Day or night is almost the same at Ijen crater. Alternatively, the sulfur or brimstone miners keep carrying out their works. The smelly sulfur seems to stimulate them since their lives depend on it. Their working hour is timeless. It depends on their capability in doing their works. “It is indeterminate. Some people start early in the morning then go home by daylight. While others work at night, they spend their night at Pos Bundar (name of the first post to weigh their load on the weighing scale, located on the mountain slope),” said Suhairi, one of the load bearers (the one who carries the sulfur on their shoulder).

The sulfur mining at Ijen crater is under management of PT Candi Ngrimbi and under supervision of the State Agencies of Mining and Forestry. Mount Ijen is situated in Situbondo regency, East Java, in the east side of Situbondo borders on Banyuwangi regency. It is about 50 kms or 2-hour drive from Situbondo.

Ijen crater lies at 2,386 meters above sea level with 175 meters in depth and 1 km2 large. It is included in the category of the biggest crater in the world. The water in Ijen crater has a high degree of acidity that is able to dissolve clothes and damage our skin when we touch it. Moreover, the sulfur vapor can obstruct our respiration. However, for the sulfur workers, it has already become part of their lives. They used to breathe the sulfuric vapor while bearing burden on their shoulder. They have to walk for about 3 kms or two hours from the crater to Paltuding (the last post for tourists to ascend the mountain pass).

Before the last load-weighing at Paltuding where the sulfur then carried by truck and brought to the factory, they must stop at Pos Bundar for the first load-weighing. A supervisor will place a seal on when the weighing is done. The frequency of shouldering the (sulfur) load is averagely two or four times a day with the weight of 70 to 80 kgs respectively. “Some load bearers are able to carry 100 kgs. But of course they are still young and powerful, not like us,” said Hadi (31), who has worked since 16 years ago when the wage was still Rp 60 per kg.

Nowadays he gets Rp 600/kg. If they afford to shoulder three loads a day with the weight of 70 kgs per load, then they will earn Rp 126.000 a day. It is bigger than being a farmer earning only Rp 30.000 or Rp 60.000 a day. “It’s more than enough to buy a motorcycle on credit,” said Hadi. The most difficult zone for the workers is when they climb up the edge of the crater from the bottom. They have to pass such a steep road that covered with rocks. They could hardly walk and breathe fast with tens of kilograms on their shoulder.

It is a fact that being a sulfur load-bearer is profitable, but it is equal with their risks and difficulties. Once, Jafier, a French tourist, expressed his admiration for their ability, which according to him was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. The efforts to free themselves from poverty are very touching. They live courageously as if they have a thousand lives.
In every step they make they put their life on the line. It is just for the sake of a better life, for the sake of freeing themselves from a chain of difficulties.