Gianyar, Regency

Belega Village Bamboo Handicrafts

Desa Belega of Blahbatuh Sub-District, located about five km from Gianyar City, 25 km to the east of Denpasar has often represented Gianyar Regency in the exhibition during ‘PKB’ - Bali’s Art Festival - due to the craftsmanship its people inherited from their ancestors in producing bamboo handicrafts.

Since 1975, this inherited skill has developed in great strides, resulting in its diversification of works and product export in 1985. There has been a transition from a limited production of kukusan rice cooking implements and simple bamboo chairs towards making cupboards, sofa sets, TV tables, park torches and wall lamps.
I Wayan Jaman Artika (34) is one of Belega’s craftsmen and started his activity during his childhood under apprenticeship. He then plunged courageously into the production of bamboo handicrafts by setting up his own business under the name of Puri Bambu in 1994. Bangli’s villages of Susut and Tembuku have been a source of bamboo for the production.
There is a procedure to follow in making decorations for lamps. First the raw material cleaned with water and dried in the sun weeks. It is then cut in line with the goods to be produced and the consumer’s order. Further stages are plaiting the material and keeping it immersing it in kerosene and other anti-insecticides. The last refining job is polishing and drying with a hairdryer before market sale.
One simple park torch takes five days to make and tourists spend Rp 450,000 to buy it. Such a commodity is on sale for Rp 250,000 in the local, traditional market place. Prepared during the same time, a wall lamp is sold for Rp 150,000 to tourists or Rp 75,000 in the local market.
Artika’s products go to markets in Jakarta, Japan, France, and Australia. Marketing in Jakarta of Artika’s products by a businessman is equal to an indirect exhibition under the name of ‘Puri Bambu’. Artika himself has attained many appreciative awards during participation in various exhibitions throughout Indonesia. However, the October 2002 Bali Bomb Tragedy, the Iraqi War, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and Indonesia’s Aceh Affairs have caused a slowing down of sales. Nevertheless, he expects many consumers will be eager to come to buy his works through the exhibition. (BTN/033)