In
Batak culture, the women are the ones who work hard on the farm while the men usually just sit around and drink coffee. We had a chance to visit this 82 year old lady who still farms, despite the fact her husband has passed away more than 8 years ago. She grows oranges, corn, potatoes, and various types of cabbage.
Here she was drying corn in the sunshine with her orange grove in the distance.
Here
granddaughter was helping, with counting
kernels in appears.
One friend remarked, "Wow, look at her bloody gums!" The red is actually not blood, but the result her chewing on something called "
daun sirih", a type of leaf believed to have medicinal benefits, as well as being mildly addictive.
Batak village women chew on a rolled up ball of these leaves, often adding tobacco and other types of leaves, to "keep them calm and relaxed."
Apparently it has similar effects as nicotine. Don't think I'll suggest my future wife use it.
