FRIEND OF THE NATION

EPS 3 MEDICINAL PLANTS

EPS 3 MEDICINAL PLANTS

It was very hot. The dry season is so long it's so torturous. The sun shone with its heat, like burning skin. Testing the endurance of farmers who are working hard in the fields in the corner of the Baliem valley. Their sweat so profusely poured down their jet bodies.

But they don't seem to care. They continue to work by actively growing sweet potatoes and vegetables. Led by papa Neles Ibo as the head of his tribe, they continue to work to cultivate the heritage land of their ancestors.. Neles Ibo inspects the fields to be planted with yams. His gaze spun around their fields closely, Occasionally his hands swirled to clean the branches and weeds that were still growing.

“If the soil is clean from the grass, immediately plant the stems of sweet potatoes in it,” said Neles Ibo.

Then the papa took the tugal from the wood to dig the soil to be planted with yam. While the mama put the trunk of the sweet potato tree that has been cut into short into the holes. One by one they were put into the pit, and with their feet the mamas hoarded them back with the ground. Stamped hard so that the trunk of the yam tree can stand upright and not easily collapsed.

Marlon and Marlin made their way to the fields on the Ersberg hill while carrying some freshly cooked yams and red fruit vegetables. They also carried pieces of grilled meat that were pierced with a piece of wood. Under a tree that is quite large and lush they arrange food for the papa and mama who work in the field.

“Papa and mama must have been very hungry,” Marlin said.

After finishing arranging the food they rested to sleep under the tree.

“Eh Marlon, look at this tree already bearing fruit,” Marlin said as he looked up.

“Wah, right. Lots of fruit,” sahut Marlon with sparkling views.

Marlon and Marlin looked closely at the fruit hanging on the branches of the tree. At first glance, the shape of the fruit is like a green water guava, the bottom is round with conical ends. It looks sweet and fresh. It must be good to eat in the hot afternoon like this, her mind.

“We take yuk?” Marlin.

“Let me ride. You go to the fields. Your job is to call papas and mamas to lunch. Already prepared all,” said Marlon.

Then Marlon quickly climbed up the big tree. His thin legs and hands were clinging to the tree trunk. Then move agilely from branch to branch until he gets a lot of branches. He picked up a strand of foreign fruit and dropped it on dry ground. Then he took another stalk which he thought was mature enough.

Brug! Brug!

Meanwhile Marlin called the papa and mama to rest and lunch.

“Food and drink are ready papa,” Marlin told his father.

“Yes. Thank you son,” said Neles Ibo.

On the swab of the bug's son's forehead. After that he invited everyone to rest while enjoying lunch.

“Come! All eat first!”

They also gathered under the big tree to enjoy sweet potatoes and grilled meat and vegetables of delicious red fruit. Pepertua cuisine is famous for its deliciousness. Everyone in the Dani tribe knows Pepertua for its cuisine.

“Eh Marlin, where's your brother Marlon?” ask Neles Ibo.

“I'm on top of the dad tree!”

Everyone looked up. They saw Marlon moving between the branches of the tree. In his hand he held two fruit stalks that he had just seen. While sitting on a large branch, Marlon split one of the fruits. On the outside of the skin has fibers, while on the inside there is a small shell, like seeds, slimy, and white in color. It is about the size of an adult hand. 

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“What are you picking up Marlon's fruit for?” ask dad.

“It looks fresh and delicious for dad to eat,” replied Marlon.

Neles Ibo and the others smiled. He then told his son to come down. With three leaps, that thin and black body landed lightly in front of their chieftain Neles Ibo. Then Neles Ibo took the peeled fruit from Marlon's hand.

“This fruit is called Rabon Pi. Inedible, it is better for eye medicines, especially those affected by nearsightedness or farsightedness,” said Neles' father.

“So this fruit can not be eaten papa?”

“No, Because this fruit is poisonous. When young the skin of the fruit is young, but when it is old the skin will turn brown and dry,” said father. “You just keep that fruit who knows anyone needs.”

Marlon nodded his head. It turns out that in Papua there are many rare plants that contain medicine. His heart became interested to ask about the medicinal plants that grew in his homeland. And he believes the efficacy of natural medicines is not inferior to drugs that contain food ingredients.

***

In the afternoon they came home from the fields with vegetables for dinner. Some papa go to the forest to hunt while some mama go to the river to find crabs, fish or shrimp. In Papua food is easy to get. Crabs are expensive in the city, in Papua live take in the river or lake in the interior. The fish and fish are big too. Such is the natural wealth of Papua.

Pepertua welcomed the return of his family and invited the mama to cook in the kitchen Ebai. The papas headed for honai to rest and prepare weapons for tomorrow's hunt. Pepertua saw Marlon and Marlin carrying some bunches of Rabon Pi.

“Eh, what are you carrying Rabon Pi for?”

“To be saved, said papa who knows anyone needs,” replied Marlin.

“Then love Nene Yoteni, she will be old and her eyesight has diminished,” said Pepertua.

“How do I mama?” ask Marlon excitedly.

“Switch the water and drop it into Nenemu's eyes. Do it morning and evening before going to bed. Let his nearsightedness heal,” said Pepertua.

Rabon Pi is a native fruit that only exists in mainland Papua. The fruit consists of a stringy skin with pink stamens. The active compounds contained in the seeds of this fruit can be used to cure various eye diseases. That's why many people call Rabon Pi as a sacred fruit from Papua.

The fruit and seeds of Rabon Pi contain gallic acid and hydrocyanic acid. The active compounds in the seeds of this fruit are thought to have a powerful healing impact in the treatment of various eye diseases, namely from the group of saponins.

Marlon and Marlin immediately ran to meet Nene who was sitting next to Ebei. They asked Nene to lie down on the matting of red fruit leaves. Then Marlon dripped Rabon Pi's essence over Nene's eyes. Each eye is twice a droplet. Nene Yoteni blinked her eyes. Maybe because it feels bad. But his mouth was smiling because his two grandchildren were very attentive and doting on him.