Indonesia - After a swim in the Amboine Bay on the peninsula Ambon

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.

Just before flowering, the buds—or cloves—are ready to be harvested. A five-year-old clove tree is about six to eight meters tall and robust enough for its first “harvest.” After picking the flower buds, the tree is allowed a rest period of eighteen to twenty-four months before the next harvest. This cycle can be maintained until the tree dies or is felled. – 1990

Dried cloves rightly bear their French name, “Clou de girofle” (clove bud). The bud, which is three to four millimeters in diameter and a beautiful dark brown, consists of tightly packed petals; the stem, formed from the calyx, is ten to twelve millimeters long. During the drying process, cloves lose nearly half their weight. The yield from a single tree is approximately ten kilograms, rarely more. – 1990

A large quantity of freshly harvested cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) spread out to dry. The cloves have their characteristic nail-like structure, with a stem and a bud-like head. The mixture of reddish-brown and still light green to yellowish buds indicates that they are in the transition phase following harvest. Traditionally, cloves are dried in the sun after harvest until they take on their familiar, uniform dark brown color and become hard. – 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

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 is probably the image that the Spice Islands presented to the first European sailors... Tidore is the southern sister island of Ternate, located west of the large Moluccan island of Halmahera. The beach, towered over by coconut palms, is littered with blackish basalt debris, evidence of the volcanic origin of most of these islands. – 1990

This is probably the view that the Spice Islands offered the first European sailors... - Togolo Beach on the island of Tidore – Moluccas – 1990

This is probably the view that the Spice Islands offered the first European sailors... – Latuhalat Beach – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

This is probably the view that the Spice Islands offered the first European sailors... – Waitomu – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

A fisherman returns from fishing in Ambon Bay. In the background, the fishing village on stilts. – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Fishing village in Ambon Bay. The houses stand on stilts in the water. – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Walkway to a fishing village on the island of Tidore – Moluccas – 1990

View from Ternate, an island in the North Moluccas, of the 3 km wide, forested, conical stratovolcano Hiri, which rises steeply from the sea (630 m) – Moluccas – 1990

Fishing boat on the southern beach of Tidore, a circular volcanic island in the North Moluccas, historically known as an important spice island. – 1990

On the island of Ternate in the North Moluccas, a fisherman pulls his boat onto Sulamadaha beach. This island is historically known as one of the most important ‘spice islands’ and was once the world's only centre for clove cultivation. – 1990

Here is the fisherman's catch from the previous picture. These are fresh soldierfish (genus Myripristis). They are known for their bright red colour and very large eyes. They are often found in Asian fish markets. – Sulamadaha – Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

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

A boat carrying vegetables and fruit from the large island of Halmahera arrives at the port of Ternate. In the background on the right is the small island of Maitara and on the left is the island of Tidore, dominated by the 1,730-metre-high Keimatubu volcano. - Moluccas – 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

Small sailing boats are still used today in the Malay Archipelago for transport between islands. However, these vessels, which could date back to the days of the spice route, are increasingly being replaced by motor cutters or sailboats with auxiliary engines, which are faster and more reliable, especially on longer journeys. - Moluccas – 1990

Nutmeg originates from the Banda Islands and the northern Moluccas (the so-called ‘Spice Islands’) in what is now Indonesia. Botanically speaking, nutmeg is not a nut, but the seed of the peach-like fruit of the nutmeg tree. – 1990

A branch laden with fruit from a nutmeg tree on one of the Banda Islands in the Moluccas archipelago, home to this tree species belonging to the magnolia family. The nutmeg tree subsequently spread to Celebes (Sulawesi), Java, Sumatra, New Guinea, Malaysia (Penang Island and the Malacca region), Singapore, Bengal, the Antilles and Brazil. - 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

A handful of nutmegs – Banda Neira – Moluccas – 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

The kernels (in their hard shells) are dried in the sun or in drying houses for several weeks until the inner kernel (the actual nutmeg) rattles in the shell when shaken. The hard shell is carefully cracked open shortly before export or further processing to expose the nutmeg. – Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

Traditionally, whole nutmegs are often treated with lime (lime milk/calcium oxide) after harvesting to protect them from insect infestation, mould and fungi during the long drying process. This lime coating is whitish, non-toxic and is usually washed off before use or resale. – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

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

Whole nutmegs for export are usually packed in jute bags (double bags) in units of 25 kg to 50 kg. These provide good ventilation, which reduces the risk of mould. A common export grade is ABCD (mixture of different sizes). When stored correctly in cool, dry containers, the shelf life for export is approximately 18 to 24 months. – Ternate – 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

On the Moluccan island of Ternate, women sort peeled nutmegs according to size and quality. These are exported in sacks, as seen in the background. The nutmegs are often rolled in lime or dipped in a lime solution beforehand. This process is intended to protect them from pest infestation. – 1990

When dried nuts are shaken, you can hear the seed – the nutmeg – rattling inside the shell. The shell is 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. – Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

The small farmers of Ternate bring their harvest of dried and shelled nutmegs to the island's capital of the same name to sell to buyers. The nuts are weighed using simple running scales. The buyer acts as an intermediary between the export companies and the small producers. Unfortunately, the proceeds are not always commensurate with the effort involved. – 1990

The colourful market in Ternate offers fruit, vegetables and, of course, spices such as chilli peppers. – Moluccas – 1990

The colourful market in Ternate sells fruit, vegetables and, of course, spices such as chillies or ginger. – Moluccas – 1990

This girl in the market in Ambon is selling a packaged speciality – Moluccas – 1990

Dried fish is among the items on offer at the market in Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

The colourful market in Ternate sells fruit, vegetables and, of course, spices such as chillies or ginger. – Moluccas – 1990

