Kintamani Coffee: Balinese Coffee Full of Spirituality
In Bali, specifically in the Kintamani area near Mount Batur, there are coffee plantations that still use traditional coffee cultivation processes. Similar to other types of Indonesian coffee, coffee in the Kintamani area is also named after the plantation area, namely Kintamani coffee.
In this article, we will discuss in more depth Kintamani coffee beans, one of the most prominent Balinese coffee varieties in this country. Kintamani coffee comes from the Kintamani highlands on the island of Bali. For Balinese people, this coffee variety is not just ordinary coffee beans but one of the spiritual life practices of the Balinese people.
History of Kintamani Coffee from Bali
Exactly when Kintamani coffee or Balinese coffee existed and circulated is actually not known for certain. There are several sources that explain the beginning of Balinese coffee. Launching Ubudian.id, the book Verslag over de Koeffiecultuur in America, Azie en Africa writes that Arabica coffee from Bali has been
exported since two centuries ago. Balinese coffee has been exported since 1852.
The Closeness of Balinese Coffee to Spiritual Life: Tri Hita Karana
As we all know, Kintamani coffee from Bali comes from the Kintamani highlands in the North Bali area. The Kintamani area is at an altitude of 1,300 – 1,700 meters above sea level among large volcanic areas. With this height, Kintamani coffee plants grow in a dry and cool climate. In the Kintamani area, this coffee is planted together with orange trees and vegetables until it has a citrusy taste.
For the Balinese people, coffee cultivation is not just an activity of planting and harvesting. More than that, coffee cultivation is a Subak Abian practice, a traditional collective farming system similar to cooperatives in Bali. Subak Abian is a system that includes religious practices and agricultural activities since the 9th century.
Each region in Bali has its own subak or customary organization. Each subak has a temple called Pura Ulun Carik. In Subak, existing rules are passed down from generation to generation as customary law. Because of this, if there are farmers who violate the Kintamani coffee cultivation method, the farmer will receive customary sanctions.
The Subak Abian system basically adheres to the Balinese way of life, namely Tri Hita Karana. Tri Hita Karana itself is a way of life rooted in Hinduism, which means “three causes of prosperity.” The focus of Hindu philosophy is the harmonious relationship between humans and God, humans and humans, and humans and the environment. With the Tri Hita Karana principle, Kintamani coffee farmers practice coffee farming without using pesticides, insecticides or other chemicals. With these customary rules, farmers can maintain the quality of coffee and also increase coffee production. To produce organic and environmentally friendly coffee, Bali coffee farmers only use natural ingredients as fertilizer. Coffee farmers share their knowledge and resources to balance the natural cycle of coffee production under the Subak Abian system.
