Fought Over in the Past, Now Marginalized

Kompas/Totok Wijayanto (TOK)

A worker sorts nutmeg according to quality at a nutmeg collection center belonging to Kiong in Banda Neira, Banda Islands, Maluku, Tuesday (25/4). After being sorted, the nutmeg is sent to Surabaya for processing.

Long before the arrival of the Europeans, the Banda Islands in Maluku was a magnetthat prompted the arrival of many nations from China in the north to the Arabia Peninsula in the west. As though they were enchanted by the smell of nutmeg, the foreign traders were willing to travel thousands of kilometers and take on the dangerous seas that surround the islands.

As of the 18th century, the volcanic islands of Banda was the only nutmeg producer on the face of the earth. Nutmeg and mace were sought after because they were excellent for medicine, seasonings and perfumes. Because of its benefits and rarity, nutmeg was one of the most expensive spices in the world.