The past was filled with a glorious story about a vast tea plantation on the southeastern slope of Mount Wilis in East Java. But then, times changed and it came to an end.
By
FX LAKSANA AS/ AMBROSIUS HARTO MANUMOYOSO
·6 minutes read
It is the end of July 2019 on the southeastern slope of Mount Wilis. Standing atop one ridge is Penampihan Temple. Occupying an area about twice the size of a volleyball court, the ancient temple has undergone several modifications and its function has transformed over the years from the megalithic period through the Hindu Mataram, Khadiri, Singhasari and to the Majapahit eras.
A tinulad (copied Inscription) at the site of Penampihan Temple records that the ancient Mataram king, Dyah Balitung, designated the southeastern slope of Mount Wilis as perdikan (autonomous area) in 898 and named Penampihan or Penampean. The area now belongs under the administrative jursidiction of Geger village in Sendang district, in the Tulungagung regency of East Java.
The 1269 Sarwadharma Inscription at the temple site reaffirmed the Penampihan’s status, with King Kertanegara of Singhasari designating the area as swatantra, which also means “autonomous region”.
This meant that historic Penampihan was settled, with its people cultivating plants and farming livestock.
Historian Dwi Cahyono of the State University of Malang said that one of the temple reliefs depicted a man using a plow pulled by three elephants. Two ponds had been found behind the tinulad, and the Tirta Amerta spring was discovered 25-30 meters from the temple.
This meant that historic Penampihan was settled, with its people cultivating plants and farming livestock, said Dwi.
Since it was given perdikan status, Penampihan went through much over the centuries until the Dutch arrived in the archipelago.
Expansion
In line with its ambition to dominate the global tea trade, the Dutch colonial government expanded the tea plantations in Java. Penampihan was one of the areas selected for expansion, with its estimated 400 hectares of plantation area.
Penampihan tea plantation is mentioned in the 23 May 1897 edition of the Dutch newspaper, Algemeen Handelsblad, with Cultuur-Maatschappij "Penampean" appearin gin an announcements column. Penampihan also appears in the 30 June 1903 edition of De Telegraaf, while the 16 Jan. 1926 edition of the Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad newspaper mentions three Penampean products in its report on De Theemarkt te London – the London Tea Market: broken tea, Pek Fannings and Pek Fannings I.
It can be deduced from these three archival newspaper editions that the Penampean plantation was established before 1900.
Suryani, 107, who is more commonly called “Mbah Sur”, is a former foreman of the Penampihan tea plantation during the Dutch colonial era. Interviewed at his residence in Sendang district at the end of July 2019, Mbah Sur shared his memories about the glories of the plantation of that era.
Penampihan plantation, Mbah Sur said, was successful under Dutch management. During the Japanese occupation, a section of the plantation was cleared of tea plants and replaced with corn, and the plantation was poorly maintained.
During the post-independence period of the late 1950s, the government handed over management of Penampihan plantation to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (APRIS) under the Puskopad-Primkopad-Inkopad cooperatives of the East Java Kodam V-Brawijaya military command. Subsequently, Puskopad Kodam V-Brawijaya teamed up with an Indonesian company to manage Penampihan plantation and tea factory.
After it was nationalized, the plantation’s condition did not improve. "Eventually, it collapsed," said Mbah Sur.
The local residents say that Penampihan plantation changed hands several times, including private companies PT Surya Sari Bumi and PT Tirto Bumi Lestari (TBL).
Bambang Yuniarto, 41, a former production head at TBL, said TBL was the last Indonesian private company to manage Penampihan plantation. Under its management, the plantation produced an average 35 tons of fresh tea leaves per month and 7 tons of dried leaves, which were supplied to 999 tea factory in Surakarta, Sirah Kencong tea factory in Blitar and Kertowono tea factory in Lumajang, as well as several others.
Penampihan tea plantation faced increasing business difficulties until TBL closed down operations in 2005. This occurred in conjunction with a demonstration by the local people, who demanded that the plantation’s land be distributed. Eventually, the Tulungagung administration formed a team to distribute the plantation’s land in Geger village.
The tea factory was also demolished. The factory’s only remaining trace is its foundation, which stands next to an open field in Penampihan. Meanwhile, the tea plantation underwent massive land conversion.
After receiving their portion of land, the local people started growing vegetables like carrots, mustard greens, chilies and cabbage. They also cultivated grass to feed their dairy cows.
Karsi is one of a handful of residents who still grow tea on their land. He cultivates the Gambung and TRI tea varieties on his land, located to the rear of Penampihan Temple.
Karsi and her husband (decd.) used to work at Penampihan tea plantation. When the plantation closed down, her husband established a tea processing cottage industry behind their house.
The couple produced green tea independently, and packaged and sold their tea at local markets and to their acquaintances. They branded their tea “Mbah Djiwo”, derived from the nickname of Karsi\'s husband.
Mbah Djiwo tea is packaged in clear plastic and is labeled "Argowilis Penampean Tea". Its logo features a mountain, the words “Mount Wilis Est 1938” and a black-and-white photo of a tea plantation with several pitched roof houses. A reverse image search on the internet discovered that the photo comes from the collection of Tropenmuseum Amsterdam that is captioned “Thee Onderneming Penampean Toeloengagoeng 1938”.
I think it would be a pity to replace the tea plants.
Karsi is determined to continue running her tea plantation and modest tea processing facility behind her house. In addition to maintaining her late husband’s legacy, her decision derives from a desire to maintain the treasured crop that has continued to support her life.
Another resident who maintains the tea plants on his portion of land is Winartin, 50. The small plot is located adjacent to Penampihan Temple, not far from Karsi\'s field. Incidentally, Winartin is the caretaker of Penampihan Temple.
"I think it would be a pity to replace the tea plants. I will keep the tea plants. They are beautiful to look at," said Winartin.
Meanwhile, the sun descended behind the southeastern slope of Mt. Wilis and silence fell over Penampihan Temple, a witness to the death of the once glorious perdikan tea plantation.