Page 140 - EBOOK_Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing

In keeping with the best jamu shops, Ibu Ming offers advice on complaints, corrects customers
if she considers there is a better way of dealing with a problem, and mixes up her own potions for
instant consumption. Tiredness, a girl’s first menstruation, loss of appetite, fever in a baby, high
blood pressure, cough remedy and a deterrent for a child who still wanted to be breastfed at three,
were just some of the challenges Ibu Ming faced in an hour’s work. She also sold to a gendong with
a basket full of jamu. The woman purchased some packets of jamu from Ibu Ming because “it suits
my regulars”, she said.
“For headaches,” Ibu Ming announces, “we buy powder from Semarang and make up the pilis
here by adding hot water.” It had a wonderful smell of cloves, and when the author tried this cure, her
pilis was so effective that 15 minutes after application, her headache had disappeared.

Cooperation Between Gendong
Over the years, cooperatives in Indonesia have embraced a wide range of
activities and small commercial ventures, which range from the production of
handicrafts, batik, ceramic and furniture to taxis, milk, tempe and, inevitably,
jamu. Although these are admittedly small fry compared with their bigger

siblings, the jamu cooperatives are lively and productive. They also enjoy strong
support from the Ministry of Health, which runs courses to improve the jamu
sellers’ skills and standards of cleanliness and monitors the results.
Jamu gendong often join a cooperative in their area. For example, there are
four in the capital and many more in the jamu-making areas of Central Java. The
advantages of such an arrangement are considerable for members working in
Jakarta who often buy dried ingredients from their own villages, which

guarantees fresh materials at lower prices. Division of labour means that home-
staying members are able to concentrate on jamu making and continue the role
of childcare, while others—even those who are mothers—go out selling for a
couple of hours each day.
The life of a jamu gendong is not an easy one. The work is hard, the hours
are long, and the rewards are not great. Besides making effective jamu, the jamu
gendong needs to concentrate to a certain extent on her own appearance. She
needs to look good, for who will buy her jamu if she is not a walking
advertisement for her products? Furthermore, she needs to keep her regular
customers happy, but also concentrate at the same time on increasing the amount
of jamu she sells. If a jamu gendong can successfully balance this equation, with

careful management her earnings should be able to support a family of five or
more.

IN SEARCH OF A CURE FOR CANCER