‘’Lontar’’, from Books to Alcohol

The lontar tree belongs to the palm family. Usually, this kind of tree grows on dry land, like in Abang Sub-District, Kubu and Karangasem, for example in Seraya Village, about 87 km to the east of Denpasar.
Parts of the lontar tree are used commonly by the local people. However, most importantly, the lontar leaf has been used as a writing media for the Balinese for centuries, before paper was found. The dried lontar leaf is used for writing, such as writing the Weda, religious literature, literary works such as geguritan, kekawin, purana or prasasti and many more. When the Panca Yadnya ceremony was held, holy Hindu songs or geguritan were read and sung from sheets of lontar leaf called keropak. On Saraswati sacred day, keropak together with paper books are usually arranged and organized as part of the ceremony.
Although it has gone through a decline, the cultural art of writing lontar is still practiced by the Balinese, especially by linguists. Also, the students at SMUN Sidemen, overlooking the rice fields, practice the skill of writing lontar works.
The lontar leaf is not only used as a writing media. It is also plaited and used for household goods such as tikar (carpets) and handicrafts. Handicrafts made from lontar can be purchased in many traditional markets or art shops throughout Bali.
Fields of lontar trees resembling coconut plantations can be seen in Karangasem, for example in Kubu Sub-District (including Tulamben), half of Abang around Tirta Jemeluk and Seraya Karangasem, near the Sukasada park, Ujung Village.
As well as the leaf, the lontar flower can be tapped to make tuak manis, an alcoholic drink, or tuak wayah. Tuak manis can be drunk or it can be made into lontar sugar with a special taste. Tuak wayah has a certain standard of alcohol and can also heated or distilled to become arak, a drink with a high alcohol content. Lontar flowers that have not been tapped can grow to become a fruit. The lontar fruit is called kolang-kaling. The young lontar fruit (kuwud ental) can be eaten and it tastes good. In Kubu, the lontar leaf and its midrib is used for making houses. (Dana)