The Tausug coffee

The aroma of brewing native coffee is simply irresistible....some even claims it's heavenly.

Tausug is a coffee-drinking culture - this is an understatement. From life to death, from daily chores to important social events, coffee has always enliven daily living and social gathering.

A Tausug to the core starts his day with a sip of hot coffee, a cup to go with breakfast and another one before going for work. At work, in the office or the field, it is best to start with a cup, have a break with it and end the day with it. At noon, a cup of coffee after lunch will do the trick to soften the food.

At about 3 o'clock, all things come to a standstill for afternoon prayer and  coffee break. The latter is better enjoyed with a serving of freshly baked local sweets like fried banana, wadjit, baulo and so on. I reckon even the sunset is best viewed with a coffee at hand.

Night conversation can go for hours, thanks largely to ready supply of hot kahawa. And a final sip before retiring to bed.

Kahawa (coffee), kahawa mapasu' (hot coffee)... this preponderance for coffee drinking evolved an industry of its own, from coffee growing, trading to coffee houses (kawahan). The entire town proper of Jolo is dotted by tens of these coffee houses. Every Tausug has a favorite place and a favorite time. Unfortunately, this is mostly the favorite of many, too. Early morning and afternoon breaks are usually pack by coffee drinkers.

Coffee houses serve more than just for coffee drinking and socialization, it is also a political forum where people discuss the events of the day in the comfort of their friends and acquaintances; and a place to discuss and often consumate business transaction. These coffee houses equalize the economic divide between the rich and the poor. Just like the mosque, it is a place for royals and commoners alike. Coffee drinking and the native sweets are what unite Tausugs from across the political divide.

The native coffee is unlike anything. Frequent drinkers can discern a locally brewed from a commercial one. There's an anecdotal distinction for this - 'kahawa' is for the locally brewed and 'kopi' or 'kape' is  for the commercial one.

Tausug who have been out of the town for years yearn to go back just to savor this native 'kahawa'. It is not just for the brew, it is also the culture and history associated with it.