8/22/2019 Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Borneo's Rainforest - Butterkicap (http://www.butterkic Search Indigenous Food and Knowledge:Butterkicap The Healing Power of Bor… (http://www.butterkic Search 0 s (http://www.butterkicap.com) 0 s World Class Homeopathy Consultation and management for all acute illnesses Advanced Homeo Clinic OPEN Tired of Site Data Loss? Easily Retrieve Any Files, Folders or Databases with Namecheap's New AutoBackup Tool. Namecheap Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Borneo’s Rainforest by Shiuh Wei (http://www.butterkicap.com/author/shiuh-wei) 1 month ago (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php? (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet? (http://plus.google.com/share?(http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?(https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share? (http://www.butterkicap.com/food u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.butterkicap.com%2Ffood-0 text=Indigenous+Food+and+Knowledge%3A+The+Healing+Pow0 url=http://www.butterkicap.com/food-0 url=http://www.butterkicap.com/food-0 url=http://www.butterkicap.com/food-0 journeys/indigenous- journeys%2Findigenous-journeys%2Findigenous-journeys/indigenous-journeys/indigenous-journeys/indigenous-food- Clearing immigration at the airport, new arrivals are greeted with largefood- indigenousfood- food- woodenfood- carvingsfood- on and-the walls and state travel and- and- and- and- and- knowledge- tourism posters. Welcome to Mulu, UNESCO’s world heritage site. Drivingknowledge- downknowledge- theknowledge- roadknowledge- on a visitknowledge- to Ayusthe- Wellness, Sarawak’s new the- the- the- the- the- healing- wellness experience centre located at the Mulu Marriot, it’s clear thathealing- nature-tourismhealing-healing- is ahealing- key industryhealing- power-here: ancient rainforests and power- power- power-power-power- of- unexplored caves spread across the land. of- of- of- of- of- borneos- borneos-borneos-borneos-borneos-borneos-rainforest) rainforest)rainforest&via=anteksiler)rainforest)rainforest&media=http://www.butterkicap.com/wrainforest) content/uploads/2019/07/Ishmael.- Ayus- http://www.butterkicap.com/food-journeys/indigenous-food-and-knowledge-the-healing-power-of-borneos-rainforestWellness.jpg&description=Indigenous+Food+and1/24 This8/22/2019 is the landscape from which Ayus WellnessIndigenous Foodat Mulu and Knowledge:Marriot appears, The Healing the Power timber of Borneo's structure Rainforest rising - Butterkicapgrandly by the riverside of (http://www.butterkic Search Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Bor… Sungai Melinau Paku, cocooned by the lush tropical jungle. The setting is no surprise as the owner of the Mulu Marriot, Dato’ Robert0 s Geneid had previously worked as a civil engineer for several property developments projects. It was in late 2017, though, that he met Harvard-trained public health specialist, Professor Gerard Bodeker and found that they shared common ideologies in wellness, nature, as well as indigenous culture. It was the beginning of a strong partnership that led to the establishment of Ayus Wellness (http://ayuswellness.com/), a unique centre that offers healing journeys drawing on Borneo’s indigenous knowledge of nature, nutrition and healing. New Healthy Savings at iHerb Surrounded by the wilderness. Image courtesy of Ayus Wellness and Mulu Marriot. Kuih with a View Entering the grounds of Ayus Wellness at Mulu Marriot feels like an adventure. Our driver drove in reverse onto a steel bridge that connected us to the hotel. We saw boats, neighbouring wooden buildings on stilts by the riverside and bats skirting the surface of the river. When we arrived, co-founders Dato’ Robert and Professor Bodeker along with their team were waiting to welcome us. Bag handlers unloaded our luggage. We were guided to the great hall for a briefing. It was almost tea time and staffers dished out some of the region’s greatest delicacies: kek lapis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarawak_layer_cake), kuih cincin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincin), kuih jala (https://images.app.goo.gl/bQk4Gc7x8u4rhMtN7), kuih pisang (https://images.app.goo.gl/eyLQmsrDjvVyodsr9), kelupis (https://images.app.goo.gl/sDPbBhcxnSGC8vh79) paired with a selection of fresh fruit juices and organic tea. The service was overwhelming but the food was delicious and it comes out at lightning speed. We were told that there are no processed foods or sugar. All meals are made from scratch with only the freshest ingredients. http://www.butterkicap.com/food-journeys/indigenous-food-and-knowledge-the-healing-power-of-borneos-rainforest 2/24 8/22/2019 Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Borneo's Rainforest - Butterkicap (http://www.butterkic Search Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Bor… 0 s Kuih (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuih) was also served in our rooms. From right to left: kelupis wrapped in leaves, kuih pisang cut into squares, crispy kuih jala, homemade oatmeal cookies and round crunchy kuih