Mbah (Grandma) Prawiro has a ritual that she follows dedicatedly. Morning, at 6 to 10 AM, she would go down the rice field dike in Nitiprayan, Bantul. “Griyo kulo celak mriki, my house is close by.”
She would tend the weeds that grew wildly on the sides of the irrigation channel. Her old hands skillfully pick up trash that clogs the channel. She swung the hoe every now and then. “Kulo nanem bayam (I grow spinach) here, enough to cook a meal for myself.”
She does not own any lands, she uses the lands on the right and left sides of the irrigation channel. “In return, kulo resiki, I clean this water channel.”
Aren’t you tired, Mbah? “Oh no, not at all. I will go home in a minute, get some rest and take a nap. Later in the afternoon, I will sweep, tend the chicken at home. Not bad, when they lay eggs, I can use them for cooking or jamu.”
How old are you, Mbah? “Oh dear, I don’t remember anymore. It was 84 some years ago. So, maybe now I’m 90 or more. I experienced the war, taking refuge here and there.”
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What is your secret of long and healthy life? “Mboten menggalih macem-macem. Atine karep kuat waras sehat. Niku mawon.” Which translates as, don’t overthink, toughen my heart, aim to be healthy and sane. That’s it.
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