Nipah Palm - salt

Historically, in the interior of areas inhabited by the Iban, Kayan, Kenyah and Kelabit community, sea salt was not readily available. During the Japanese Occupation, there were stories of these people paddling their boats for a month to obtain salt from the coastline settlers.

Traditionally, nipah leaves were the only source of salt. The Malay people who lived along the coastlines and lower river tributaries made nipah salt and brought it to the Ibans for example, in exchange for Iban crafts and ilipenut oil. The salt was used to preserve, conserve and ferment foods in the time before refrigeration. 

Today, nipah salt is still found for sale in the local community markets of smaller towns. It is usually packed and wrapped up in dried nipah leaves in packets of half a kilogram. However, the availability of modern salt and other cheap processed salts has threatened the production of nipah salt. 

The modern salt is readily available and convenient to use, and fewer young people are willing to go through the process of gathering and transforming nipah leaves. Therefore, knowledge of how to make and use this traditional product is gradually disappearing from the people of the area.