Badung The Center of Tourism

Agung Muliawan’s Umbrellas

I Gusti Agung Muliawan (38) is a popular umbrella maker in Badung’s Mengwi village. He inherited his skill from his ancestors who started during the Japanese military occupation of 1942 -1945. He decided to leave his university studies in 1989 to establish a workshop in cooperation with his wife, I Gusti Agung Astitiari, in the village, known throughout Bali for its small-scale production of traditional umbrellas..

Muliawan’s family also founded a handicraft shop under the name of “Pengerajin Payung Adat Bali Taman Siwi” or “Taman Siwi Balinese Traditional Umbrella Handicraft” to sell their commodity in Banjar Munggu on the Denpasar – Singaraja highway at a point 13 km from Denpasar to the north, side by side with other shops also trading in traditional umbrellas According to Muliawan, most villagers devote their time solely in this handicraft production and earn enough money as professionals.
His great grandfather was an expert in making umbrellas and he went from village to village in the surrounding area to sell his work to gain money, besides exchanging in barter with other products such as rice, maize, and cassava. The father of two sons said he made umbrellas during his student period to assist his parents.
There are several divisions in the workshop as follows:
(1) Menur Division having to do with preparing the decoration of the top part of the umbrella made of wood 4x4 cm thick, followed by processing the log before painting or giving it a yellowish “prada” color;
(2) Division of preparing the umbrella skeleton made of bamboo, divided lengthwise according to the size of the circle radius of the skeleton;
(3) Division of making lines by means of a pencil to ease the process of making holes to let thread or wire through as a fastening means for the skeleton.
(4) The top frame of the umbrella binds the wooden radius of the circle by means of a “wall” thread.
(5) The cloth cover can be yellow, red, white, blue, multi-coloured, black or according to orders.
In general, there are three heights of umbrella, respectively 1, 2,5 and 3 meters.
Muliawan has recruited seven active assistants and six part-time workers. Workers receive a varied wage in accordance to the sort of job they respectively perform. For making “betaka”, it is Rp 300 per piece, preparing “menur” Rp 500 per piece, painting and polishing with yellowish material, known as “prade” ranges between Rp 300 to Rp 500 per piece of menur, painting of the umbrella handle complete with decoration Rp 1,000 per piece, and making the frame Rp 1,000 up to Rp 5,000 per piece depending on the size of the frame.
Muliawan’s shop, located at Jalan I Gusti Ketut Jelantik, No. 69 in Mengwi, also sells other traditional things such as “umbul-umbul”, “bandrang”, spears, and other temple decorations. Almost all Balinese depend regularly on this shop for commercial goods, mainly from market places of Badung, Tabanan, Sukawati (Gianyar Regency). A few retailers even come from shops in Denpasar. Orders also come from the tourist resorts of Nusa Dua, Kuta and Ubud.
The question of price depends on the quality and the size of the umbrella. The finer and the bigger the umbrella, the more expensive it is. The most expensive is that covered with velvet, “singapur” cloth, and decorated with “prade” cloth.
A satin-covered umbrella 50 cm – 75 cm, sells for Rp 25,000 – Rp 30,000 per piece, while those of 90 cm for Rp 27,500 per piece, 2m is sold for Rp 180,000 per piece. Two-tiered or 3-tiered umbrellas range from Rp 90,000 up to Rp 11,000 per piece. The cheapest umbrella is that covered with cloth such as calico. (Buda)

 

See Bali's Regencies : Badung : Agung Muliawan’s Umbrellas Gianyar :Ida Ayu Madri, The Mask Lady Bangli : Plaited Bamboo from Bangli Klungkung : Desa Tihingan Gong Craft Karangasem : Tabas Stone Artisans Buleleng : Hand Made Weaving from Buleleng Palace Jembrana : Weavers at Work Tabanan : Ketut Carma’s Success at Last Denpasar : Sukanta’s Fan Shop