History and Development of Jamu, Indonesia's Traditional Drink

Jamu is generally used by Indonesian people as natural medicinal drinks to maintain health and cure various diseases. The tradition of drinking herbal medicine is estimated to have existed since 1300 AD and is a historic drink.

Jamu is a nutritious drink from Indonesia as a health drink, preventing, and curing various diseases. Jamu is served with various types, considering that Indonesia has quite a lot of herbal plants. Each region has a different type of herbal medicine, adapting to the herbal plants that grow in the area.

Processing Jamu is not too complicated, most of them just take the juice from the juice of herbal plants. There is also with pounded. Often made from turmeric, temulawak, galangal, ginger, kencur, and cinnamon. Java sugar, rock sugar, and lime are usually used to add fresh taste and sweetness.

Uniquely, in making herbal medicine, the dose of each ingredient is adjusted, the temperature, the duration of mashing or boiling, and others. If not taken care of properly, will lose the efficacy of the ingredients can even harm the body. Likewise with its development, the tradition of drinking Jamu experienced ups and downs according to its era. Broadly speaking, it is divided from pre-historic times when forest product processing flourished, the Japanese colonial era, the early days of Indonesian independence, to the present.

Indonesian people since the time of the Mataram Kingdom until now still use Jamu. This typical Indonesian drink has become a matter of pride, as is the case with Ayurveda from India and Zhongyi from China. Since then, women have played more roles in producing herbal medicine, while men have played a role in looking for natural herbal plants. This fact is reinforced by the findings of Cobek and Ulekan artifacts – mash tools for making herbal medicine. The artifacts can be seen at the Liyangan archaeological site located on the slopes of Mount Sindoro, Central Java.

In addition to the Cobek and Ulekan artifacts , other evidence was also found, such as tools for making herbal medicine which are commonly found in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, precisely at Borobudur Temple on Karmawipangga reliefs, Prambanan Temple, Brambang Temple, and several other locations. It is said that, in ancient times, the secret of the health and magic of warriors and high-ranking royals came from training and the help of herbal ingredients.

Along with its development, the tradition of drinking herbal medicine has experienced a decline. Precisely when the first time modern science entered Indonesia. At that time the campaign for certified medicines was successful in changing the mindset of the Indonesian people so that interest in Jamu decreased. In addition to the matter of standards or certificates, the efficacy of herbal medicine is also questioned.

During the Japanese colonial period, around the 1940s, the tradition of drinking Jamu became popular again because the Indonesian Jamu Committee was formed. In this way, the belief in the efficacy of herbal medicine has increased again. Over time, sales of Jamu have also adapted to technology, many of which have been packaged in the form of pills, tablets, or instant powders that are easy to brew. At that time, there was a conflict with the decline in Indonesia's agricultural conditions which resulted in the shift to the industrial world, including the herbal medicine industry (read: the Phytopharmaceutical industry).

From 1974 to 1990 many herbal medicine companies were established and they were growing. In that era, there were also many guidances and assistance from the government so that the herbal medicine industry players could increase their production activities.

Since the first time the Indonesian people used Jamu as a health drink until now, the processing of Jamu is based on knowledge that is taught from generation to generation. However, nowadays, the tradition of teaching Jamu making has rarely been carried out, so the sale of Jamu carrying is rarely found. Nowadays, fewer and fewer young people want to learn to make Jamu. Most of them think that it is enough to get Jamu by using Jamu which is sold in sachets and instant.

Please note, Jamu is believed to have come from two Old Javanese words, Djampi which means healing and Oesodo which means health. The term Jamu was introduced to the public through people who are believed to have knowledge of traditional medicine. It must not be certified, the efficacy of herbal medicine has been proven by time for generations to be used as traditional medicine. So that until now, this typical Indonesian nutritious drink has always been maintained. Ancestral heritage that will be preserved forever.