Back to prehistoric times with Indonesia's bushmeat market

The Tomohon Market is located on a volcanic plateau in the northern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is home to the Minahasa tribe, who sell meat. Although they no longer live in the forests, the Minahasa still eat the same meat their ancestors did 6,000 years ago, including wild boar, snakes, and bats.

In the Minahasa meat market, you will see stalls full of roasted dogs and bats. At Easter, there will be monkey and turtle meat in the market. The Minahasa eat them like westerners eat turkey at Christmas.

Today, the Minahasa are almost entirely Christian. During the 19th century, Dutch colonists abolished many of the tribe's rituals, such as headhunting and sacrifice. In 1857, as many as 10,000 Minahasa converted to Christianity in a single day.

Despite this, many aspects of the tribe's ancient culture have not been lost. Statues of leaders with magical powers still appear in the churches of Tomohon town. Although magic is forbidden, Minahasa witches still use animals for clandestine sacrifices in secret caves.

Minahasa people have strict rules on their diet. They do not eat dogs in their own region. Dog catchers go to neighboring areas to poach them at night. According to a vendor at Tomohon market, more than 35 years ago, the meat of the rare kuskus (nocturnal marsupial found only in Sulawesi) was sold here. However, under strong government intervention, this trade has now disappeared.

The most unique meat dishes at Tomohon Market are prepared at home, not in restaurants. Python is seasoned like chicken but costs twice as much. Minahasa dog is often served with galangal, chili, garlic, shallots, and many other spices. Minahasa cooks often leave the bones and meat intact. Bat meat, cut into small pieces with its shiny black rubbery skin and rich fat, is cooked in a fragrant curry.

The secret to Minahasa food's fame is its seasonings, which have been hand-made for generations. All Minahasa sauces start with basic ingredients such as chili, salt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, etc. Some dishes, such as leilem babi daun (pork with leilem leaves), have a unique flavor that can only be found in Minahasa.

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