Badung The Center of Tourism

Suparta
A Farmer Who Makes Accessories

I Ketut Suparta (35), from Blahkiuh Village, Abiansemal Sub-Regency (Badung Regency), was a graduate of SPG Senior High School for Teacher Training. However, he decided to go into two quite different professions - silver smith and rice farmer. His profession as a smith has really been really an additional job to farming in order to earn enough money to support his household budget, especially following the Indonesian economic crisis which has swept Bali, currently also affected by the Black October (2002)

Badung’s official ‘Deperindag’ (Department of Industry and Commerce) has prepared him to join the silver smith industry, which sometimes gives him more earnings than his farming profession on his own land inherited from his ancestor. He has helped other members of his community by introducing them to the skill too and some of these trained people have worked in his smith enterprise, producing ornamental objects such rings, bracelets and earrings.
Suparta, who is married to Ni Made Senin and has two sons, at present employs four family-related workers in a company he has established to make accessories to order. Customers come directly to his home bringing their own raw silver. ‘It is better if consumers bring the material to me due to the material’s extremely high price in the market and it’s limited supply.’
He himself stores reserves of silver at home to serve consumers who do not have their own raw material. Customers tend to order jewelry of local design known among Balinese as bun-bunan, which is made of silver threads. Other Balinese designs take the forms of ‘bun cakra waka’ or ‘manuk dewata’ combined with ‘jawan’, a simple motif, said Suparta who is also head of Banjar Beneh Kawan in his village. He noted that most orders come from owners of art shops located in Celuk Village, Sukawati Sub-Regency, Gianyar Regency.
Suparta also takers orders from silver art shops in the Mambal area, Badung Regency. On average, he receives payment of Rp 8,000 per piece for accessories, while the payment for a finished an earring is Rp 4,000 per piece. For necklaces and bracelets, the per-piece payment is Rp 15,000. Suparta pointed out that orders from Badung Regency differ a little from those from Celuk art shop owners.
Orders coming from Celuk include cast objects combined with wood to produce articles such as ashtrays, vases, fountain pens and kitchen utensils. “My task has been to ornament the silver-made parts of the products,” Suparta added. ( Arsa)

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