ing liquid is called e bi data du duki, the liquid after 
boiling but still hot s¢za métahi, and the liquid when cold 
but not fermented hui na métahi. After it has cooled the 
liquid is strained (da kwatat) through a piece of cotton 
cloth and left in a narrow-mouthed jar to ferment (patcha 
chenapui, i.e. to become strong). Although the chicha 
is at its best after two days, drinking usually begins soon 
after the liquid cools and before it has fermented, and 
continues until it is gone. After five days the chicha be- 
comes vinegar-like, but it has usually been consumed 
° The little that is known of the Takana language is summarized by 
Créqui-Montfort and Rivet (1921-22). Since they list only one word 
for chicha (tupari), we are including other Takana terms recorded 
near Rurrenabaque. These should be accepted with caution since they 
were recorded by one who is not a linguist and does not speak Takana. 
[ 57 ] 
