Rasi (Cassava Rice) as an Authentic Product of Cireundeu

in Supporting Gastronomic Tourism

Titing Kartika and Khoirul Fajri

Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Pariwisata YAPARI, Bandung Indonesia

Keyword: Rasi, Kampung Adat Cireundeu, Gastronomic Tourism

Abstract: This study aims to identify how Rasi (Cassava Rice) as an authentic product for Cireundeu Traditional Village

can strengthen aspects of gastronomic tourism. The people of Cireundeu Traditional Village, located in

Cimahi City, have a habit of consuming Rasi hereditary. Until now the habit is still ongoing even though not

all people can continue this habit. A qualitative approach was taken in this study to explore besides Rasi as a

product of the local community as well as to know from the viewpoint of local wisdom values. During its

development, Rasi is not only made as a substitute for rice but is also used in making diversification of other

food products such as cakes that can be consumed by the wider community. It is hoped that this research will

educate visiting tourists that Cireundeu not only offers nature, arts and culture, but can introduce Rasi as part

of gastronomic cultural identity.

1 INTRODUCTION

Indonesia has a diversity of cultures as a result of the

diversity of ethnic groups that inhabit this region. The

culture includes traditional technological systems,

customs, and so on. Among the diversity, one

interesting cultural outcome is the diversity of food

types. In this context, matters relating to food

ingredients and processing cannot be separated from

belief systems and social cultural systems.

Food is not merely a living organic product with

biochemical qualities, but food can be seen as a

cultural phenomenon. Cultural symptoms of food are

formed due to various views of life of the people. In

general, the staple food of most Indonesian people is

rice. It is different with indigenous peoples in

Cireundeu . Cirendeu, one of Indonesia’s traditional

villages, was chosen since one of its uniqueness is its

people’s staple food namely Rasi, a type of food made

of cassava.

Cireundeu is a traditional village in Cimahi, a

suburb of Bandung, West Java. Located in the valley

of Mount Kuci, Mount Cimenteng and Mount

Gajahlangu. Most of the villagers adhere to a

traditional belief called Sunda Wiwitan.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Tourism Village

There are several views that food and culture are

inseparable from human life. The presence of local

food is a reinforcement in developing gastronomic

tourism which is currently being developed by the

Government of Indonesia. Based on the data of The

Indonesia Tourism Ministry, 2016) distribution of

Indonesia's national tourism products, there is natural

potential (35%), Culture (60%) and Man-made or

special interests as much as 5% (Indonesian Tourism

Ministry, 2019)

Concerning on cultural aspects there are types of

historical tourism, local cultural traditions (40%),

culinary and spa tours (25%) and City and Village

tours (35%). This shows that culinary makes an

important contribution in the development of national

tourism.

With the diversity of tribes and customs in

Indonesia, then the diversity of local food is important

to be presented in a series of gastronomic tourism in

Indonesia. This also reinforces the concept of a tourist

village with its own unique value.

Conceptually, tourism village is a rural area that

offers the whole atmosphere of village authenticity

including its social-economy life, socio cultural life,

Kartika, T. and Fajri, K.

Rasi (Cassava Rice) as an Authentic Product of Cireundeu in Supporting Gastronomic Tourism.

DOI: 10.5220/0009430600670071

In Proceedings of the 1st NHI Tourism Forum (NTF 2019) - Enhancing Innovation in Gastronomic for Millennials, pages 67-71

ISBN: 978-989-758-495-4

daily life, and having local potentials to be develop as

tourism component such as attraction, culinary,

accommodation, and other tourism needs. The

requirement to be a tourism village should imply the

following condition: (1) good accessibility, (2)

having interesting object of tourism, (3) acceptance

from host society and government (4) guaranteed

security, (5) Availability of accommodation,

telecommunication facilities, and human resource (6)

having a good climate , (7) interconnected with other

tourist objects and well known by the people

(Priasukmana and Mulayadin, 2001). In addition, a

tourism village is a rural area that offers authenticity

in terms of social, cultural, customs, daily life,

traditional architecture, village spatial structure

presented in a form of integration of the tourism

component, such as, attractions, accommodation, and

supporting facilities others (Zakaria and Suprihardjo,

2014). Traditional food is another aspect that that

cannot be separated in tourism in the development of

the tourism village. Moreover, traditional cuisine

reflects the history and culture of the area and can be

used as an attraction for many tourists (Agoes et al.,

2016).

