A long forgotten story that put the ancient kingdoms of Indonesia on the world map is now being retold.

For centuries Indonesia was the main supplier of spices to the rest of the world, the main commodities being traded along the land route connecting Southeast Asia and Europe — the route that became known as the Silk Road.

There were at least 88 varieties of spices traded, many of them endemic plants, which were known and are still used today either for food ingredients, condiments, beauty products or medicinal purposes.

The high value of the spices brought power and wealth to the supplier kingdoms and lured European merchants and their mercenaries to Indonesian shores back in the 16th century.

Their arrival started the colonization of the archipelago by the Portuguese and Dutch for over 350 years.

“By looking at the history of the spice trade and the reasons why the initially powerful kingdoms perished around that time this nation may be re-inspired and find the motivation to reclaim the world spice market,” historian JJ Rizal said at a media workshop on the Spice Trail on Monday.

Agriculture expert Didiek Setiabudi Hargono from Yayasan Kebun Raya Indonesia said that despite the stable demand in the world market, Indonesia’s export volume of the spices had steadily declined until it matched its import volume.

“The supply is low because farmers find they earn little from their hard work while there is still a government policy protecting local farmers and indigenous produce,” he said.

In that concern, The Jakarta Post-affiliated Yayasan Museum Indonesia will hold an exhibition at the National Museum in Central Jakarta from Oct. 18 to 25 for its annual Museum Week event, which is being staged for the third time.

The foundation content director Hani Fibianti said the exhibition would put on display pictures and related documents on the ancient kingdoms and the Spice Trail from across the archipelago.

“The exhibition aims to remind us about the importance of spice trading to the culture and civilization of Indonesia. We have gathered information that shows the pepper trade in the 12th century elevated the Banten Sultanate into one of the world’s great metropolises,” she said.

Post-harvest: Nutmeg dries in Run Island, Banda, Maluku.(Courtesy of Museum Week/Danny Tumbelaka)

Medical anthropologist Rusmin Tumanggor said that the use of camphor, the spice endemic to the Barus region in North Sumatra hence its local name kapur Barus, was age-old.

“There are records of mantras in Sanskrit, Hebrew and Chinese that mention the use of camphor to cure diseases. It proves Barus was an important trading hub in the early human civilization age.”

Besides Banten’s lada (pepper) and Barus’ camphor, Didiek said there were five other spices highly valued in the market today and which needed the government’s attention for sustainable farming and industry.

They are kayumanis (cinnamon), panili (vanilla), cengkeh (clove), which is native to the Maluku region, as well as pala (nutmeg) and kemiri (candlenut).

“Candlenut oil can make better biodiesel for fuel,” said Didiek.

Rusmin urged the government to start making an inventory of local spices and provide farmers with access to the market.

“Without a fair strategy in cultivating spices, this country will face a difficult time in the future.”

Rizal said that the Spice Trail campaign would take place over five years targeting media and the school curriculum to deconstruct history.

“There have been efforts to replace the Silk Road term with the Spice Trail for nostalgia’s sake but what we’re trying to do here is to shed light on the pride of Indonesia.”

A long forgotten story that put the ancient kingdoms of Indonesia on the world map is now being retold.

For centuries Indonesia was the main supplier of spices to the rest of the world, the main commodities being traded along the land route connecting Southeast Asia and Europe '€” the route that became known as the Silk Road.

There were at least 88 varieties of spices traded, many of them endemic plants, which were known and are still used today either for food ingredients, condiments, beauty products or medicinal purposes.

The high value of the spices brought power and wealth to the supplier kingdoms and lured European merchants and their mercenaries to Indonesian shores back in the 16th century.

Their arrival started the colonization of the archipelago by the Portuguese and Dutch for over 350 years.

'€œBy looking at the history of the spice trade and the reasons why the initially powerful kingdoms perished around that time this nation may be re-inspired and find the motivation to reclaim the world spice market,'€ historian JJ Rizal said at a media workshop on the Spice Trail on Monday.

Agriculture expert Didiek Setiabudi Hargono from Yayasan Kebun Raya Indonesia said that despite the stable demand in the world market, Indonesia'€™s export volume of the spices had steadily declined until it matched its import volume.

'€œThe supply is low because farmers find they earn little from their hard work while there is still a government policy protecting local farmers and indigenous produce,'€ he said.

In that concern, The Jakarta Post-affiliated Yayasan Museum Indonesia will hold an exhibition at the National Museum in Central Jakarta from Oct. 18 to 25 for its annual Museum Week event, which is being staged for the third time.

The foundation content director Hani Fibianti said the exhibition would put on display pictures and related documents on the ancient kingdoms and the Spice Trail from across the archipelago.

'€œThe exhibition aims to remind us about the importance of spice trading to the culture and civilization of Indonesia. We have gathered information that shows the pepper trade in the 12th century elevated the Banten Sultanate into one of the world'€™s great metropolises,'€ she said.

Medical anthropologist Rusmin Tumanggor said that the use of camphor, the spice endemic to the Barus region in North Sumatra hence its local name kapur Barus, was age-old.

'€œThere are records of mantras in Sanskrit, Hebrew and Chinese that mention the use of camphor to cure diseases. It proves Barus was an important trading hub in the early human civilization age.'€

Besides Banten'€™s lada (pepper) and Barus'€™ camphor, Didiek said there were five other spices highly valued in the market today and which needed the government'€™s attention for sustainable farming and industry.

They are kayumanis (cinnamon), panili (vanilla), cengkeh (clove), which is native to the Maluku region, as well as pala (nutmeg) and kemiri (candlenut).

'€œCandlenut oil can make better biodiesel for fuel,'€ said Didiek.

Rusmin urged the government to start making an inventory of local spices and provide farmers with access to the market.

'€œWithout a fair strategy in cultivating spices, this country will face a difficult time in the future.'€

Rizal said that the Spice Trail campaign would take place over five years targeting media and the school curriculum to deconstruct history.

'€œThere have been efforts to replace the Silk Road term with the Spice Trail for nostalgia'€™s sake but what we'€™re trying to do here is to shed light on the pride of Indonesia.'€

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