For generations, rural communities across Sri Lanka have practiced Kithul Madeema, a traditional method of tapping sap from the kithul palm (Caryota urens). In December 2025, this living tradition reached an international milestone when UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 20th session of its Intergovernmental Committee in New Delhi.
Kithul Madeema is far more than a method of food production. It is a finely tuned system of knowledge involving plant science, physical skill, ritual belief and community cooperation. Tappers climb towering palms using ladders, wrap the flower stalk with vine, and carefully cut it with a revered knife to release the sap. Each day, the sap is collected, filtered, and slowly boiled for hours to produce golden kithul treacle. The same sap can be transformed into jaggery, consumed fresh, or processed into vinegar and traditional drinks.
Kithul products are deeply woven into Sri Lankan daily life. They appear in religious observances, seasonal festivals, family gatherings, and healing practices. Traditional beliefs such as tree worship, respectful harvesting and specific sap storage methods reflect a strong ethical relationship with nature. While harvesting has traditionally been carried out by men and processing by women, the practice today belongs to all communities and continues to adapt with social change.
Spread across more than 13 districts in the Southern, Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, Kithul Madeema thrives in forests and home gardens alike. Learning mainly occurs within families, though cooperatives and government programmes now support training and quality standards.
UNESCO’s recognition, under decision 20.COM 7.b.40, acknowledges the role of Kithul Madeema in safeguarding cultural identity, supporting rural incomes and promoting ecological balance. It also brings renewed attention to the importance of passing this knowledge to younger generations at a time when many traditional livelihoods are under pressure.
By inscribing Kithul Madeema/Kithul Kapeema in 2025, the international community has recognized not only a Sri Lankan tradition, but a way of life shaped by patience, respect for nature and communal wisdom.
Reference links
- UNESCO element description and media: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/kithul-madeema-kithul-kapeema-02318
- Decision text (20.COM 7.b.40): https://ich.unesco.org/en/decisions/20.COM/7.b.40
- Periodic reporting under the ICH Convention: https://ich.unesco.org/en/periodic-reporting