2.2 Food and Gastronomy

Perspective view of food culture is not something that

is seen solely associated with physiological and

biological aspects of humans but thoroughly absorbed

in a system of food culture (Fadhilah, 2014). Food is

one of the important things in the cultural life of

certain destination. From the economic perspective,

eating, culinary is a psychological economic

necessity, where almost 100% travelers spending

money for meals where they go for vacation or travel

(Yurtseven et al., 2011).

Food culture system includes production,

distribution, and consumption of food in which the

implied primary fulfillment of human needs, social

culture as well as in order to sustain life and improve

the well-being of self, family, community and are

exposed to natural environmental resources (Sabana,

2007)

Gastronomy is the relationship between culture

and food in studying the cultural component with

food as its center (culinary arts). The scope does not

only look at food in terms of cultural understanding

and assets for the region (Nurwitasi, 2015). The Local

food research becomes very important in gastronomic

tourism because food will be a strengthening of local

culture (Kartika and Harahap, 2019)

Meanwhile food is not just something that can be

eaten. In the social environment food has the value of

other functions and meanings (Danesi, 2011). This

value is seen from the economic aspects, collective

values, health values and cultural values. Related to

the study of Rasi, of course these aspects can be

violated in the discussion points.

3 METHOLOGY

The researchers use qualitative approach, because the

data is in the form of history and values applied in the

community. Data was collected by doing interview,

observation, and documentation. This study also uses

references from several other sources to obtain

secondary data. The data is then used by researchers

to produce accurate data. In this study, researchers

also sought to gather various information related to

the consumption of Rasi's special food, as an

authentic product for the indigenous people of

Cireundeu related to strengthening gastronomic

tourism.

4 RESULT

4.1 Location

The location of the study, located in Cireundeu

Customary Village, Leuwigajah Village, Cimahi

Selatan District, Cimahi City, West Java. Cireundeu

village consists of fifty heads of families or around

700 residents who work as cassava or cassava

pentani. The center of the Cireundeu Village is

located in RT 10. Many traditional activities are

carried out in a building called the Paseban or Balai

Adat.

Figure 1: Location Map of Cireundeu Village

Source: repository.uinjkt

NTF 2019 - The NHI Tourism Forum

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4.2 History of Cireundeu

The name of the village of Cireundeu is derived from

the name of the tree, "Reundeu Tree", formerly the

Reundeu Tree has a lot of population in this village

but at this time it is getting less because the land is

turned into agricultural land. Reundeu tree is a tree for

the basic ingredients of herbal medicine. Therefore,

the village which is located in Leuwi Gajah Village is

called Cireundeu Village.

The people of Cireundeu Village adhere to their

own beliefs, by upholding the faith known as sunda

wiwitan, but the other term is the religion of the life

of trust in God the Almighty. They really believe that

God has created this nature and nature has given them

life with a variety of natural wealth owned, ranging

from fruits, vegetables, and tubers to the present.

They are always consistent with the nature of carrying

out the teachings of belief and continue to preserve

the culture and customs that have been passed down

from their ancestors.

Initially, the Cireundeu Village Community used

rice as its main food. The reason for turning into

cassava as a staple food was because during the Dutch

colonial period there was a shortage of food

especially rice. Therefore, followers of these beliefs

are required to fast by replacing rice with cassava rice

or what is now known as rasi for an unlimited time.

The purpose of fasting is to immediately free

physically and mentally, test the beliefs of the

followers of the flow of belief and they always

remember the Almighty God.

They have a principle of life ' Ngindung Ka

Waktu, Mibapak Ka Jaman’ meaning that “Ngindung

Ka Waktu” as indigenous peoples have the means,

characteristics and beliefs of each. While “Mi Bapak

ka Zaman”' has the meaning of the Village

Community Cireundeu not closed to development

today.

