Sare

Sare is the seed of a species of grass found commonly in Fu and eastern Fune of Marafire. It is easy to grow and its seeds are highly nutritious. Though sare is not part of the natural diet of Re, many Rafi consider it a staple.

The sare grass is easy to cultivate and grows rapidly, reaching approximately 2 meters tall by the end of its three-month lifespan. Many in Fu grow sare in fune (family gardens built into the treetops). Sare sprouts are a pale translucent tan and are sometimes consumed raw or fermented in sour sutuu vinegar. As the blades mature they turn a deep violet, changing color again to tan as the plant develops seeds.

Sare seeds are harvested at the end of the plant's lifespan. The seeds are milled and the grain eaten in a variety of dishes. Sare seeds are also used to make a variety of other food products like risare. The sare straw left over after harvesting is gathered and used for a variety of non-nutritional purposes. It is a readily available raw material for insulation, making it much cheaper than less plentiful or more heavily processed options like tuitui (the undercoat of western Re) or keusi batting. Palm weavers may use sare straw to weave small items like hats and cups. It can also be put through a process called "rufiutumika" where it is beaten with stones, washed, then spun into twine called tumi which is used for everything from fine jewelry to cordage.