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Merdeka (2)

Independence Day

Posted by Alun Evans on August 15, 2009 at 8:30pm
Tomorrow is Independence day for Indonesia. 17th August, 1945- 64 years since the country unified and gained independence from the Dutch. As a visitor I have been privileged to have lived in the country and seen how progress has been embraced in many cases, rejected in others. The coffee revolution, or specialty coffee revolution to be more exact, is a fairly recent development in the scheme of things. Coffee was one of the harsher plantation systems the Dutch practiced during the Colonial period. Cultivation was forced upon many of the Javanese in particular. Paying “taxation” in coffee crop enriched the plantation owners, impoverished the locals. As a result after independence there was a stalling and general stagnation in the coffee sector. Even today most of the coffee exports are still done by brokers who have simply taken the place of the old Colonial masters. The sector has so much promise, yet it is very slow and somewhat reluctant in embracing the changes that are sweeping the coffee world.My wish for Independence Day, Hari Kemerdekaan, is that the small-holder awakening will continue. Farming communities are rejecting the traditions of 400 years. The future after 64 years is bright, although the struggle to free farmers from the traditional binds will continue for decades to come. Happy Independence day Indonesia. Merdeka!
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New (Zealand) beginnings...

Posted by Alun Evans on May 23, 2009 at 9:08am

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The coffee arrived in a huge truck that parked up on Parnell Road. It was a monster and its presence somewhat irked our new neighbours. Despite the size, the truck was only accompanied by one strong and nuggety driver. Between the two of us we managed to get the pallets of coffee off the truck and down into the brick courtyard that stands in front of the roastery. My Indonesian days had prepared me well for this- 60kg sacks are pretty normal loads for me to handle back in West Java. The driver, who looked like a prop forward, was quite amazed we managed to get the coffee down and stacked within an hour.By lunchtime the Toper had done several roasts. It is very different from the roaster back home- 10kg vs 25kg, heavy German Pig Iron vs Bospherous steel. However all in all I was really quite impressed with the quality of roasts I have initially got from the roaster. Plenty more work to do before we go live... but step by step getting closer to opening day!
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