Corresponding author Jl. M. Putuhena, Kampus Poka Ambon, Maluku. 97233 Indonesia Email ferymonm@gmail.com Ambonese Arrack (Sopi): Processing and It’s Functions in Moluccan Culture Komunitas: International Journal of Indonesian Society and Culture 13(1) (2021): 51-58 DOI:10.15294/komunitas.v13i1.25762 © 2021 Semarang State University, Indonesia p-ISSN 2086 - 5465 | e-ISSN 2460-7320 http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/komunitas UNNES JOURNALS Ferymon Mahulette 1 1 Biology Education Study Program Pattimura University, Maluku, Indonesia Received: August 20, 2020; Accepted: February 5, 2021; Published: March 30, 2021 Abstract Sopi is a beverage used in various traditional and religious ceremonies in Moluccas. The raw materials and processing techniques of this fermented product are very diverse. The processing of sopi has been done by the ancestors of Moluccan for a long time, but information about processing this product is very limited. This research aimed to describe the techniques of sopi processing and it’s functions in Moluccan culture. This study was descriptive qualitative research design. Data was collected from direct observations in five villages in differences islands, i.e. Mahia (Ambon island), Ouw (Saparua island), Sifluru (Ceram island), Wan- gel (Aru islands), and Yawuru (Kisar island). The processing of sopi were diverse in Moluccas. The raw materials used in the processing of sopi were saps from coconut, palm sugar, and coli trees, while the equipment of distillation were made of bamboo, plastic and pipe. Sopi was used in various traditional and religious ceremonies such as cuci negeri, panas pela, sumpah sopi and siram sopi. In general this traditional beverage is a symbol of solidarity in the Moluccans tradition. This research was expected to conserve of sopi processing culture to support the tourism in Moluccas. Keywords Ambonese arrack; distilation, palm sap; pela relationship; sopi processing Article INTRODUCTION Ambonese Arak (locally named sopi) is a traditional fermented beverage of the peop- le in Moluccas. The term of sopi comes from Dutch language, Zoopje which means liquid alcohol. Sopi processing is the local wisdom of the Moluccas people. Local wisdom is the whole knowledge, belief, understanding and practice of traditional ethics in society (Sumarmi, 2015). In social perspective, sopi is a unifying drink for community groups who are expe- riencing social confict. Social confict is a confict between community members that is comprehensive in life. The social confict can also be interpreted as social interaction where one party tries to get rid of or destroy the other party (Aisya 2014). People who are in confict are usually reconciled by drin- king sopi together. Many studies have been conducted on sopi, but most of them only examine the role of this traditional drink in socio-cultural life, the economy, and its im- pact on human health (Wenno and Akihary 2010; Wael and Mahulette 2013; Ririhena et al. 2015). Research on sopi processing and