JAMU, THE INDONESIAN ART OF NATURAL HEALING
Jamu is a specific term for healing herb compounds that represents the healing art and science which are in the possession of the Indonesians since long ago. The Indonesian archipelago of 17,000 islands, with the most fertile soil in the world and million acres of rain forest is no wonder that 30.000 of herbs and plants are growing in Indonesia. It is really the most diversified region in the world.
Jamu is a specific term for healing herb compounds that represents the healing art and science which are in the possession of the Indonesians since long ago. The Indonesian archipelago of 17,000 islands, with the most fertile soil in the world and million acres of rain forest is no wonder that 30.000 of herbs and plants are growing in Indonesia. It is really the most diversified region in the world.
Understanding curative herbs and plants is for long a discipline in the Indonesian history that governs the knowledge of healing which became a very Indonesian tradition known as jamu healing. Jamu healing provides a holistic approach in the healing process of a person. Aside from the use of herbs and plants, it also combines other means like massage, acupressure, ancient folklore as well as meditation.
Jamu, a rather strange name to the Westerns, is a part of an integrated system of inner and outer health and beauty which covers decoctions, powders, pills, ointments, lotions, massage and ancient charms practiced by the Indonesian people since centuries ago.Jamu making is one among the old Indonesia traditions that has faded away in today’s world since half a century ago. Up to the early 20th century, the tradition of making fabrics and clothes by hand, playing the traditional gamelan music instruments, ngidung (singing an old traditional song in Jawa language, songs full with lessons of life), perform traditional dancing, as well as jamu making was the part of an Indonesian daily life. This was once the holistic relaxing way for an Indonesian family to run their simple life.
The tradition to use herbs and plants as herbal remedies for jamu to maintain health and cure diseases is believed to start in the ancient times of the Indonesian kingdoms, particularly the kingdoms in Central Java about twelve centuries ago. But actually the use of herbs and plants itself started far back in the Neolithic age, where some artifacts in the Jakarta’s National Museum like mortars and rubbing stones are strongly indicating the use of them in preparing herbal mixtures thousand years ago.
The two kingdoms in Central Java; the Kraton of Yogyakarta (Yogya) and Kraton of Surakarta (Solo) is believed to be the centers of jamu development in ancient time. They have the resources to collect jamu materials from all part of the archipelago as well to establish trading with the Chinese, Indian and Arabians. Hence, some jamu materials are not native to Indonesia, but cultivated after it was brought in by those merchants.
These kratons (meaning palace) also have the capability to collect, invent, test and record various recipes, which is done by a team of experienced herbalists to fulfill the need of the royal family in keeping their health and cure diseases. This collection of jamu recipes was inherited from generation to generation. Part of it, was smuggled out the kraton and used by common people to fight common diseases. It was believed that a kraton’s recipe is always extremely powerful and never fails to cure. Some of the old recipes are still produced and marketed in today’s commercial world.
Herbalists outside the kratons also played an important role in the development of jamu tradition. These less sophisticated herbalists did their job in curing common people. They taught people about herbs and plants, how to make simple jamu formulas at home, and even show the people on how to cultivate selective healing plants in home-yards. This started the tradition of preparing jamu at home. The skill of preparing a home made jamu recipe was always the proud of every household at that time. Almost every household know how to cure common diseases like influenza, cough, diarrhea, loss of appetite, muscle pains and strains, and so forth, using a simple jamu formula. In cases where the condition got worse, the herbalist was always ready to give a hand.
Since ancient times ready made jamu was also sold by hawkers in traditional markets and offered door to door by ‘jamu gendong’, a lady that brings a basketful of popular jamu decoction on her back. The common jamu sold by the hawkers are tonics to keep a fit and healthy body like ‘beras kencur’, ‘pegal linu’, ‘jahe telor madu’, for both man and women. This jamu gendong still exist today, and become an icon of the jamu tradition in Indonesia.
Today, as mentioned before, the jamu tradition has became a fast growing industry lead by several jamu makers in the past who where then able to build their home industries to modern plants and sound management system. Their products that count for millions of units and thousands of varieties are well distributed in all parts of the archipelago. The traditional way of making jamu has disappeared, faded away by the busy world of today’s generation where time is more important and practicality becomes the right of every person.
