UNAIR NEWS – Who does not know kucur or cucur. The sweet snack made of rice and wheat flour is a traditional snack from Jambesari Village, Banyuwangi. It is a must-have gift for visiting tourists. Although this snack is quite easy to find, as one of the iconic culinary treat of Banyuwangi, kucur is not as popular as before due to various new and modern food products.
Some UNAIR students who are members of BV 59 KKN (Community Service Program) Team in Jambesari Village made efforts to improve and empower the potential of local food products, especially kucur as Jambesari’s special food. Together with Misadi, the Head of Jambesari Village and village officials, KKN BV team then discussed the efforts to develop village potential and improve the economy of local community. Misadi said that currently the economic level of Jambesari village is still relatively low.
He explained that the Village Government had actually planned to improve the economy of the community through a traditional culinary bazaar. However, the plan remained only a plan that has not been realized yet. Some of the obstacles are lack of motivation and participation of local community. So Misadi gave a mandate to the KKN BV team to realize the bazaar event.
The KKN BV team consisted of five UNAIR students from Banyuwangi and five students from outside Banyuwangi made an approach to the residents by providing counseling on entrepreneurship motivation. This was done to motivate Jambesari people, especially mothers who did not work so they could develop skills and earn income.
The Community Service Team also provided training and additional information on the innovation of kucur. The Jambesari community is expected to be able to develop and preserve kucur as a local food product that is more interesting and not outdated, such as making variations of kucur with various flavors such as greentea, chocolate, durian, dragon fruit and so on. It succeeded in increasing the enthusiasm of Jambesari mothers to participate in the bazaar held on Sunday, Jan. 20.
The bazaar, named Kucur Sewu or Thousand Kucur, is a bazaar which is planned to be held every Sunday night in Jambesari Village. Not only kucur, along the streets of Dusun Delik I, huts or stands lined up selling various kinds of traditional Jambesari snacks. Visitors can enjoy the village atmosphere at night accompanied by traditional Banyuwangi music. Interestingly, the sellers who sold kucur at the bazaar also wore Osing traditional clothing, the black kebaya with special Banyuwangi batik fabrics.
“It was an extraordinary opportunity for us UNAIR KKN students, who happened to choose Back to Village Community Service in Jambesari Village. We were given the mandate to make Kucur Sewu Bazaar a success. Because actually this village has a lot of potential, both in terms of culture and tourism, “said Rino Saputra as Leader of Jambesari KKN BV team.
He hoped that from the success of Kucur Sewu Bazaar program in the first week, it can motivate other Jambesari Village people to develop their potential. So that in the future the Jambesari Village community can be independent and empowered.
Author: Zanna Afia Deswari
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
