Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – A mother waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – Dince (60 years) waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – Chili sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, 16 February 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – Dince (60 years) waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – A mother waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – A mother waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – Dince (60 years) waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents.. (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – Dince (60 years) waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – Dince (60 years) waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (February 16, 2019) – A mother waits for her garden chili which is sold on the Trans Palu-Kulawi road in Salua Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Saturday, February 16, 2019. Most of the plants the farm sold on the roadside is the agricultural product of local residents who are household scale. They sell it to increase family income which is less after the earthquake.More than 40,000 people lost their jobs due to the earthquake that struck the region on September 28, 2018, including the destruction of plantation areas that were the source of livelihoods for local residents. . (Photo by Basri Marzuki/bmzIMAGES)
IBU Dince sibuk menuang cabainya ke dalam literan di atas meja kayu di pondok jualannya. Ia harus mengisi kembali literan itu, karena baru saja seorang pelintas membeli seliter untuk dibawa ke Palu. Seliter cabai atau rica itu dijual seharga Rp 20.000,-.
Menjual cabai atau rica bagi ibu Dince adalah pekerjaan yang dilakoninya sejak beberapa tahun lalu. Namun ia mengaku, berjualan seperti itu tidak setiap hari dilakukan, hanya pada waktu-waktu tertentu, terutama jika ada hasil kebun yang bisa dijual lagi.
Perempuan 60 tahun itu menjual hasil kebunnya di pinggir jalan Trans Palu-Kulawi, Desa Salua. Letaknya tidak jauh dari Gapura perbatasan Kecamatan Gumbasa-Kulawi, Kabupaten Sigi, tepat sebelum tikungan menanjak bekas longsoran.
Ia tidak sendiri menjual di tempat itu, melainkan beberapa orang yang kesemuanya adalah ibu-ibu. Bangunan tempat menjualnya sangat sederhana, terbuat dari potongan-potongan kayu dengan atap dari bahan daun rumbia.
Selain menjual rica, ada pula buah manggis dan langsat.
“Kalau manggis dan langsat dijual kalau lagi musim, tapi kalau tidak musim, cuma rica saja,” sebut ibu Dince.
Semua buah yang dijual itu adalah hasil dari kebunnya sendiri.
Belakangan, intensitas menjual di tempat yang sejuk dengan pepohonan rindang nan sejuk itu semakin intens dilakukan. Katanya, itu dilakukan sejak gempa 28 September 2018 lalu.
“Rumah kami juga rusak, tapi masih bisa diperbaiki, tapi yang rusak berat itu kebun coklat. Banyak pohon coklat yang mati karena tanahnya bergerak dan terangkat,” akunya.
Awalnya ia sempat mengungsi ke lapangan di desanya ketika goncangan bermagnitude 7,4 SR itu. Namun hanya beberapa hari kemudian ia bersama keluarganya memutuskan untuk kembali ke rumahnya dengan tentu saja lebih dulu memperbaiki bagian-bagian yang rusak.
Sebelumnya, ia bersama sang suami lebih banyak menghabiskan waktu di kebun coklat itu. Namun sejak bencana itu melanda, tidak banyak lagi yang bisa diharapkan dari pohon-pohon coklat yang satu per satu mati dan mengering itu.
“Makanya sekarang kami lebih banyak jualan di sini, beruntung masih ada kebun rica dan beberapa pohon buah lainnya yang tidak rusak sehingga bisa kami menjualnya. Kalau tidak begitu, mau makan dari mana kami,” ujarnya lirih.
Menurutnya, berjualan di tempat itu sedikit banyaknya bisa membantu mengebulkan asap dapurnya. Paling tidak katanya, dari hasil jualan itu ada yang bisa dibelanjakan untuk kebutuhan pangan lainnya seperti beras, atau gula.
“Lumayanlah, kan selalu ada orang yang lewat dan berhenti di sini,” ujarnya.
Meski tekanan hidup terus menderanya, namun sedikit pun ibu Dince tidak memperlihatkan kerisauan mendalam atas kondisi itu. Di tengah hilir mudiknya kendaraan di jalur yang kerap longsor itu, ia tetap menancapkan optimsme dalam dirinya.
Dengan senyum ramahnya ia selalu menyapa para pelintas yang mampir di tempatnya.
Optimis Menjalani Hidup dengan Jualan Hasil Kebun Sendiri IBU Dince sibuk menuang cabainya ke dalam literan di atas meja kayu di pondok jualannya. Ia harus mengisi kembali literan itu, karena baru saja seorang pelintas membeli seliter untuk dibawa ke Palu.