Ayana Estate Has Launched The Jamu Workshop As Part Of Its Revamped Farm Program

Mumbai

In July of 2023, AYANA Estate, an award-winning resort in Jimbaran, Bali, unveiled its revitalised AYANA Farm, which offers a variety of visitor activities.

AYANA Farm, in collaboration with The Jamu BAR, has announced its twice-weekly Traditional Herbal Remedies Workshop, which pays homage to the therapeutic efficacy of jamu, Indonesia's traditional herbal elixirs. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, workshop participants will hand-harvest herbs from over 130 plant varieties grown on the farm before learning how to construct customised jamu.

At the newly opened AYANA Farm, guests can now construct their own jamu, an ancient Indonesian herbal tonic that promotes holistic health, through an expert-led workshop.

As evidenced by the ornate reliefs on the Borobudur Temple in Central Java, jamu is a revered wellness practise with profound cultural roots in Indonesia. Its fundamental role in holistic health persisted through the Dutch colonial period and continues to flourish today, with recipes handed down through the generations. Jamu has been ingested by the inhabitants of the Indonesian archipelago for over seven hundred years to improve digestion, increase immunity, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall health and vitality.

Giordano Faggioli, General Manager of AYANA Estate, explains:

"Our Traditional Herbal Remedies Workshop invites guests to enhance their wellbeing while reaffirming our commitment to carrying forward Indonesia's wellness traditions, which have been championed by generations of Indonesian women for over seven centuries."

The AYANA Farm workshop is facilitated by female employees of The Jamu BAR, which was established by Vanessa Kalani, the great-granddaughter of Lau Ping Nio, the founder of Nyonya Meneer. Lau Ping Nio, who was born in 1895 and founded Nyonya Meneer in 1919, was the first to produce and disseminate jamu on a national scale. At AYANA Farm, Vanessa continues her great-grandmother's legacy of sharing the spirit and essence of jamu through modernization by offering ready-to-drink products and seminars.

Vanessa Kalani exclaims:

"We are thrilled to partner with AYANA Estate, the premier destination resort in Bali. Our programme will both convey the jamu tradition to the resort's international visitors and preserve its legacy. During the workshop, we will maximise the use of medicinal herbs and plants from AYANA Farm's living apothecary to construct a basic jamu and offer a customised version based on each participant's wellness objectives.

As the base of the jamu recipe featured in the workshop, guests will first prepare jamu empon empon from potent ingredients such as fresh turmeric, which is rich in antioxidants, improves blood circulation, reduces inflammation, and relieves indigestion; fresh ginger, which is also rich in antioxidants and has antiviral and antibacterial properties; fresh kencur or aromatic ginger, which aids digestion, reduces inflammation, and boosts the immune system; and fresh lemo.

The participants will then be presented with a selection of seven adaptable recipes that can be tailored to each individual's preferences. The medicinal herbs kumis kucing and sirih, as well as betel leaf, are recommended for those seeking vibrant and supple skin. Those who wish to improve their memory, concentration, and visual acuity can add daun pegagan, also known as Indian pennywort, moringa, butterfly pea flower, and celery to their jamu mélange. The inclusion of the herb daun jinten in the jamu mixture provides benefits such as cardiac fortifying, relief from muscle pains, and enhanced lung function for those with an active lifestyle, while jamu sorga improves a couple's intimacy by increasing oestrogen in women and virility in men. Guests can also sample well-known jamu such as kunyit asam, which is prepared from anti-inflammatory turmeric and tamarind, and beras kencur, which consists of rice powder, aromatic ginger, and warming seasonings to treat colds and coughing by warming the body.

The workshop also invites participants to create traditional Indonesian skin care products using natural ingredients, such as boreh, a traditional herbal cleanser. Boreh, which consists of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, turmeric, and rice flour, is renowned for its purifying, warming, and invigorating properties that exfoliate the skin and relieve muscle tension and joint pain.

The workshop also features lulur, a traditional herbal body cleanser containing a mixture of medicinal herbs and seasonings. Rice powder forms the basis of numerous lulur formulations due to its potent antioxidants and reputed skin-lightening properties. Betel leaves and cloves provide antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, while candlenut hydrates the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and creases.

Guests may bring their skin care products and recipe booklets home to continue their wellness voyage.

"We hope that this workshop offers our guests a new wellness experience rooted in tradition and sustainability, and that it inspires them to continue these time-honored practises at home,"

Giordano concludes.

• When: Every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 to 5:30, the Traditional Herbal Remedies Workshop is held.
• Fees: The admission fee is IDR 800,000++ per individual, and participants must be at least 13 years old to attend.

For more information, visit ayana.com