(dedicated to Ms. Hélène Mercier, a great pianist)
“Jamu, Madame, Sir! ”
gently
how a slim
young woman
from door to door
of bottles tied up on her back
neighborhood every morning
carrying a heavy basketful
greets her clients
offering a glass
of freshly prepared
herbal medicine, jamu
mixed with raw egg and honey
wearing beautifully
Javanese traditional dress
called kebaya and batik sarong
selling traditional Indonesian herbal medicine
ginger
wild ginger
turmeric
greater galingale
kumis kucing
bengle
secang
brotowali
calamondin
cinnamon
alang-alang
used to treat
a wide variety of
ailments ranging from
fatigue and headache to malaria
supplies the body with vitamin C
keeps the body in good shape
and makes the skin smooth
cleanses the blood
maintains physical fitness and health
treats various kinds of illness
for babies is also available
usually in oil form
during the pre and post-natal periods
to maintain natural beauty of women
the herbal cosmetics
for pregnant women
for women in their post-natal period
is usually a combination of massage
the body wraps and tonics to help them
regain their figures and eliminate stretch marks
to be always in a perfect condition
is of prime importance
to maintain the body
Ngadi Sarira
bedak dingin
a cool powder
made from tendered rice
lulur bathing powder for scrubbing
a hair oil called cemceman
with special ingredients such as
made of coconut oil with pandanus
the kenanga flower, and the jeruk purut
Zingiber officinale
Curcuma cautkeridza
Curcuma domestica
Kaempferia galanga
Orthosiphon aristatus
Zingiber bevifalium
Caesalpinia sappan hinn
Tiospora rumpii boerl
Citrae aurantifalia sivingle
Gijeyzahyza glabra
Gramineae
nature is deeply rooted
in the life of the people
culturally, socially
economically
from leaves
fruits, roots, seeds
flowers or tree barks
since the ancient times
widely used to give
inner-complete beauty
which is thought to result
from good physical health
from the poor to the rich
those who live in villages
those who live in large cities
from every class of the society
“Jamu, Madame, Sir! ”
my parents opened jamu store.: -) and i love how it smell because it reminds me about my childhood.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
the struggle of Jamu sellers must be appreciated and respected.. they wake up in the early morning, make the Jamu and sell it through the town, , great work..