Salt of the earth, By Sophia Rowena

Recently, during Arkitrek’s retreat/team building exercise in Pulau Maliangin all of us were given a topic; “What Arkitrek means to me”. Before the trip, I pondered “what Arkitrek means to me,” and then a story popped up into my mind, a story about the importance of salt that I had read long ago.

The story is about a king who had 3 daughters. On the day of his birthday he asked each of them how much they loved him. The eldest daughter said “I love you like sugar” and the king were pleased.

The second daughter said “I love you like honey” and this also pleased the king. Then it was the youngest daughter’s turn. She said; “My dearest father, I love you like salt”. The king was furious with this reply and banished his youngest daughter from the palace.

The youngest found shelter at an inn where she worked as an apprentice cook. Years passed and the youngest daughter became a well-established cook; her cooking is well known throughout the kingdom.

It happened that the king’s eldest daughter was to be married and the youngest daughter was commissioned to cook for the royal reception at the palace. The wedding reception came and the youngest daughter informed her cooks not to add any salt to king’s favourite dish.

The time came when the food was served and the king takes the first taste of his favourite dish. The king immediately spat out the food. He yelled for the cook to be brought before him and he asked; “Why does my favourite food have no taste”? The daughter replied “My king, forgive me but long ago you said that salt is not important and salt is only for peasants”. With that reply, the king realised that this was his daughter whom he had banished from the palace long ago. The king was overwhelmed with joy and quickly embraced his daughter welcoming her back. So the story has a happy ending, the king is reunited with his long lost daughter and also celebrating his eldest daughter’s wedding. And they lived happily ever after.

In my mind the idea of salt is the staff behind Arkitrek. Our value, or worth, is as important as salt.

The point is; we, Arkitrekkers are like salt. Although salt may appear simple and often be overlooked, without salt food is tasteless. The same is true with the human value or as I put it “the salt the earth” in Arkitrek. Each of us have the potential and value which makes Arkitrek what it is today. Let “the salt of the earth” take Arkitrek further into the future.