Another guideline adopted by the Cireundeu

people is “Teu Nyawah Asal Boga Pare, Teu Boga

Pare Asal Boga Beas, Teu Boga Beas Asal Bisa

Nyangu, Teu Nyangu Asal Dahar, Teu Dahar Asal

Kuat.” Meaning that “no rice fields as long as you

have rice, no rice as long as you can cook rice, no rice

as long as you eat, don't eat as long as it's strong”

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Figure 2: Guideline of Cireundeu People

Source: KKN STIEPAR, 2019

4.3 History of Rasi (Cassava Rice)

The most distinctive aspect of Cireundeu traditional

village is the villagers’ habit to make ‘rasi’ as their

staple food, instead of rice. As we know that staple

food of most of the Indonesian people is rice, but in

this area, it is a taboo to consume rice as a staple food.

Furthermore, Rasi also becomes a symbol of the long

history of Cireundeu villagers to survive and also to

keep their pride as independent citizens (Sharif et al.,

2016) reported that this is what attractive about

traditional food when it is not merely tradition, but it

further becomes a symbol of their heritage,

trademark, and sustainable cultural values.

The shift of the staple food of Kampung

Cireundeu from rice to cassava began around 1918,

on the grounds that they held fast to their ancestral

discourses since the Dutch colonial period in 1918.

Only a change in the term from what was originally

called sanguen and now become rasi (cassava rice). It

is said that in 1924 the elders of Cireundeu Village

considered that the sanguen name was not rational, so

it was changed to Rasi. Actually, the ancestors of

Kampung Cireundeu did not reject rice, but they had

their own unfortunate history with rice plants.

During the Dutch colonial era, paddy fields

planted with rice suddenly dried up, while the supply

of rice from the Dutch government at that time was

very difficult. In the midst of a very difficult time, the

people of Kampung Cireundeu began to think about

finding a way out. The people of Cireundeu Village

began to accustom themselves to consuming cassava,

which was preceded by the issuance of the bible

which basically asked the community to postpone

consuming rice and switch to tubers until the speech

was attached and preserved by the people of

Cireundeu Village until now.

Most of the livelihoods of the people of Kampung

Cireundeu are cassava farmers and tubers. In

addition, in the past, the ancestors of the people of

Kampung Cireundeu had predictions about future

Rasi (Cassava Rice) as an Authentic Product of Cireundeu in Supporting Gastronomic Tourism

conditions or were referred to as "Engke mah

Bandung, the heurin ku tangtung." (Later Bandung

will be full of buildings), which means the next few

years in the city of Bandung, especially rice fields

will switch functions into dwellings, offices and other

public places. So they look for alternative foods so

that their children and grandchildren will not have to

experience these difficulties. To anticipate this, the

ancestors of Kampung Cireundeu suggested not to

depend on rice staples.

The business of choosing staples that can replace

rice took six years and for six years they tried all kinds

of crops such as beans, sweet potatoes and others until

finally cassava was chosen. Because cassava can be

planted during the dry season or the rainy season and

the nutrient content between rice and cassava is even

better.

Since 1918 the ancestors of Cireundeu replaced

paddy fields with land that was replaced by land

planted with cassava land. Therefore the people of

Cireundeu process cassava tubers into constellations

and their leaves are processed into vegetables, the

community starts consuming cassava and replaces

rice as a staple food.

4.4 The Stages of Making Rasi

Rasi is cassava which is processed in such a way that

it becomes like rice. Processing through several

stages, namely cassava smoothed with a grinder or

grated. Then, cassava that has been mashed, then

washed and deposited for several days. After that,

cassava that has been deposited, dried in the sun for

two to three days. Finally cooked cassava, like

cooking rice, and become constellations.

Constellations have been a staple food for the people

of Kampung Cireundeu until now.

