WILD FOREST HONEY

Ka Um Ngap Khloo Sourced from: Jaintia Hills

In The Beginning Far off into the interiors of Jaintia Hills lies the picturesque hamlet of Barato. Surrounded by densely populated tropical evergreen forests, Barato is born of the two rivers Myntang and Mynriang that flow through it. Across these dense forests lies a multitude of groves that are home to all manner of creatures, including an array of multicoloured wildflowers - the favoured food of Wild Honeybees! At the very heart of these alcoves, giants lie slumbering - rubber trees as tall as buildings with umbrella-like canopies that form safe havens for our bees. The honeybees of these hills share a close symbiotic relationship with their beekeepers. Early each morning they set out in search for new hives, sometimes walking for hours on end, through thick forests, braving wild cats and bears to find a burgeoning new hive. A closely-knit community, these wardens of the wild use their intricate networks and skills passed down from generations to sniff out scouting bees, at times to the very crest of the canopy trees. Using time-honoured traditions, they coax the queen bees into new homes within the trunk of the very trees they inhabit. Essentially a man-made burrow, the new hives are bigger and more accessible, not only for the bees but the farmers as well. Once the work is done, they seal the hive, keeping the queen bee safe from bears and would-be thieves. Time flies and through the seasons our laborious bees travel to and fro at least 20 times a day in search of nectarine. Swarming over a variety of flowers growing in the forest, these picky dwarves only feed on the best that the hills have to offer. Deep within the hives, the worker bees churn the nectarine into a thick sugary syrup while furiously flapping their wings to transform it into honey. Months pass and at the onset of spring, the beekeepers return to their little treasure troves. Down the hills they go at the crack of dawn, along familiar paths that only their experienced eyes can navigate. The trees stand tall and welcoming, as the farmers follow the traditional method of extraction. A small fire is made using dried leaves that smokes the bees out. Stretching their fearless hands deep into the hives, the farmer extracts the honeycomb bit by bit. Once done, the entrance is covered again till the next harvest. As they trek back to the village the precious golden honeycomb on their backs, the sun sets on the untamed world. Back home the beekeepers whistle a familiar tune as the honey is delicately extracted and melted into deep pots. What remains is only the golden syrup that we call the Meghalayan Age Wild Forest Honey - a taste of nature at its finest.