Sudimara village, the other face of Bali

Sudimara village, the other face of Bali

R. Segara , Contributor, Tabanan, Bali

The island of Bali always conjures up an image of an exotic
holiday destination, with white beaches and spectacular views.

In reality the island has many impoverished fishing villages
where people rely not on tourist-related businesses but on low-
paying jobs as fishermen or producers of dried fish.

Sudimara village, Tabanan regency, is one such example. For
many years, the 135 families of the village have produced cheap,
dried fish, known locally as pindang, to earn a humble living.
Pindang is a popular dish in Bali, especially in rural areas. For
many low-income families, it is the most available and
inexpensive source of nutrition.

The air is fishy and the village is dirty. Gusti Nyoman
Kawiana, 48, is busy processing lemuru fish at the back of his
house. The sun burns his brown skin. With wrinkles here and
there, his face makes him look older than he really is.

"Unlike many people in Bali, who inherit plots of land from
their parents to grow crops or rice fields to plant rice, most of
us here have almost nothing," Gusti said sadly. In l975, along
with the other 134 families, Gusti, known as Ajin Deli, started
to produce dried fish.

We experienced robust years from l986 to l990. During those
"golden" years, we produced around 4 tons per day. Today, we can
produce only 1.5 tons of dried fish daily, explained Ajin Deli.

Originally, people from the neighboring village of Yeh Gangga
introduced the dried fish processing method to a number of
fishermen in the poor village of Sudimara. It was once a
profitable venture for many people in Yeh Gangga village.

However, Yeh Gangga villagers modified their businesses. They
now prefer to process marine products that are in greater demand,
such as lobster, shrimp and other types of salted fish.

"Most fishermen in Yeh Gangga village are looking for a more
reliable source of income. Processing dried fish is time-
consuming. Moreover, the supplies are seasonal," said I Ketut
Carya.

In Sudimara, local fishermen employ a simple processing
method. They need only kerosene stoves and used cans in which to
place the processed fish.

The fish is first cleaned with fresh water and placed in a
can. Next, 0.25 kilogram (kg) of salt is sprinkled onto every 2.5
kg of fish. The fish is later boiled.

"We use tin cans to prevent air from penetrating the processed
fish. Otherwise, it will easily rot. Many people use bamboo
baskets but they have large pores," he explained.

Jero Made Sari, 44, has a secret recipe to produce more
delicious fish. "I often add spices such as tumeric, lemongrass
or other ingredients," she said.

Jero Sari said she could produce around 50 kg of processed
fish per day. Each kilogram is priced at Rp 8,000 to Rp 10,000.
The production cost totals about Rp 140,000, excluding
transportation and workers' wages.

"We earn only a small amount in profit from our business," she
complained. "There was a time when the raw materials were hard to
find. We had to buy them from places like Muncar, Probolingg and
Banyuwangi in East Java."

To help the fishermen, the village set up a cooperative to
acquire raw materials from several places in Bali as well as from
East Java province.

"We can only pray that the cooperative will provide us with
regular and cheaper supplies so we can earn more profit," said a
fisherman, hopefully.