In the Moluccas, carrying baskets on the head is a traditional and widespread method of transporting goods, crops or shopping. – Ambon – 1990

In the Moluccas, coconuts are traditionally transported using a carrying pole (a yoke, often called a pikulan locally). – Tidore – 1990

Coconut palm on Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

Selling coconuts at the market in Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

The colourful market in Ternate offers fruit, vegetables and, of course, spices such as chilli peppers. – Moluccas – 1990

The colourful market in Tidore offers fruit, vegetables and, of course, spices such as chilli peppers. – Moluccas – 1990

Pepper pods on sale at the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Fresh chilli peppers at the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Chilli peppers, garlic, onions, limes, tomatoes – Market in Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

The picture shows an elderly man on the island of Ambon wearing a traditional headdress known as a peci, songkok or kopiah. This type of cylindrical cap is commonly worn in Muslim cultures and is often elaborately embroidered. – Moluccas – 1990

This woman at the market in Ternate is selling a special fruit: Malay apples (scientific name: Syzygium malaccense), also known as water apples, rose apples or pomarrosa. They are rich in pectin and vitamins A, B3 and C. They are also low in calories and fat. The fruit grows on trees that can reach heights of up to 15 metres and are particularly common in tropical regions such as South America, Asia and the Caribbean. – Moluccas – 1990

Chilli peppers, onions, ginger, turmeric, lemon verbena – Ambon market – Moluccas – 1990

At the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), also known as yellow root, is a spice originating from South Asia that is valued for its intense yellow colour and the active ingredient curcumin. In modern nutrition and naturopathy, it is considered a ‘superfood’ due to its anti-inflammatory and digestive properties. – At the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices in the world and is obtained from the dried bark of cinnamon trees (genus Cinnamomum). It is particularly valued in cooking and natural medicine for its warm, sweet, woody aroma and its health-promoting properties. – Market in Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices in the world and is obtained from the dried bark of cinnamon trees (genus Cinnamomum). It is particularly valued in cooking and natural medicine for its warm, sweet, woody aroma and its health-promoting properties. – Market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Spice shop at the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Local woman on Lontar, also known as Banda Besar, the largest island of the Banda Islands in the Indonesian province of Maluku. The island is volcanic in origin, hilly (up to 536 m) and located in the central Banda Sea. – 1990

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

Portrait of a little girl on Banda – Moluccas – 1990

Boys in the village of Eri on the Moluccan island of Ambon, Indonesia. The village lies opposite Ambon Bay on the Timor Peninsula. They have rushed over from swimming to watch the photographer at work. Indonesians like to have their photographs taken, which is not the case with all peoples of the Far East. – 1990

This girl is also interested in the photographer's work – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

What is happening in this world? Child in Castela on the island of Ternate – (see New Year's card 2022) – Moluccas – 1990

Portrait of a local woman on the island of Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

Inflorescence of a clove tree on the Moluccan island of Ternate. The undivided leaves of this evergreen tree from the myrtle family, reminiscent of laurel, are opposite and up to ten centimetres long. They are covered with indentations or tissue cavities that contain a pleasantly scented essential oil. The actual clove is the flower bud. The small, hermaphroditic flowers form round berries two to three centimetres in diameter, which turn brownish-purple when ripe and contain one to two seeds. – Moluccas – 1990

Shortly before flowering, the buds or cloves are ready for harvesting. A five-year-old clove tree is about six to eight metres tall and strong enough for its first “harvest”. After picking the flower buds, the tree is left to rest for eighteen to twenty-four months before the next harvest. This cycle can be maintained until the tree dies or is felled. – Moluccas – 1990

A woman on the island of Ternate picking cloves. The buds are carefully removed one by one and then laid out to dry. This work is usually done in family businesses. Each week's harvest, a few kilos of dried cloves, is then delivered to the buyer in the city of Ternate, who pays for the goods in cash. However, as with most spices, the purchase price is modest. – Moluccas – 1990

On Ternate, freshly picked clove buds are immediately laid out on cloths or mats to dry. In the evening, they are taken indoors and then laid out in the sun again the next day. This drying process takes one to two weeks. In bad weather, the cloves can also be carefully dried over a small fire. They are then ready for sale. – Moluccas – 1990

Dried cloves rightly bear their French name “clou de girofle” (clove nail). The head of the nail, which is three to four millimetres in diameter and a beautiful dark brown colour, consists of tightly packed petals, while the stem, formed from the calyx, is ten to twelve millimetres long. During drying, cloves lose almost half their weight. The yield of a tree is approximately ten kilograms, rarely more. – Moluccas – 1990

Scene at the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Passing the time with a game of draughts at the market in Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Young woman with firewood - Ambon - Moluccas - 1990

In the Moluccas, a carrying pole (a yoke, often called a pikulan locally) is a traditional and widely used method of transporting goods, crops or purchases. – Lontar Island, also known as Banda Besar – Moluccas – 1990

Numerous fortifications built by the Portuguese and later by the Dutch can be found in the Moluccas archipelago, especially on the islands of Ternate and Banda (for example, the Belgica and Nassau forts). They bear witness to the bitter battles fought between the representatives of the two trading nations and soon also against the English. On the portal of Fort Nieuw Victoria, on the Timor peninsula in Ambon, the coat of arms of Amsterdam can be seen on the left. Under the gable crowned by a sailor is the name of the portal and below it the date of construction, 1775. At the bottom right is a depiction of three fish, above which is a coat of arms with four lions. – Ambon – 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

The island of Ternate is dominated by Gunung Gamalama, or Gamalama Volcano, which rises more than 1,700 metres above sea level. It is considered one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. The lava flow in the foreground is from an eruption in 1936 – Photo from 1990

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