1 - From “Thiwul” to Rice: Changes in Staple Food Consumption Patterns of the Society in Wonogiri Regency from the Colonial Era to the New Order

Until the early years of the New Order Government, the staple food for most of the population in Wonogiri Regency was “thiwul”, a type of rice processed from cassava. However, in the 1990s, there was a shift in the dietary pattern of the Central Javanese population in the southern part of the region towards rice. This paper seeks to discuss the changes in the dietary patterns of the Javanese population and their impact on the decline of food diversity developed by the local community. The research combines both historical and anthropological approaches. The research findings reveal that during the Dutch Colonial era, most of the population consumed cassava as a staple food, with only a portion of the elite, known as “priyayi”, consuming rice. Rice was considered a symbol of high social status, while cassava was viewed as a symbol of the lower class, the ordinary people.  Suharto implemented national food policies by extending and intensifying rice cultivation, including in Wonogiri, where Suharto spent his childhood. Several dams were constructed, and a massive provision of rice seedlings, fertilizer assistance, and agricultural guidance was extended to the villages, resulting in a shift from cassava cultivation to rice cultivation. Pockets of cassava crops were transformed into both wet and dry rice fields. Rice production flourished, surpassing cassava production. Consequently, the community shifted dietary patterns from cassava to rice. Additionally, supplementary crops lost their appeal for production.

Keywords:

Staple food, supplementary food, cassava, rice, change.

Co-Author 1
Endah Sri Hartatik, Diponegoro University.