Betel chewing in North Sumatra: Karo Batak and their neighbors

Abstract

The article is based on the author’s field studies in North Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2015 and 2018. Betel chewing is an ancient cultural practice known all around Southeast Asia and associated with a number of ritual and social functions. In modern Indonesia, it can be still found in rural areas and beyond, yet the age and gender composition of those involved in the consumption of betel appears to undergo changes. Among the ethnic groups of North Sumatra (the Batak peoples, Malays as well as the Acehnese and Gayo), one can observe a remarkable diversity in the ways of betel chewing and the terms applied to the mixture’s components, i.e. betel leaf and areca nut. The article focuses on the practice of betel chewing among the Karo Batak, and on the role it plays in their daily activities nowadays. The author draws a comparison between betel chewing among the Karonese and the neighboring Toba Batak and other groups, and discusses a number of issues related to this practice, including its gender and age connotations, the impact of modern beauty standards and the role of betel in traditional medicine and childcare. Particular attention is paid to the role of betel in the practice of surungi.