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Why the jamu seller serves the bitter one first

The jamu seller's bottles aren't in random order: from sweet to bitter and back, they're said to follow a whole lifetime.

70 s
Indonesia

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The real story

Jamu gendong sellers traditionally carry eight kinds, and in Javanese philosophy their order mirrors the stages of life. Sweet-sour kunyit asam stands for childhood, beras kencur for the first small struggles, and pahitan, the bitter one, for life's hard realities. The cycle ends with sweet sinom: a return to where you began.

The habit is far older than any bottle. Reliefs at Borobudur from around the 8th century show herbal medicine being prepared, and Javanese manuscripts such as the Serat Centini record recipes. In December 2023 UNESCO added Indonesia's jamu wellness culture to its list of intangible cultural heritage, the country's 13th entry.

What the narrator says

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The facts we checked

Jamu is Indonesia's traditional herbal medicine, made from roots, leaves and spices like turmeric, ginger and kencur
'Jamu gendong' sellers carry bottles in a basket on their backs, wrapped in a cloth sling
UNESCO recognised the culture of jamu as intangible cultural heritage in 2023

Sources

We checked every number and date on screen before the video was made.

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