Yimika villagers make salt using unique methods<\/p>\n
Text and photos by P.J. LEO<\/p>\n
WAMENA, Irian Jaya (JP): White, pristine salt, a mineral
\nsubstance in the form of grains used to season and preserve food,
\nhas been considered a valuable commodity since time began.<\/p>\n
What we know of salt, in the form of minute cubicle grains, is
\nthat it has its origins from sea water. However, in Yimika
\nvillage, Wamena, Irian Jaya, locals do not make salt from the sea
\nwater. Salt is made here by submerging a stem of a banana tree
\nand young banana leaves in a spring of salt water on Mount Kika,
\nabout 400 meters above sea level.<\/p>\n
The way the Yimika villagers make salt is quite different from
\nthe way salt is made in Madura, on Java, the best-known place for
\nsalt-making in Indonesia, or elsewhere in the world.<\/p>\n
Every day Yimika villagers and other rural people from around
\nclimb Mount Kika in great numbers to make salt and also to draw
\nsalt water, which they will use for drinking water back home.<\/p>\n
\"The spring of salt water on Mount Kika has been there for a
\nlong time. We do not know when this spring began,\" said Yacob,
\n22, a villager from Yimika.<\/p>\n
\"Many foreign and local tourists have visited the location of
\nthis spring despite the difficulty entailed in climbing the
\nmountain,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The salt-making process followed by Yimika villagers is quite
\nsimple. What may be difficult for them is bringing the stem of a
\nbanana tree to the spring because this takes quite a while and
\nextra energy to do it.<\/p>\n
After the young banana leaves and the stem have been cleaned,
\nthe leaves are cut into small pieces. These pieces are then
\nplaced on an old banana tree, which will later be put in the
\nwater. In the meantime, the stem is crushed slowly so that it
\nproduces sap and then it is submerged in the water.<\/p>\n
The process of salting the leaves and the stem takes about one
\nto two hours, so while they are waiting some people burn dry
\ntwigs to warm themselves, since it is quite cold on the mountain.<\/p>\n
After the salting process is completed, the villagers take out
\nthe leaves and stem and dry them in the sun. Some, however,
\ndirectly eat the salted banana leaves while others are busy
\ndrawing water to take home.<\/p>\n
\"Almost every day I eat this in addition to areca nut mixed
\nwith betel stems. It is nice and will make you feel physically
\ngood,\" said Sonya, a girl from Yimika, in her native tongue.<\/p>\n
Migrant people living here as well as foreign and domestic
\ntourists are all charmed by this natural wonder and they also
\nwant to taste the salted banana leaves.<\/p>\n
\"I have never had salted banana leaves before. Well, they are
\nnice,\" said Danny, a bachelor from Manado, North Sulawesi, now
\nresiding here.<\/p>\n
After eating the salted banana leaves, some of the villagers
\nclimb down the mountain taking with them the grayish shriveled
\nstems which they will put under the sun to dry back home.<\/p>\n
If these people wish to salt food then they will burn the
\ndried stem and spread the ashes on to season it. The Yimika
\nvillagers keep the salty ashes by wrapping them up in a banana
\nleaf after mixing them with a little water.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yimika-villagers-make-salt-using-unique-methods-1447893297",
"image": ""
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