Traditional Jamu Production in Temiang

Visitors to the home of Tuti, aged 36, in Temiang Village find a variety of rhizome crops growing around her house. These plants are used both as cooking ingredients and in traditional herbal preparations.

Continuing knowledge passed down through generations, Tuti makes jamu from rhizomes and other plants for residents of Temiang, Bandar Laksamana District, Bengkalis Regency.

Preparing ingredients for jamu

“We still make postnatal jamu when people order it. Customers come not only from Temiang but also from neighbouring villages,” Tuti told Yayasan Gambut by telephone on Wednesday, 25/11/2020.

The article describes a local belief that postnatal jamu supports recovery and circulation after childbirth. Within this tradition, it is consumed during the 44 days following birth.

Drying jamu ingredients

Temiang’s Jamu Package

The package contains 2 preparations: 1 for drinking and 1 for applying to the face and body, traditionally intended to prevent what is locally called masuk angin. It was sold for Rp 280,000, with each preparation weighing 1/2 kg and a reported storage life of 4 months after preparation.

Tuti described the ingredients as follows:

For the drink: turmeric, red ginger, kencur, a rempah ratus herbal mixture, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon bark, star anise, cloves, nutmeg, buah telaga, cumin, lada manis and air lebur. The ingredients are dried and then pounded.

For the body powder: rempah param, turmeric, bongle and kencur, dried and pounded together with rice flour.

Finely ground jamu for drinking and for use as body powder

“We plan to grow red ginger with a group of 11 women. We have already collected 1000 growing sacks ourselves and hope Yayasan Gambut can support us with planting material,” Tuti said.