Picture from Freepik
As an archipelago full of wonders, Indonesia holds enchanting beauty and food heritage that has existed since the ancient era as portrayed in the reliefs of Borobudur, one of the seven wonders of the world. In an effort of celebrating food diversity heritage, Javara & The Dharmawangsa proudly presents a basket of wonder from relief to table which unfolds the beauty of food culture in the ancient reliefs of Borobudur.
Borobudur undoubtedly has abundant stories to be told, including spirituality, enlightening morality & virtues, romance, as well as one that brings astonishment to people recently, food. An astonishing discovery on the ancient food heritage in the reliefs of Borobudur had lately been reported.
Some of the ancient food heritage discoveries found in the reliefs include rice, jewawut/foxtail millet, cane sugar, sago, banana, and coconut. In an effort of celebrating food diversity heritage, Javara & The Dharmawangsa proudly presents a basket of wonder from relief to table which unfolds the beauty of ancient reliefs of Borobudur.
Rice
Farming was one of the important activities performed by the ancient Javanese people. It is also depicted in the Borobodur reliefs that portray farmers who are guarding the rice plants. Since a long time ago, rice has been an important staple in the daily life of our people. There is a local popular saying that goes “Belum kenyang kalau belum makan nasi”, which more or less translated to “If you haven’t eaten rice in a day, that means you haven’t eaten yet”.
Rice is inseparable from our life and has been one of the food heritage of the archipelago which has existed since the ancient era.
Jewawut/Foxtail Millet
Jewawut/Foxtail Millet is the ancient and the oldest barley plant harvested by humans. It is believed to be cultivated since 5,000 BC, according to the records from China. Foxtail millet is one of the prominent daily staples for people living in East & Southeast Asia and has been portrayed in the relief of Borobudur.
Sugarcane
Sugarcane is a tall perennial grass that can be extracted for sugar making. It is native to tropical areas. In Indonesia, sugarcane plants can be easily found in Java and Sumatra. Cane sugar has been one of the popular sweeteners for daily usage and has been portrayed in the relief of Borobudur. It is the perfect companion for hot beverages such as wedang uwuh, spice chai tea, and jasmine tea. It also adds special sweetness for baking.
Sago
Long before rice became popular, sago was the number one food ingredient in the daily life of our people. It is believed to have existed since the ancient time of the Buddhist kingdom and it is also portrayed in the reliefs of Borobudur. Sago is not only a good source of carbohydrates, it also contains protein, minerals, and vitamins.
Banana
Banana makes a great food ingredient and contains carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins which are essential for our body. Banana trees grow well in tropical regions, such as Indonesia, and are also portrayed in the reliefs of Borobudur.
Coconut
Coconut trees are believed to be originated from the Indian Ocean coast and currently can be found in many tropical regions. It is regarded as a multipurpose plant since it is useful from the top to the bottom. Coconut trees become the source for making coconut sugar, one of the most ancient sweeteners of the Indonesian archipelago, and are also portrayed in the reliefs of Borobudur. Coconut trees can be productive for sugar making up to 50 years, making it one of the world’s most sustainable sugar sources.
Food diversity has existed for as long as ancient history goes and continuous efforts are needed to keep alive such food heritage.
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