Dompu's Traditional Herbal Songga Wooden Cups Reach Global Market
- 13 Jul 2026 15:14 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Songga Wood (Strychnos ligustrina), locally known as bidara laut, is a traditional medicinal plant native to Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara.
- Dompu artisans have developed reusable Songga Wood drinking cups, making the traditional herbal preparation more practical.
- The cups are marketed throughout Indonesia and have also been exported to Malaysia and Singapore.
RRI.CO.ID, Dompu - Songga Wood, also known as bidara laut (Strychnos ligustrina), is a traditional medicinal plant long familiar to communities in West Nusa Tenggara, particularly in Dompu Regency. Growing wild in forested areas, the wood is believed to have various health benefits and has been used for generations in traditional remedies.
Locals recognize Songga Wood for its intensely bitter taste. Pieces of the trunk or branches are typically soaked in warm water, and the resulting infusion is consumed as a traditional medicine.
For generations, the plant has been trusted to help relieve ailments ranging from malaria and diabetes to fever and muscle aches after work.
With changing times, Dompu residents have developed a more practical way to use Songga Wood’s properties, such as turning the wood into reusable drinking cups that serve as vessels for brewing the herbal infusion.
A home industry making these Songga Wood cups has emerged across Dompu. One long-time craftsperson is Amiruddin from Dorotangga village, Dompu Subdistrict, who has run the business for decades.
Amiruddin says his enterprise survives thanks to steady demand. His products are now marketed across Indonesia, including Jakarta.
“We have even shipped several times to Malaysia and Singapore,” he said on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Amiruddin produces two sizes of Songga Wood cups daily. Smaller cups, about 10 centimeters tall, are sold wholesale for IDR 4,000 (USD 0.25) each, while larger cups go for IDR 6,000 (USD 0.38) apiece. For retail buyers, three cups are typically sold for around IDR 50,000 (USD 3.13).
He said most customers are tourists or Dompu residents buying local souvenirs. The cups are also often given as gifts to relatives outside the region because they carry cultural value as well as perceived health benefits.
The main benefits of Songga Wood come from natural compounds in the wood’s fibers. The brewed water is strongly bitter and often leaves a lingering sensation in the throat. First-time drinkers may find the flavor surprising.
For Dompu residents, especially farmers and field workers, the infusion has long been believed to help maintain fitness, reduce aches, prevent malaria, and stimulate appetite.
To offset the bitterness, some people prepare granulated sugar or sticky rice as a palate-soother after drinking the infusion.
The cup innovation has made consuming the herbal brew more convenient. Users simply pour warm water into the cup, let it steep for about three minutes to allow the wood’s oils to infuse the water, and then drink.
Amiruddin advises using warm rather than boiling water. Warm water reduces the risk of cracking the cup and allows the wood’s essence to leach out more gradually.
If the cup’s bitterness diminishes after long use, the inner surface can be lightly scraped to reveal fresh wood that restores the characteristic Kayu Songga flavor.
Amid the rise of modern medicine, the Songga Wood cup stands as proof that Dompu’s local wisdom endures. Beyond its economic value for artisans, the product serves as a regional identity and a signature souvenir that introduces Dompu’s herbal richness to people across Indonesia. (Annaila Azzahra-EN)
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