Kacip Fatimah, the Golden Leaves from the edge of the Mountain

That afternoon Mang Asari, Mang Narim and Mang Odang have just returned from hunting and gathering Kacip Fatimah in the forest of Halimun Mountain. They were have been gone for three days to search for this magic leaves which has a very specific medicinal purpose. Weariness shown in their faces. There were 7 people and for three days they only got 50 kgs of fresh Kacip Fatimah leaves. This is way bellow their harvest volume last year. This is even when they have gone further deep into the forest. Gathering Fatimah is an additional income for them. Usually it gives them a very significant extra income. The price of a kilogram of dried Kacip Fatimah is very expensive.

”Nowadays, it is very difficult to find a Fatimah. It is not like before. Last year when we were lucky we can get up to 200 kg fresh leaves from just one harvest in one area” said Mang Asari.

”Usually where there is a fallen Rasamala tree, there will be many Fatimah. But now they are rare. Even the place where we harvested the previous year, there is now only 2 small leaves”, add Mang Odang.

The truth is the people have their own system in collecting Fatimah. They cut the stick and only collect the leaves of Kacip Fatimah. They leave the remaining sticks on site so that the sticks will grow and blossom again. But this plant indeed grows very slowly. The plant from last year harvest produces only 2 leaves today. Some of the people have tried to plant Kacip Fatimah in their garden without result. Mang Odang is one of them who have planted Kacip Fatimah for 2 years, and it only has 2 leaves now.

Kacip Fatimah grows in places where there is a deep and thick humus and covered from sunshine. They live in a colony between dense big trees. When the forest is destroyed, the Kacip Fatimah is gone too. There will be no more Kacip Fatimah in the future if the forest in Halimun Mountain is not protected.


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Ditulis oleh : Hendaru Djumantoro, Oktober 2008