Pinang In Papua Culture

One mama nut sellers, Mince Kosay with some other nut traders in the front yard or office GOR KONI Papua Jayapura (Jubi / Roberth Wanggai)

Jayapura,  – Pinang lately been considered very annoying especially when chewing betel and sprinkling in any place. Even eating nut can damage the digestive salurang because lime nut made ​​of shells or limestone.

Not all regions in Papua mengosumsikan nut, especially in the central highlands of Papua and the interior of the Bird’s Head. With the exception of coastal communities, including the Sentani in Jayapura.
Health reasons habit of chewing betel nut is prohibited, even the Vice-Chairman of the Synod, Rev. Yemima Krey forbid that nut habit should be stopped. Eat nut has been used since.

For the people of Sentani nut referred to as the contact material in the wedding party or gathering at the residence Ondoafi nut is definitely one oki hanged, every person who wanted to chew betel directly pluck and take at will.

As for the people in the Gulf and the Gulf of Paradise Doreri nut eating habits has been around since the ancestors. It has become a tradition of delivering the dowry must be a nut as contact material culture.
Biak people themselves called betel nut, betel ropum and oat inan and lime. Nut in English known as Betel palm or Betel nut tree while its scientific name is Areca catechu. For the people of the tribe byak chewing betel as a daily habit. Also used in the association, especially ahead of the payment of a dowry or event making a proposal.

Nut as Kakes in byak language as contact material before making a proposal to implement the event in both sides of the family between men and women family.

Kakes placed in a dish complete with nut and lime as a family dish men who do making a proposal or deliver the dowry to the woman’s family. Usually after chewing Piang Kakes, the men should bring home the plates.

Older people, especially men (lear kamam / grandparents) in the Tribe byak usually wear a small camshaft or in byak called “i nokeng kasun” or small camshaft belongs to him or that person.

Kasun nokeng function is usually considered faknik or sacred because it can not be used by any other person. The reason is believed to contain it magig and unseen in the kasun camshaft.

Someone grandfather who has the ability to detect or mawai about travel and also fate. Usually wear lime and betel nut to do kinsor. Equipment kinsor everything is stored in the camshaft or camshaft kasun small.

If you do kinsor, grandparents or parents who are able to do kinsor will chew betel nut, betel nut and lime until thick red. Furthermore, he would wear his palm with lime sprinkled with a burst spit betel ditelapak.

After wasting spit on his palm nut, paitua who do kinsor will read the meaning of the form of saliva in the palm of the hand nut. For example, there was someone who wanted to travel far or losing a valuable item. The artisan kinsor will know where the object is missing or predict a person’s long journey out of town or sailing.

Kinsor habit now gone and no longer practiced in predicting or search for valuables. Now function just for chewing betel nut in the event of making a proposal as Kakes.

Experts say betel nut contains alkaloids such as arekaina (arecaine) and arekolina (arecoline), more or less toxic and addictive, can stimulate the brain. Preparations simplicia betel nut at the pharmacy used to treat intestinal worms, especially to cope with tapeworms.

There are also some nut that cause dizziness or headache when chewed. Other substances contained in this fruit, among others arecaidine, arecolidine, guracine (guacine), guvacoline and some other elements.
Traditionally, betel nut used in the herb to treat dysentery, bloody diarrhea, and scabies. These seeds are also used as a producer of red dye and materials tanner. (Domingoes Mampioper / http://www.tabloidjubi.com )