UNAIR NEWS “ The promotion old, forgotten tradition ofgeophagia,the tradition of people and / or animals in the tropical countryside to eat soil in Tuban, East Java, has attracted the attention of Kemenristekdikti to provide research grants in the 2018 Student Creativity Program (PKM) to three students of 51¶¯Âþ.
The PKM-PSH (Social Humanity Research) team are Hendra Setiawan (leader), Calvin Nathan Wijaya, and Lia Agustina Subagyo, from the Department of State Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UNAIR.ÌýTheir paper was entitled“Unique Geophagia Phenomenon in Trowulan Community, Bektiharjo Village, Tuban Regency”.
Described by Hendra Setiawan, the habit ofgeophagiais generally found in rural communities in the tropics.ÌýIn East Java, it can be found in Trowulan, Bektiharjo Village, Tuban Regency.ÌýHere, the so-calledampo-eating habit is done by some people.
According to the locals, eating clay that is processed intoampo,makes the stomach feel morecomfortable, and usually pregnant women crave forit.
Compiled from various stories in the local community, the beginning of eatingampotradition in Trowulan community in Tuban Regency was due to the difficult circumstances during the Dutch colonialism.ÌýTuban as a port city was a very rich area.ÌýIt was one of the most important trading routes at the time.ÌýMerchants from all over the world, including Europe and China, came to Tuban.
The colonialism then turned Tuban into a very difficult area due to the system of forced cultivation(cultuurstelsel)Ìý.ÌýPeople are living in poverty, food and hunger.ÌýFinally, trade is dominated by foreign elites, which often impose very expensive price of goods, especially rice.ÌýThat situation makes people think and find a way to survive.
The alternative was the²¹³¾±è´Ç.Ìý´¡³¾±è´Çwas originally made from mud deposits in river bank of Bengawan Solo.ÌýIt isa clay-basedalluvialsoil. It is dried first before eaten.
But gradually the community here find another ampomaterial from sediment of wetland water with clay base material in Bektiharjo Village.ÌýThe difference is, clay that has been collected is processed by smoked (with fire).
In Tuban at the moment, there is only ampoproducerwho is still actively producing, named Sarpik.ÌýHe made theampoin Trowulan, Bektiharjo Village.ÌýEveryday he makes the ampo and sell it to the market.
According to Sarpik,ampohas many uses, it can be used to treat heartburn, indigestion, for craving pregnant women, to eliminate the bitter taste of papaya leaves, and as snack.
In addition to consumed,ampo isused by the people of Tuban as one of the elements of cok bakal as an offering for the ancestors in certain celebrations.ÌýAmpo isincluded in itbecause the people of Tuban believe that the ancestors used to eatampo.
The Making of Ampo
It is started with preparing the necessary equipments and materials.ÌýThe equipment include agandenÌý(²ú±ð²¹³Ù±ð°ù),ÌýsesehÌý(²õ³¦°ù²¹±è±ð°ù),ÌýobonganÌý(²õ³Ù´Ç±¹±ð),ÌýhirikÌý(ÌýAmpo smokingÌý),Ìýglangsing(the base used to formAmpoÌý),Ìýsickle(for digging),jarik(to bring the soil from the site).ÌýThe basic ingredient of ampo is the soil of the rice field with a depth of about 20 cm using ansickle.ÌýThen the soil obtained is placed in thejarikÌý.
The soil is then put on aglangsing.ÌýThe soil should be in damp conditions.ÌýSo if the soil is too dry it should be given water, and if too wet should be dried.ÌýThe moist soil is then shaped like a box and smoothed by being hit withganden.ÌýThen the soil is left for a day and wrapped in plastic so that moisture is maintained.
After a day, the soil is eroded usingseseh,resulting rolls shaped ampo.ÌýThe result of the eroded soil is then inserted to hirikto be smoked on top of theobonganÌý.ÌýThe fumigation uses fire from firewood for about an hour.ÌýThenampoready for use, both consumption and ritual purposes.
Today many young people in Tuban do not recognize ampo,because this old tradition has been abandoned.ÌýIn surviving, the community no longer need to eat the soil(ampo), because the food is abundant.ÌýHowever, it is unfortunate if this tradition extincts, becauseampohas become a special tradition for the people of Tuban, especially Bektiharjo Village.ÌýSo Tuban District Government should give more attention to preserve the tradition.Ìý(*)
Editor: Bambang Bes
