The Eight Types of Jamu

Since the Majapahit kingdom era, Jamu has been concocted and consumed. There are eight types of jamu consumed in Sultan Agung Mataram’s palace. 

The eight types (see description below) of jamu refer to the eight directions of the compass, the solar symbol of Majapahit Ri Wilwatika (Bima Krida, 2012 in Moelyono).

The eight types of jamu have a sequence of flavors ranging from sweet-sour, spicy, bitter, and tasteless then returning to sweet. This illustrates the cycle of human life since childhood until death.

Jamu gendhong is part of the journey of Indonesian jamu which has been going on for generations. 

The sellers of jamu gendhong are persistent in providing services, product availability, affordable prices for the lower class community, and preparing herbal consumers since they were children. Without realizing it, they have built a sustainable herbal consumer.

has a sweet-sour taste and is preferred mostly by women. The sweet-sour taste illustrates the journey from infancy that is sweet flowing into the preadolescents age where one begins to feel the dynamics of life souring the sweetness of infancy. With a bright yellow color and sweet and sour taste, Kunyit Asam is one of the most popular jamu amongst the jamu gendong customers, mainly women as it is believed to accelerate healing and prevent pain during menstruation, prevent vaginal discharge, as well as to prevent heartburn and sprue.    

Javanese people  say: ‘bebering alas tan keno diukur’ meaning 'the extent of the forest (world) cannot be measured'. This is the symbol of the child entering adolescent age where children often do not think long term about things yet. Therefore, in the community the term of ‘anak bau kencur -a child that smells like an inexperienced child.    

means ‘cacating lambe purnaning sembahyang’. This is the teenage phase before they come to adulthood which is characterized by unstable natural feelings. Therefore they need to be careful in their choice of words, since saying the wrong thing or showing disrespect can erase the reward of prayer.

shows the bitterness or sorrow of life’s journey as a process for finding one’s identity and achieving the best life possible.    

tasteless, a symbol of the phase of life’s journey that begins to calm down, after one successfully reaches life goals. The kunci suruh jamu is known for its benefit to women especially for vaginal discharge and tightening, body odor and stomach flattening.    

has a warm taste representing people living in warmth,“unity”; within the family, local community, working environment and the natural environment.    

or gepyokan symbolizes someone who is ready to get out of the hustle and bustle of the world. In Javanese mythology it is often associated with the term 'lengser keprabon’. It is when the king is abdicating the throne, leaving the luxury of life to go into asceticism in the forest or in the cave to welcome the glory of eternal life by surrendering into the Divine. 

has the meaning of ‘sirep tanpa nampa’ the expression of the atmosphere of ‘living in silence or eternity’ symbolizes of the end of life's journey.