cincin. World Class Homeopathy Advanced Homeo Clinic Consultation and management for all acute illnesses OPEN “Nature is the best healer,” began Dato’ Robert “This building is designed to treat people well in terms of light, fresh air, space and natural materials. It offers spaces that bring the inside and outside together. It is built like a Sarawakian longhouse so there are plenty of communal spaces. ” There is something visionary about the CEO and Ayus Wellness co-founder “…the experience of wonder in a primal rainforest setting is in itself transforming. We want to bring the wilderness into wellness experiences, and wellness journeys into the wilderness.” Dato’ Robert at his welcoming speech. Image courtesy of Ayus Wellness. http://www.butterkicap.com/food-journeys/indigenous-food-and-knowledge-the-healing-power-of-borneos-rainforest 3/24 It 8/22/2019was easy to see what he meant. ThereIndigenous are no walls Food andin theKnowledge: great hall,The Healing and we Power were of Borneo'ssurrounded Rainforest by nature.- Butterkicap Butterflies, moths and (http://www.butterkic Search Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Bor… birds can fly into the hall with ease. We felt lucky to be enjoying our kuih with the open-air breeze and views overlooking the 0 s surrounding rainforest. Natural materials including timber are mounted generously all around the hotel, from the beams supporting the roof of the light-flooded great hall to the warm wooden cladding of the gym room. The structure is built on wooden stilts, allowing the jungle flora and fauna to flourish underneath without much interruption. Combined with copious amounts of glass there is lightness and fluidity to communal spaces and a tangible connectedness to nature. A New Generation of Malaysian Borneo Food The dining area. Image courtesy of Ayus Wellness and Mulu Marriot. The heart of the hotel is a large dining area. Its atmosphere fits the Sarawakian inspired ambience to a tee. At its entrance, a collection of Sarawakian wooden carvings and flowers greet guests, while the inner sanctum has a buffet-style spread of vegetarian, organic, local and international varieties. We talked to Ayus Wellness co-founder, Professor Bodeker about the menu. “Regarding the food, we wanted to do a new generation of Malaysian Borneo food that wasn’t just a reiteration of vegetarian and vegan food around the world, all of which is delicious and innovative but with a lot of similarities. We felt that we are in Borneo, Malaysia, an ancient tropical rainforest with indigenous people who have their own knowledge, practices and understanding about local herbs, and we should attend to that,” explained Professor Bodeker. The menu consisted of fresh seasonal fruit, vegetables, roots, rice and medicinal herbs, from local ulam to bamboo shoots, all whipped into a variety of vegetarian dishes by their talented chefs. On the table stands, labels spell out local foods ranging from Sambal Terung Dayak, Paku Pakis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern), Sate Lilit, Rebung Masak Lemak, Nasi Lemak, Sayur Kari and Nasi Bario. Western vegetarian options like pasta, lasagna and baked potatoes were also available for those who want a different variety. Servers from Sarawak’s different ethnic communities race between the tables at the dining area and the shaded patio, where the melody of the sape (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapeh) played quietly in the background. http://www.butterkicap.com/food-journeys/indigenous-food-and-knowledge-the-healing-power-of-borneos-rainforest 4/24 8/22/2019 Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Borneo's Rainforest - Butterkicap (http://www.butterkic Search Indigenous Food and Knowledge: The Healing Power of Bor… 0 s Freshly made Sayur Kari for those who enjoy curry. Image courtesy of Ayus Wellness. What if someone wants to have meat in their diet? “We do have non-vegetarian options,” added Professor Bodeker with a smile. “We certainly don’t want to force our guests to adhere to a vegetarian diet.” At the salad bar, a rattan tray holds a fresh selection of ulam (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulam_(salad)), a traditional Malay herbal salad. Ulam has been extensively studied by Professor Bodeker and his colleagues for its powerful healing properties. “This is a fresh living medicine, it is herbal medicine that is taken as a salad. When you look at it nutritionally and pharmacologically, it makes lettuce and tomato look like blotting paper, you know… nothing,” he said. Part of the Ayus Wellness appeal is the energetic staff that reflect the area’s welcoming characteristics. Fresh-faced Bibi, who serves the guests at the dining area, lives near the hotel. This young lady joined the organization without any prior experience – but feels that she has landed firmly on both feet. “The community in Mulu is friendly, I think that’s what makes this so welcoming for our guests,” said Bibi while putting the final touches to the Ayus Wellness’ signature drink: the Pegaga Shot. Pegaga’s powerful medicinal properties served in glasses. Image courtesy of Ayus Wellness.