KITHUL TAPPING INSCRIBED ON UNESCO'S REPRESENTATIVE LIST

Indigenous technology for tapping Kithul in Sri Lanka has been officially inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

- 

As a living heritage, Kithul tapping in Sri Lanka is integral to communal harmony, shaping cultural identity and values, and reflecting both unity and a deep spiritual connection with nature

Announced at the twentieth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, this marks the third element on UNESCO's Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage from Sri Lanka.

Kithul tapping is an ancient indigenous practice of extracting sap from the Kithul tree (Caryota urens), found across 13 districts in Sri Lanka. The fresh sap is consumed as a beverage, but also used to produce treacle (Kithul honey or Kithul pani), jaggery (hakuru), traditional alcoholic drinks such as Kithul toddy, and a range of sweets and vinegar. These products, which also carry medicinal value, are shared widely during ceremonies, festivals, and communal gatherings on the island nation.