The dedication of Abu Omoh as the the founder

of the Rasi, which was able to make the people of

Cireundeu not dependent on one food, namely rice is

highly appreciated. From her ideas until now, the

people of Cireundeu Village feel the fruits of the idea

of the struggle for independence physically and

spiritually born from Abu Omoh, as one of the most

influential women in Cireundeu Village.For how to

make it, the first thing to make Rasi is to pull out the

cassava first after that it is peeled and paruded (a and

b) until smooth and washed thoroughly (c) and

squeezed (d) after being squeezed in the aci drying

until a day after dry, lifted and crushed until

powdered and soft after sifting and then made into a

dough and steamed until cooked for a maximum of

five minutes (e and f)

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Figure 3: Process of Making Rasi

Source: KKNSTIEPAR 2019

4.5 Rasi as an Authentic Product

Rasi is a local food of the Cireundeu which is sourced

from cassava. In terms of meaning, Rasi has meaning

of an economic, collective, health and cultural

perspective. Economically, Rasi was able to improve

the economy of the local community. Society does

not only depend on rice alone. In addition to being

used as staple food, the people of Cireundeu Village

make various kinds of processed cassava with the

name “Serba Singkong” or we call multivariance of

Cassava.

Serba Singkong is a place for Cireundeu women

community to express their talents on cooking

creations. “Serba Singkong” was founded since 2010.

Another product diversification from cassava are

eggroll, cat's tongue, cheese stick, awug, egg noodles,

cassava noodles, onion chips, cassava skin jerky and

Cireng. The most popular product for visitors is

eggroll, because this product now has a sweet and

savory blend of crispy texture. Those products from

cassava are sold through cooperatives and produced

individually.

At present the indigenous people deliberately

limit the sale of Rasi and its processed products to

Cireundeu. The aim is that those who are interested in

processed products come directly to Cireundeu and

they can learn more about cultural values and see the

production process.

In terms of collective values, Rasi is a local

wisdom for the people of Cireundeu. Another use is

NTF 2019 - The NHI Tourism Forum

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that the Cireundeu community has built food security

and is not dependent on rice. From the health side,

Rasi has high protein and lower sugar levels

compared to rice (Sunyoto and Yuliana, 2016). It is

very well consumed by people who have a medical

history of diabetes. Meanwhile from the cultural

values, Rasi has built a strong local cultural identity

and cannot be found in another place.

Referring to the above description, Rasi as an

authentic product of the Cireudeu is very supportive

in the effort to develop gastronomic tourism in

Indonesia.

5 CONCLUSION

Cireunde as one of traditional village in West Java has

some uniqueness in term of of villager’s habit in

consuming Rasi (Cassva Rice). This condition

explains that the staple food is not only from rice, but

also can use other alternatives, such as Rasi that has

been applied by the people of Cireundeu until now.

Seeing from its history, that people want to have the

independence physically and mentally, because rice

at that time was a monopoly from the Netherlands.

The indigenous people of Cireundeu consider that

along with the times, population growth has

increased, causing rice fields to turn into tall

buildings. These developments will occur rapidly and

will displace the existence of plantation and

agricultural land such as rice fields, which produce

staples for human consumption. So they took the

initiative to preserve and cultivate Rasi until the

future generations.

By consuming Rasi, in terms of health even better,

because the level of glucose is low, thereby reducing

the possibility of developing diseases such as

diabetes. Rasi is an important food for the indigenous

people of Cireundeu because it is a staple food that

cannot be replaced, because they want to pass down

the noble values of their ancestors. In terms of local

wisdom, the people of Cireundeu have characteristics

in both staple foods and processed foods that make

their identities different from others. Cireundeu also

received awards from the central and local

governments, regarding food security. So, it is not

surprising that Cireundeu Village, due to its unique

culture and food security, is an attraction for local and

international tourists and makes Rasi an authentic

product in supporting gastronomic tourism.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We would like to thanks the government of Cimahi

who has given chance the team to do the research in

Cireundeu. Moroever the students of Sekolah Tinggi

Ilmu Ekonomi Pariwisata Yapari Bandung (KKN

Program 2019) for collecting the data. And Also

Sesepuh from Kampung Adat Cireundeu who are

helfull in informing the data during the research.

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Rasi (Cassava Rice) as an Authentic Product of Cireundeu in Supporting Gastronomic Tourism