Action & Attraction

A REAL 'COFFEE BREAK'

The Jaringan Ekowisata Desa (JED) or Village Ecotourism Network has developed the unique ecologies of every village into one-of-a-kind tour packages.

Stroll through the coffee plantations of the Kiadan Pelaga village on a tour program by the Jaringan Ekowisata Desa; a perfect program for those who love the outdoors, be it coffee novice or connoisseur.

It was a clear morning when we embarked on the half hour trip bound for the village of Pelaga, moving from the hot and busy city to the cool and quiet rural community of Pelaga that is approximately 1,100 meters above sea level, a highland area known for its vegetables and coffee beans.

Pelaga is one of three areas that serve as agricultural coffee producers on the island, the others being Munduk in the Buleleng regency and the Kintamani area of Bangli. These three regions became cultivation centers for coffee beans since the Dutch came to Indonesia.

History notes that the first coffee ever harvested was from Africa, and then it traveled to Arabia and soon became a highlighted product in every place it landed. When the Dutch brought coffee to Indonesia, the price of coffee in Europe was good and the demand was very high. Indonesia is a suitable location for its cultivation so it is no wonder that coffee was rapidly established in Indonesia.

When the Dutch left, Indonesia kept developing its coffee plantations, which became highly regarded. In 2009 when coffee prices skyrocketed, Balinese farmers reaped higher than usual profits. Those that benefited included the village community of Kiadan Pelaga.

The village of Kiadan Pelaga has around 200 families whose lives depend upon agriculture such as tending rice fields and gardens. Various kinds of produce are cultivated in the farms such as gourds, oranges, cinnamon and the major harvest of coffee beans. Some of them also raise cattle and poultry.

There are two types of coffee beans, namely Robusta and Arabica. Arabica is the top quality and most favored for export. That is why farmers also favor growing it most. Meanwhile, Robusta is often considered second class and is used mostly for the domestic market.

Along the journey, our guide for the day was Gede Wiratha, who picked us up and along the way gave explanations and descriptions about Pelaga and its coffee. We arrived at Pelaga when the sun was shining high, yet the temperature there remained subtle and nice. The altitude maintained the area's coolness.

Upon our arrival at Pelaga we were served a cup of "Ijo Bang" Pelaga coffee and traditional cakes. Ijo Bang is an export quality coffee from Pelaga made of selected beans. The name Ijo Bang was adopted from the name of the local rooster variety native to Pelaga that is notorious for winning in cockfights. The feather colors are greenish red or 'ijo bang' in Balinese.

The coffee they served was called kopi look. It is a name that has existed since Dutch times. Beans are roasted in a constant burning hearth. This keeps the coffee constantly hot and its brilliant aroma maintained.

Before we started off on our stroll, the guide showed us a map of the Pelaga region. There are several other locations that are interesting to visit besides the plantation, namely a Penataran temple that contains a 14th century relief as well as the Nungnung waterfalls that are claimed as the tallest waterfall on the island.

We chose to comb the coffee plantation because we really wanted to know more about this harvest. We were accompanied by Wayan Sukadana, a reliable local guide who also has his own coffee farm. That was also the reason for his extensive knowledge on coffee.

We soon entered the dense farming land. Coffee 'trees' in fact only grow to the height of an adult person. Yet further in grew several very tall dapdap (Erythrina lithosperma) trees. Coffee trees need a cool climate and do not need direct sunlight. The dapdap trees were chosen due to their not so dense foliage, and according to traditional medicine manuscripts they also have healing properties.

Besides the dapdap, we also found climbing neem trees. The leaves of the neem tree, when mixed with water then sprayed onto plants or just planted in a garden, functions as a natural pest control. This is important for the Arabica coffee trees as they are quite prone to pests, while the Robusta is more resilient.

We were lucky to have visited during the harvest period that usually runs from June to August. Nearly every tree there had small green and red beads ready to be picked and processed. Coffee can be processed dry or wet, but the communities of Pelaga choose the wet method. After going around and observing the plants at hand, we were taken to see the processing of these harvests.

All the harvested beans are collected and selected. The fresh red coffee beans are separated from the green ones. The selected ones are put into a vessel that separates the bean from unwanted debris. The beans then go through a skinning device and then are gathered for fermentation processes.

The peeled coffee beans are then drained on a para-para or shelf over the hearth and dried until the water content is 12 to 13 percent. This is when the coffee beans look light brown, just like the color of peanuts. To make the coffee darker like those seen packaged at the supermarket, the beans are then roasted.

"This is a perfect tour program for those who do not know anything about coffee as well as for coffee connoisseurs. Because in Pelaga people can choose their own route and are not on some sort of deadline like on a tight tour program," said Wayan Sukadana. He once even hosted a guest who just stayed in one spot due to his long admiration of a single tree they came across... they engaged in a very, very, long insightful discussion. Reminds us of that fact that chocolate does grow on trees, doesn't it?

The introductory trip finished up when we went back to the balai subak or the irrigational cooperative's meeting hall, the place where we first started the tour. Lunch was prepared and laid out on the table—rice, fresh vegetables, and meat that are all are the product of the locals labor. A healthy local cuisine, unique and affordable—they never use chemical fertilizers or harmful pesticides in their food.

They also don't use up fuel to transport food from other areas, unique in that you will encounter typical Balinese flavors in the food.

Our tour was quite brief because we didn't choose the longer route. Yet if we did, we would have had to set off early in the morning or stay overnight at a local's house, as there are no hotels in the village. But they do need to have one built for their guests. The local community has provided rooms with double beds for guests, and the rooms themselves are suited to standards.

This is indeed a tour program from, by, and for people of Pelaga. All this while the tourism scene has been in the hands of "big players" who have big capital and big networks. They reap profits from the tourism industry and not much is given back to the tour site communities. A different principle has been developed in Pelaga. From transport drivers, guides, culinary, and homestay, all are in the possession of the locals themselves.

It is a concept developed by the Jaringan Ekowisata Desa (JED) or Village Ecotourism Network. The network has developed the unique ecologies of every village into a tour package. It involves the active participation of the entire village and they enjoy the rewards of the tour compensation from visitors. From this compensation a percentage goes into a village communal funds, the subak irrigation organization, the local guides, and the owners of the homestays. The funds gathered into the village organization are then used to maintain village communal facilities and infrastructure.

Pelaga is one of four villages combined in the JED. Three others are Sibetan, which is best known for its Salak Bali snake fruit variety, Nusa Ceningan with its seaweed farming, and Tenganan, which is popular for its annual thorny pandan fights called Perang Pandan or Mekare-karean (that falls on a date ruled by the Bali Aga calendar, usually between June and July on the Gregorian calendar) and its unique concept of village forestry. The prominent aspect of Pelaga is its coffee, though it is not the only highlight to be explored.

As we headed back to Denpasar that afternoon, we realized that even though it was quite a short tour it made a lasting impression. We'll certainly journey to more villages that have picked up on the concept, because beyond the three popularly established villages, JED is currently carrying out assessments in developing many other villages. Surely, we'll stay tuned. «»

Text and photos by Ni Luh Dian Purniawati

• JED Village Eco-tourism Network
Jl. Kayu Jati No. 9Y Seminyak
(0361) 737-447; www.jed.or.id