| Kahawa Sug | |
|---|---|
| Species | Coffea canephora |
| Cultivar | Kahawa Sug |
| Origin | Sulu Archipelago,Philippines |
Kahawa Sūg, also known asSulu coffee orSulu robusta, is asingle-origincoffee varietal grown by theTausug people of theSulu Archipelago,Philippines. It is arobustacultivar, belonging to the speciesCoffea canephora. It originates from robusta plants introduced toSulu in the 1860s. It is an important part of traditionalTausug culture. It is mostly consumed locally, though it has started being exported more widely in recent years. It is currently endangered by the introduction of modern higher yield coffee varieties.
Kahawa Sūg has a unique origin, in comparison to other traditional coffee varieties in the Philippines. Robusta coffee was introduced to the Sulu archipelago in the 1860s byHerman Leopold Schück, a Prussianmerchant mariner originally fromUpper Silesia. Schück had become a close friend to the ruler of theSulu Sultanate, SultanJamalul Alam. He eventually became a blood brother to the Sultan throughblood compact and decided to settle in the Philippines. He established a plantation of robusta coffee in the village of Lukut Lapas (nowbarangay Anuling,Patikul, Sulu) with 20,000 plants. Cultivation spread to the locals and the coffee became known as kahawa Sūg.[1][2] It literally means "Sulu coffee", fromArabicقهوة,qahwah ("coffee"), and Sūg ("sea currents"), the nativeTausug name for the Sulu archipelago.[3]
Kahawa Sūg is an important part ofTausug culture in Sulu. It is the traditional accompaniment tobangbang (merienda snacks) orlatal (a platter with a variety of native dishes).[1][4] It is usually served with an extra empty glass, so the hot coffee can be poured back and forth to cool while swirling it at the same time and releasing the aroma. The coffee is described as being non-acidic and not too bitter.[1]
Kahawa Sūg are sold in Muslim communities in the Philippines inkahawahan, the nativecoffee shops.[3] It is usually taken black.[5]
Kahawa Sūg is widely grown in Sulu, producing around 7,300metric tons each year because of Sulu's naturally fertile soil. However, it is mostly consumed locally in Mindanao and rarely exported because of the problems brought by theconflict in Muslim Mindanao in recent decades. Most Filipinos outside of Mindanao are unaware that Sulu even has a native coffee variety. Coffee are traditionally harvested by hand, plucking individual ripe redberries, as opposed to the modern methods of harvesting robusta where the branches are stripped entirely.[1] Kahawa Sūg are traditionally soaked in water before being depulped, then washed again and fermented overnight before rinsing and drying.[6]
In recent years, theARMM branch of theDepartment of Agrarian Reform has started investing in local coffee farmers through the ARCCESS Project (Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services). They provide training, equipment, and funds. In 2017, 10 metric tons of Kahawa Sūg were purchased by the Filipino company,Universal Robina Corporation.[7][8][9]
A notable leader in local coffee growers is Kumalah Sug-Elardo, a full-blooded Tausugprincess (Putlih) and a descendant of the two Royal houses of Sulu. She is often dubbed as the "Coffee Princess". She founded and leads the People's Alliance for Progress Multipurpose Cooperative (PAP-MPC) in 2009, with the goal of improving the livelihoods of the people in the conflict-torn region.[7][10][11][12][13]
Kahawa Sūg is also used to makekahawa kubing, a localcivet coffee.[8][14]
Kahawa Sūg is listed in theArk of Taste international catalogue of endangeredheritage foods by theSlow Food movement. It is threatened by modern higher yield fast-growing coffeecultivars that are being introduced to Sulu.[15]
