Wayan Simprig: the Farmer Salt Kusumba

Wayan Simprig: the Farmer Salt Kusumba -

 

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I met Wayan for the fourth time before it simple, still a few meters from the surf in Kusumba, about 30 minutes drive from Sanur.

Wayan and her husband Ketut Rauh, are a husband and wife team who spend their days gathering and processing of salt, they collect directly from Lembongan Strait.

This is real back breaking work to Ketut, as he wanders into the sea to fill their buckets of salt water, struggling back through the sand with almost 100 kilos resting on his weary shoulders , in very hot conditions.

Rain is a curse for Kusumba salt producers as it cleans salt, so they work desperately hard during the dry season to produce enough salt bags to make ends meet.

As Wayan has no license and no way to produce the money to buy one, it is limited to the sale of its products on the local market. A reasonable sized bag collects $ 1 plus it must pay a small fee to the owner of the market stall, leaving little profit at the end of a hard day.

However, despite these difficulties, Wayan was deeply impressed with her positive outlook on life, beautiful warm smile and proud of his work.

Ketut and Wayan were very eager to tell me about their latest family news. Wayan beamed with pride as she told me that her son had to get a job in Denpasar. She continued to tell me how they saw this as a great opportunity for him to create a life away from the beaches of Kusumba and hopefully allow it to provide an education for her children.

So if you are far from Kusumba, fall and visit Wayan. You will be greeted with a friendly smile and a walk with her and Ketut salt production. Oh, and do not forget to buy a few bags of salt, it is directly at the source and as fresh as you will ever get.

If you want to help Wayan and its other salt producers please contact the writer at davidmetcalf3@mac.com

 

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