Page 43 - EBOOK_Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing

man becomes more manly”, while another brand professes to change the lives of

men who are “sadly lacking in that manly power to perform their part in coitus
in spite of the fact that their desires still existed”.
The choice of remedies is enormous. There are creams for increasing the
size of an erection along with specific directions concerning the massage
techniques a woman should use to apply the cream. One helpful taxi driver from
Surabaya cheerfully expanded on this theme to me and explained he personally
swore by Kuda-Laut or ‘Seahorse Jamu’. Indonesian men also enthusiastically
consume jamu to lose weight or to become healthier. Whilst it specializes in
enhancing sexual performance, jamu can also cure bloodshot eyes or stiff limbs,
reduce hangover headaches, relieve indigestion, stomach upsets, flu, colds and a
host of other problems.

HOW JAMU WORKS

“The method of (jamu) treatment is very different from the conventional Western approach. In
Western medicine drugs usually act to kill an infection, while jamu encourages the body to produce
its own antibodies. In other words, jamu acts as a catalyst and does not replace the body’s functions.
The cure comes from within.” —Part of an interview with Dutch healer, Father Lukman (see page
117).

However delicately (or bluntly) the notion is expressed, many of these
lotions, potions and pills were developed to increase or enhance sexual
performance. Why did appearance and sexual attraction become an obsession in
Indonesia, an Islamic country where traditional values are extremely strong? The
answer may lie in the position that Indonesian men hold in the family unit—one
that can assume a quasi-godlike status. This attitude is reinforced by Islamic law,
a law that allows men to acquire up to four wives provided they can support
them adequately. If a man isn’t wealthy (and 80 per cent of the population are
not), he will often acquire additional wives before discovering his income cannot
cope with the expense. Thus wives can become expendable. In the past, Islam

made it relatively easy for men to obtain a divorce and the unlucky wives would
be left without a breadwinner, usually with young families to support. Often, the
husband simply disappeared to start afresh elsewhere.
Given these circumstances, it’s no wonder a wife works hard to hold her
husband’s attention. Since many men, including Indonesians, usually favour
younger girls, the chances of discarded, older wives finding other partners are
severely limited. In the past, Indonesian women were raised to accept this
situation and turn a blind eye if husbands strayed. This way of life often led to