Sikka Flores - Photo courtesy of Budi Sun Resort
I had come to Indonesia many times and had islands and places visited all the way from Sabang to Sumbawa, but I never had one foot on NTT (Nusa Tenggara Timur), set the eastern Indonesia province. Earlier Eastern me a project this year finally brought the regencies Sikka and Lio in Flores. My point of arrival was Maumere, the capital of Sikka, the airport a. From Jakarta, the first thing I noticed was how Laidback it is, and how fresh the air, with aromas of dried grass and cereals. Maumere is still mostly kampung , apart from the city center and the main road. Maumere is situated on the seafront and seafood is much purchased in either the morning market main port or in the late afternoon in Wuring, the quaint village populated by the daring Bajo Sea Gypsies. Maumere Bay has a number of sandy beaches, from where you can see Pulau Besar, where boats and diving tours. Maumere is not like Kuta, Bali - no bars and nightclubs, but at home parties are very common
Flores is almost three times the size of Bali with half of the population, home to about ten languages and such. many ethnic groups have much in common, but also differences that make it interesting to explore the island. The culture is different from the main cultures of Java and the largest religion is Catholicism. Flores culture is on the earth, and you are very likely to be invited by some people for food and drinks. Lepeng means chill out with friends and sharing drinks and food and drink is very likely local arak , called moke .
First allow the exclusion: usual precautions to respected, should - do not drink or moke buy from the street. It is better to know how the moke It's always when you want to buy a bottle, and it is better with friends to try, which are know. arak on Java and Lombok o plosan , mixed of poor quality with God knows what is sold and it can have fatal consequences for your wellbeing. In Flores, the manufacturer of Arak, traditional home distilleries, are usually very close to the consumer, and that's why is safe arak there. Regular drinkers moke prefer it if it is traditionally produced with earthen boiler, burning wood and long bamboos, through which flows the alcoholic vapor.
wood and coconut is used to heat the clay canister
In Flores, the parties are not limited to the evenings and nights. Sundays and holidays are days of lepeng but lepeng can happen at any time of the day. Also in the morning you will have a group of friends browse the preparation of food and open a bottle moke to go with it. It is not mandatory to drink, although custom and not everyone does. Women can drink, but less.
Recently ended on a Sunday I lepeng when visiting a local friend who lives near Maumere on the edge of a beach. About noon to enjoy a few of his friends from grilled fish and the beach. When the fish was ready, it was decided immediately that a bottle had to be opened moke. Soon joined a couple of friends from the neighborhood. Because it now about eight, a second 62 oz. Bottle with Bintang moke bought from neighbors. This drink is often flavored with different types of roots or even creatures from land and sea. Often a kind of cucumber, pare is put in the bottle, just to make it taste fresh. The moke this afternoon was seasoned in a creative way with the essence of fresh apples, that the drink was a red color and ridded some of the alcohol taste. To the sounds of both Flores and Western music, we talked and joked until late afternoon. A third bottle was opened.
"What does moke for you?" I asked some of my new friends on Sunday afternoon. Answers would mostly revolve around having a good time, but the words culture and Adat (custom) were also called. Every family and non-family reunion just is not complete if it is not moke. It relieves stress, makes the moment and forget to enjoy your worry. It invigorates you after work and is good for sex, especially when seasoned with something. Moke brings people together. Apparently there is no end to the praise moke
The economy was also mentioned -. It is an important part of the local economy in rural areas. Many people depend on their income (I mentioned that people money to moke waste, but that's another story). Distilleries are located generally small and in the backyard. Other necessary ingredients to make a collection complete and guests in Flores are tobacco, coffee and sugar, please, and Sirih pinang (betel), although often in rural areas or for larger celebrations.
The beverage is produced around Southeast Asia and South Asia and is made of a variety of plants: sugar cane, coconut, the juice of the sugar palm (ust) and similar Lontar palm ( Borassus sundaicus ) , In Flores, it is usually the latter two, which are used to produce Arak. The Lontar juice is delicious, and it's a drink that people survive in dry areas, has just helped as the coconut palm. It is a tree of life, of all the basic needs.
A man tuak late afternoon knocks. Waigete, Sikka, Flores
In Flores is Lontar juice called moke putih (white moke). In Indonesia, the juice tuak Manis is (sweet tuak ), and it is consumed throughout Indonesia called, although it has become uncommon. Seller of tuak Manis until about two decades ago used stalk the streets of Jakarta. Now less remain when a handful of providers. What is so remarkable about this drink is not only the taste; it is sweet when just taken from the tree and until when it is a little a few hours later bitter and sour. At this stage already it is fermented and is an alcoholic beverage such as beer.
Tuak Manis is extracted from Lontar tree by a complicated process in which cut one or more of the major branches of the tree, tied with wood, and hit for several days, until the liquid sips from the branch tip. Bamboo containers or buckets are then placed under the tip. Within 12 hours, these contain up to five liters tuak Manis. To maintain quality and quantity, the branch is finely chopped and every time the juice is brought cleaned. to pass on the branch for about three months juice, twice a day. The Lontar flowers twice a year and two trees can support a family with enough liquid to live when water is scarce. Both the male and the female can Lontar juice, but typically produce the male is used because the female difficult and must be tapped before fruiting. If left untouched develop crops that are used to feed pigs and are also delicious as a dessert. The juice can also be used for the production of sugar. Tuak Manis is nutritious and healthy.
As already mentioned, it is not mandatory moke to drink. You can still Flores cultural and social events enjoy it without them, but the knowledge of the local culture is always helpful. If you do not like alcoholic beverages, you should tuak Manis a chance. It is safe, healthy and delicious, directly from nature.
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