South Sumatra Envisioning A Museum of Fish Species.

 

Balaputradewa Museum in Palembang, South Sumtra.

About 35 percent of the 8.9 million hectares of land area in South Sumatra is lowland or wetlands. Both peat swamps, rivers and mangroves. In the wetland landscape live hundreds of species of freshwater fish. For dozens of centuries, various types of fish have been the main food of the community. However, changes in the wetland landscape have made most types of freshwater fish extinct or rare. What efforts should be made?

"Apart from saving or maintaining the remaining wetlands, it is also necessary to create a fish museum," said Dr. Yenrizal, FISIP environmental communication expert, UIN Raden Fatah Palembang.

"It is hoped that the presence of the fish museum can become a source of knowledge, so that it will help motivate the community to continue to protect or protect the wetlands in South Sumatra," he said recently.

Chandra Amprayadi, Head of the Balaputra Dewa Palembang State Museum said, “It is an idea that must be realized. The museum is not only a home for abiotic and biotic cultural traces," he said.

Chandra explained, the existence of fish in South Sumatra is not limited to a food commodity. The hundreds of fish also gave birth to a number of traditions. "Starting from dozens of types of culinary, medicine, to technology related to catching and managing [cooking] fish," he said.

However, realizing a museum is not easy. Requires a lot of studies, human resources and costs.

"For a while it may be realized in the Balaputra Dewa Museum. We will provide a special gallery for fish," he said. But it needs support from various parties. Such as studies, experts, and others.

From leaves to ceramics

Fish-related cookware, explained Chandra, is in line with the development of cooking utensils in South Sumatra. Starting from leaves, stone, metal, clay [pottery], ceramics, rattan, bamboo, to wood.

Apart from being a cooking container, leaves are also used as a cooking medium. For example fish baked, boiled or grilled; stone tools for pounding fish; metal utensils such as brass and iron for cooking or grinding fish; pottery for baking and boiling; ceramics for boiling; rattan for baking; bamboo for grilling, grilling and drying; as well as wood or shellac to manage fish meat.

“All the cookware has archaeological evidence. Everything is there at the Balaputra Museum," said Chandra.

The younger generation, said Iqbal, can read cultural history in South Sumatra through the diversity of fish species. "I believe that today's young generation lacks knowledge of various types of freshwater fish in South Sumatra."

Dozens of culinary

Yudhy Syarofie, cultural worker in Palembang, explained that fresh water fish has produced dozens of culinary delights. The ingredients range from fresh fish, smoked fish, salted fish, to fermented fish. It is cooked from boiling, steaming, grilling, baking, to frying.

"Every community in South Sumatra has a special dish made from fish. Not only pindang and pepes, also fermented fish dishes. Dozens of fish-based dishes on the menu. This menu is both local and influenced by foreign culinary traditions, such as from China, India, Arabic or Java," he explained.

So far, said Yudhy, people from outside South Sumatra only know pindang and pempek. "But actually a lot. If we enter a typical Palembang restaurant, there are dozens of menus made from fish. The table is covered with various dishes.”

The existence of a fish museum will clearly have a good impact on fish and the traditions it creates.

About 200 freshwater fish

Dr. Muhammad Iqbal from FMIPA Sriwijaya University said, “We really need a fish museum. Because, through the museum, we not only save knowledge about fish, but also other knowledge in South Sumatra."

"Fish is one of the roots of maritime culture that grows and develops in South Sumatra," he said.

Iqbal explained, in South Sumatra there are an estimated 600 types of freshwater fish. But currently, around 200 species are still found in swamps and rivers in South Sumatra.

“Almost all types of freshwater fish can be consumed. All types are connected with humans, because they already have local names. Including various stories about the existence of these fish, "he explained.

“In the early stages, the museum may be able to display around 200 freshwater fish. This too is extraordinary. Because at this time, we are chasing the ongoing destruction of the landscape," said Iqbal.

Wetland change

Of the 3 million hectares [35 percent] of wetlands in South Sumatra, most have been turned into large-scale plantations, infrastructure and settlements.

HTI [Industrial Plantation Forest] companies and oil palm plantations barely use around 2 million hectares of wetlands. Hundreds of thousands of hectares are used as settlements, especially transmigrants. Likewise shrimp and fish ponds that devour hundreds of thousands of hectares of mangroves on the east coast of South Sumatra.

Meanwhile in Palembang, swamps and rivers are being stockpiled to make way for housing, offices, and others. If previously it was done by the government with a reclamation project, now it is being done by the community and business actors. The ban from the government was not able to prevent it.

"We are about to lose the roots of maritime culture because the nature is constantly changing," said Yenrizal, "Whatever conservation efforts we must do, including creating a fish museum," he explained.

Source :https://www.mongabay.co.id/2022/11/26/sumatera-selatan-butuh-museum-ikan/