Buleleng Northern Lights

Metal Crafts at Sari Mekar, Buleleng

In the order of the Balinese community, blacksmiths perform a significant profession. This work is deeply involved by those belonging to pande (blacksmith) clan, so becoming a blacksmith in Bali is dominantly cause by heredity factor. They do not only make products of iron but also of other metals like brass, copper, gold, silver and so on.

One of metal craftsmen village in Buleleng is Sari Mekar Village, Sukasada namely 10 km south of Singaraja city. One hundred people of the villagers deeply involve in this blacksmith work whereas they do not belong to blacksmith clan.
I Ketut Sadia (36) is the first villager who was interested to get involved in this work. His father is a farmer. This profession comes to his mind as the impact of tourism where many tourists look for souvenirs made of metal.
In 1983, Ketut Sadia travelled to Beratan Village, 3 km from his village. He learned to make Hinduritual paraphernalia like bokor, dulang, saab, sangku and so forth of metal. Being unsatisfied with his skill to make these paraphernalia he decided to go to Celuk, Sukawati Gianyar. There, he learned how to make personal ornaments like ring, bracelet, necklace of gold and silver.
Having accomplished in this learning, he went back to his home village and taught his friends to engage them in this metalwork. In 1994, the metalwork business got down to develop at Sari Mekar Village. Some of his friends turn self-contained, then they established new group. Accordingly, there are more and more people in his village who work in this craft business.
Now, Ketut Sadia employs 15craftsmen at his workshop. They are divided into three divisions, namely six craftsmen are assigned to make pattern, other six to carve and the remaining three to do finishing. Pattern maker and carver are men, while women specially assigned on finishing. They were paid based on contract work system, namely IDR 30,000 per piece of brass that they complete. A day, they get earnings ranging from IDR 30,000 to IDR 50,000.
Goods produced by Ketut Sadia such as ritual paraphernalia (bokor, saab and dulang) made of brass. In addition, he also makes personal ornaments (ring, bracelet, necklace and wall decoration) of silver.
Raw materials (brass) are obtained from shops of building materials in Singaraja city, while silver is purchased at Beratan Village or Denpasar. His products are marketed in Buleleng and art shops in Bangli, Gianyar and Denpasar.
Again and again, Ketut Sadia feels unsatisfied. In 1988, he went to Yogyakarta learning about the technique of metal casting at BatikResearch Centre in Yogyakarta for two weeks. Then, Department of Industry and Commerce of Buleleng sent him to improve his knowledge on metal casting technique at Juwana (East Java). His obsession is to develop metal casting technique in Bali, especially in Buleleng, since through this technique he can make metal ornaments quickly and in a large number. "My obsession has not come true yet due to financial obstacle," he says to Bali Travel News. (BTN/Ketut Supir)