By Marlynda Meraw
KUCHING, Jun 21: In a land surrounded by plants, defined by nature, it is only natural that livelihood is centred around flora, and with it, the traditional knowledge carried for generations by Sarawak’s indigenous communities.
One of the most prominent outcomes of these traditions is LitSara®, a brand developed from the essential oils of the Litsea Cubeba plant—locally known as ‘pahkak’ to the Bidayuh and ‘tenem’ to the Kelabit and Lun Bawang.
This plant is more than just an aromatic resource, it is a symbol of how native wisdom and scientific research can co-exist and empower.
Behind this initiative is the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), a government agency under the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD). SBC had documented over 7,000 plant species across Sarawak, and played a critical role in making sure any new discoveries, especially those informed by traditional indigenous knowledge, translated into benefits for the communities themselves.
Administrative officer Asha Devi Kaushal shared that to achieve this, SBC worked closely with six indigenous communities across Sarawak, namely the Bidayuh from Kampung Kiding, the Kelabit from Pa’Lungan and Pa’Ukat, and the Lun Bawang from Long Kerebangan, Long Telingan, and Long Rasu.
Through these collaborations, SBC gathered a compendium of flora used in traditional practices, along with their stories and medicinal or cultural significance.
SBC was mandated to work side by side with these communities, not only to document how they had utilised biodiversity over centuries, but also to explore the biotechnological potential of these plants.
With community consent, SBC would take samples of selected plants and analyse their compounds to see if anything novel or beneficial could be derived. Litsea Cubeba was one of the standout examples.
According to Asha, the plant produced an “interesting essential oil yield,” with oil extracted from its leaves containing more eucalyptol, while its fruit oil had a higher citronella content.
“Of course, Litsea Cubeba can be found elsewhere. But what’s interesting is that we found the chemical profile in the trees, in the oil derived from the trees here, different from what is found elsewhere.
“We found that our trees have very good oil, very low in allergens,” said Asha.
These unique chemical traits helped secure intellectual property rights linked to geographical indication, establishing that the superior quality oil came specifically from Sarawak.
“So the Litsea Cubeba found in Sarawak is known as Litsara. Sara for Sarawak,” she explained.
More than a product, LitSara® represents a new approach to innovation, one that values local knowledge, protects indigenous rights, and provides sustainable economic opportunities back to the people who have long nurtured this land. –DayakDaily
