Indonesia - Banda Besar Island - Nutmeg open

On one of the many Banda Islands (in the town of Lontar, Maluku Archipelago, Indonesia), a little girl offers by-passers her simple, self-made meals.

Freshly opened nutmeg fruits. The flesh of these apricot-like fruits surrounds the large seed, the nutmeg. The striking red aril or seed coat is dried and sold as mace or mazis. – Banda Neira – Moluccas – 1990

Still life with a branch bearing fruit and open nutmeg fruits, as well as a collection basket and a bamboo picking drum called a gaigai. This is open on one side and equipped with two gripping teeth. The fruit is stripped off and falls into the cone-shaped collection drum. On Banda Besar, as on the other Moluccan islands, the harvest takes place twice a year, in June and October. - 1990

These seeds are freshly harvested nutmegs (Myristica fragrans) from the Indonesian Moluccas. Two main components are clearly visible: Mace (Macis): This is the bright red, net-like tissue (seed coat) that surrounds the nut. It is dried and used as a spice in its own right. Nutmeg: The dark, hard kernel inside, which is grated after drying. – 1990

Mazis laid out to dry in the sun give off a distinctive scent. When soaked in water, the strands swell up again immediately. From this soaked mazis, an essential oil with a pungent, spicy, and rather bitter scent is extracted, which is used in pharmaceuticals. – 1990

Chalked nutmegs are nuts that have been dipped in slaked lime after harvesting. This gives them a characteristic thin white layer on the surface or in the grooves. There are two main reasons for this traditional method: The lime effectively protects the dried seeds from insect infestation and mold during storage and long-distance transport. Chalking prevents the seeds from germinating, which is important for global export. – 1990

This girl sells dried fish at the market in Banda Neira – Maluku – 1990

The canoes are not only used for fishing, but also as a means of transport for firewood. – Banda Islands – Moluccas – 1990

On the Banda Islands, fishermen and their traditional boats are a common sight. While the islands were historically famous as the ‘spice islands’ for nutmeg, fishing is now one of the most important sources of livelihood for the locals, alongside tourism. – Moluccas – 1990

Freshly opened nutmeg fruits. The flesh of these apricot-like fruits surrounds the large seed, the nutmeg. The striking red aril or seed coat is dried and sold as mace or mazis. – Banda Neira – Moluccas – 1990

Harvesting nutmeg is a multi-stage process that requires patience, as the nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans) only yields significant crops after around 8 to 10 years. The fruits are ripe when the yellow, peach-like shell bursts open, revealing the red seed coat (mace). Harvesting is possible throughout the year, with the main season often falling during the rainy season. The fruits are either picked from the tree using long bamboo poles (with a small basket attached to the end, called a gaigai) or collected from the ground once they have fallen. – Banda – Moluccas – 1990

The nutmegs are either picked from the tree using long bamboo poles (with a small basket attached to the end, called a gaigai) or collected from the ground once they have fallen. – Banda – Moluccas – 1990

Still life with a branch bearing fruit and open nutmeg fruits, as well as a collection basket and a bamboo picking drum called a gaigai. This is open on one side and equipped with two gripping teeth. The fruit is stripped off and falls into the cone-shaped collection drum. On Banda Besar, as on the other Moluccan islands, the harvest takes place twice a year, in June and October. - 1990

Nutmegs in their red seed coat, the mace – Banda Neira – Moluccas – 1990

Mazis laid out to dry in the sun exude a distinctive scent. When placed in water, the strands immediately swell again. This soaked mazis is used to extract an essential oil with a pungent, spicy and rather bitter aroma, which is used in pharmaceuticals. – Banda Neira – Moluccas – 1990

Muscat nuts ready for sale are packed into sacks and prepared for export. – Banda Neira – Moluccas – 1990

Nutmegs are the most important agricultural resource of the Banda Islands, but they are also a significant crop on Ternate, Tidore and other Moluccan islands. After removing the seed coat, the nuts are laid out to dry. When dried, the seed – the nutmeg as it is sold – can be heard rattling in the shell when shaken. The shell is then broken open with a wooden hammer. The nutmeg itself is egg-shaped, two to two and a half centimetres long, grey-brown in colour and can be grated or scraped with a suitable instrument. – 1990

Curious children watch from their window – Banda – Moluccas – 1990

Portrait of a little girl on Banda – Moluccas – 1990

Fort Belgica (Indonesian: Benteng Belgica) is a historic 17th-century fort on the island of Banda Neira in the Moluccas, Indonesia. Built in 1611 by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the fort was primarily used to protect the monopoly on the valuable nutmeg trade. – 1990

Photo Gallery