Synergy to Preserve ‘Gula Jawa’ from Borobudur

The people of the Borobudur area in Magelang, Central Java, used to make gula Jawa. However, the number of sugar producers then dwindled. Now, there are efforts to revive the production of this coconut sugar in Borobudur

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Tourists receive an explanation of the process of making brown sugar at the Coffee Gubuk, Karangrejo Village, Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Wednesday (19/10/2022). The Java sugar industry in the village continues to be maintained so that it becomes a superior product that has a tourist attraction.

The strains of Javanese gending (music) welcomed the arrival of a group of tourists at Gubuk Kopi Borobudur or the Borobudur Coffee Hut, Karangrejo village, Borobodur district, Magelang regency, Central Java, on Wednesday morning (19/10/2022). The morning air was cool as soon as they set foot in that place. When tourists stepped inside, they could smell the fragrance of coconut sap, which was boiled in a clay stove.

“Welcome to the Borobudur Coffee Hut. Here, we would like to invite you to see how to produce brown sugar or palm sugar from coconut sap,” said the manager of the Borobudur Coffee Hut, Agus Prayitno (37), to his guests.

A number of tourists who attended seemed enthusiastic. While listening to Agus' explanation, they were constantly taking pictures and recording videos with their respective devices. Agus then showed the coconut sap in a large frying pan. "This sap is extracted from coconut trees every day at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.," he said.

Also read:

> Loving Learning at the ‘School of Love’

> Impacts of Borobudur Marathon

To make palm sugar, the coconut sap is stirred for 2-3 hours until it forms like caramel. Agus then invited his guests to try stirring the coconut sap. Excitedly, a number of tourists tried to stir the sap with siwur or a wooden stirrer.

“I just found out how to make palm sugar like this. This is my first experience,” said Lisa (32), a tourist.

The activity of making palm sugar is one of the main attractions at the Borobudur Coffee Hut. Tourists love the activity.

That morning, after Lisa and her entourage left the Borobudur Coffee Hut, a group of 70 people arrived from Bandung, West Java. There were also 100 people from Karanganyar, Central Java.

Tradition

Established in 2017, Borobudur Coffee Hut initially only served tea and Magelang-style brewed robusta coffee with brown sugar as a sweetener. The brown sugar is served in the form of small slices separated from tea and coffee.

When visitors drink tea or coffee, the palm sugar can be chewed or bitten for sweetness. "In this village, since the days of my grandparents, there has been a tradition of drinking coffee while klethus gula jawa [chewing the palm sugar]," said Agus.

As time went on, many guests of the Borobudur Coffee Hut asked questions about how to make palm sugar made from coconut sap. This question prompted Agus to create activities to introduce the process of making brown sugar to tourists. This activity is also expected to preserve the tradition of making gula Jawa (sugar made of coconut sap), which used to be practiced by many residents in the Borobudur area.

In this village, since the days of my grandparents, there has been a tradition of drinking coffee while klethus gula jawa [chewing the palm sugar].

Agus recalled that in the past, there were many residents around his house in Sendaren 1 hamlet, Karangrejo village, Borobudur district, who routinely made brown sugar. Prior to 2010, there were about 40 coconut-sap collectors who, together with their families, produced palm sugar in the hamlet.

However, after the eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010, many coconut trees were damaged and cut down due to volcanic ash. As a result, many coconut-sap collectors have turned into construction workers, traders and rice farmers. At that time, only eight people still became coconuts-sap collectors and produced palm sugar.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Tourists from West Java visited an educational tourist spot about palm sugar in the Coffee Gubuk, Karangrejo Village, Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Wednesday (19/10/2022).

Increase

After the Borobodur Coffee Hut developed the activity of making palm sugar for tourists, the number of coconut farmers has increased again. Now, there are 16 coconut farmers whose produce is deposited into the Borobudur Coffee Hut for sale to tourists. The price of palm sugar has also increased.

Previously, gula Jawa produced by the local people was sold for Rp 15,000 (US$0.96)-Rp 17,500 per kilogram (kg) in the market. Now, Borobudur Coffee Hut buys brown sugar from residents at a minimum price of Rp 20,000 per kg. In a day, the amount of palm sugar purchased by Borobodur Coffee Hut amounts to 32 kg.

Sri Windarti (50), a palm-sugar maker in Sendaren 1 hamlet, said that she was happy with the introduction of Javanese sugar-making activities at the Borobudur Coffee Hut. This activity helps to sell Javanese sugar produced by the community. "My husband and I have been making palm sugar for 30 years," she said.

Also read:

> Festive Nights Lift Borobudur Economy

> The Powerful Mantra in Borobudur

Windarti's husband, Sarlan (56), plays a role in extracting sap from a coconut tree. Windarti is in charge of processing the sap into sugar. “My husband saps 9-10 trees per day. However, during the rainy season, he cannot sap because it is slippery when he has to climb the trees,” said Windarti.

If the supply of sap is constant, Windarti can make 1.5-2 kg of brown sugar. From the production of the sugar, they can support and send their five children to school. “There are two children who graduated from elementary school and are now married. One child graduated from junior-high school and two children graduated from vocational school," she said.

Another palm-sugar maker, Endang Wihalimah (32), admits that she can produce 2 kg of brown sugar per day from her husband's coconut sap. Endang's husband, Muhammad Tauhid (36), can sap five coconut trees in a day. Of the five trees, two of them belonged to Tauhid and the other three belonged to neighbors.

Our three children are still small. From this coconut and palm sugar, we meet our daily needs.

From the coconut sap that her husband collected, Endang produced 2 kg of brown sugar per day. Some of the palm sugar produced is handed over to the neighbors who own the trees. If he can produce 60 kg of coconut sugar a month, 30 kg of that goes to the neighbor who owns the tree. “Our three children are still small. From this coconut and palm sugar, we meet our daily needs,” said Endang.

A staff member of the Borobudur Conservation Center Utilization, Mura Aristina, said that coconut trees and palm sugar were indeed closely related to people's lives in the Borobudur area in ancient times. One of the indicators, images of coconut trees and the manufacture of palm sugar were found in the reliefs of Borobudur Temple.

Reliefs of making palm sugar are found on the balustrade on the west side of the Borobudur Temple. In the relief, there are images of objects such as a large cauldron for making palm sugar from coconut sap and a large spoon with a handle made of bamboo and a coconut shell used for stirring.

Over a long span of time, since time immemorial, the manufacture of palm sugar continues to be preserved as a cultural heritage of the nation.

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo.