Gohu ikan in high demand during Ramadan iftar

Ternate (ANTARA) — The traditional dish gohu ikan, served with sago and boiled cassava, remains a firm favourite amongst the people of North Maluku, particularly during iftar in the holy month of Ramadan.

Mahla Muhammad, a micro and small enterprise operator encountered selling gohu ikan at Gamalama Market in Ternate on Sunday, said that her stock of gohu ikan always sells out due to the large number of customers seeking it for their iftar meals.

“People love gohu ikan, especially during the fasting month of Ramadan. Even though a bowl costs Rp25,000, it always sells out,” Mahla said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the North Maluku Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Budi Argap Situngkir, explained that traditional knowledge constitutes intellectual work in the fields of knowledge and technology that contains elements characteristic of traditional heritage, produced, developed and maintained by specific communities or societies.

“Traditional knowledge such as the preparation method and recipe for gohu ikan must not be allowed to disappear or be claimed by other parties. It is therefore important that all stakeholders — government, universities and the public — work together in synergy to protect traditional knowledge that has long existed within communities,” Argap said in a statement.

Similarly, the Head of the Legal Services Division, Rian Arvin, called on all parties to protect traditional knowledge and community culture through the registration of communal intellectual property with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

“The application service for communal intellectual property registration is now available online and can be accessed from anywhere. Moreover, the North Maluku Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is also prepared to provide free assistance,” he urged.

Gohu ikan, which originated from the habits of Ternate fishermen, has undergone a socio-cultural transformation and is now a widely enjoyed dish amongst the general public.

“The people of Ternate still rely on the freshness of tuna and skipjack freshly caught by fishermen, along with locally sourced ingredients,” he said.