Indonesian Heritage : Highland Geographic Indicated Coffee

The Highland Arabica Coffee, a unique specialty grown since the Dutch occupied Indonesian soil. There are various kinds of Arabica produced with a unique characteristics under different name, i.e. Aceh Arabica Gayo, Arabica Mandheling, Arabica Lintong, Bali Arabica Kintamani, Sulawesi Arabica Toraja, Papua Arabica Wamena, Florea Arabica Bajawa and many others.Arabica is usually planted between 900-1400 meters above sea level. Each Arabica grown in different parts of Indonesia yield different taste and aroma due to it's micro climate environment. There are other variety of Robusta and Liberica coffee ini Indonesia, but it is not considered as premium coffee, therefore farmers and traders consideres Robusta as commoditized.

The government of Indonesia motivates each localities to propose certificate of origin for their local and unique product. Highland Arabica coffee which can be specified as geographic indicated product can be certified. Among various Arabica planted in Indonesia, several has proposed to be certified while a lot of others still in preparation. Several Arabica highland certified coffee of Indonesia are :

• Bali Arabica Kintamani
• Flores Arabica Bajawa
• Aceh Arabica Gayo 

A. Bali Arabica Kintamani
Several uniquness of Bali Arabica Kintamani according to GI certificate are :

• Grown in a specific soil situated higher than 900 m above sea level with special volcanic soil with a specific cool and dry climate.
• Human aspect awareness to quality of the Balinese, belongs to Subak Banian. Therefore it is culturally specific and qualified
• Has a long history of being a specialty coffee

  

 

B. Aceh Arabica Gayo

 

 The Aceh Arabica Gayo is another GI coffee in Indonesia which has different characteristics compared to the aforementioned above.

 

C.  Flores Arabica Bajawa

 

 

The Archipelago Heritage

I have always been a scholar of life and diversity. I was brought up in the States for more than three years, at time where I can cherish and celebrate "unity in diversity" in a country that consists of various kinds of people with different backgrounds. I lived in the States during the Reagan era, a time where Muslims was still considered  strange in a country with dominant Christianity believe in a modern age. But aside from the strangeness of a young elementary child with a "Muhammad" name, the American people back then looked at us without any prejudice. After 9-11, the "unity and diversity" of the American people was hurt.

Now I live in Indonesia, where "unity and diversity" exist in Indonesia as "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika " meaning " or "unity in diversity" in Sanskrit. I have experienced culture shock when I attended third grade elementary. The same culture shock I experiences when I got back to Indonesia. The same "unity in diversity" but different implication, different social and economical conditioan.

Right now, I am still trying to make a jigzaw puzzle out of our nations diversity in terms of socio-cultural values, advantages etc. Apart from our differences due to our social charactersitics, I would also present culinary and coffee products of Indonesia.