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.