Badung
The Center of Tourism
Ketut Suratni
Weaving Songkets
Within living memory,
Bali has been known for its potentials
in textiles. Even though it still implements
simple tools, the textile industry of
Bali has been well known nationally and
internationally.
By
using simple technology, the production
of cagcag weaving of Bali has existed
since hundreds of years. This tool is
later modified into non-mechanical weaving
machine (ATBM) producing the endek fabric.
Up to this time, the textile industry
of Bali is able to survive, although it
grows very slowly and their numbers are
limited. Numerous kinds of woven clothes
are produced, comprising the endek, bebali,
songket, cepuk, sudamala (checkered),
keling fabrics.
Although it is categorized into a rare
product, the traditional weavery of Bali
can be found widely at every nook and
cranny of the villages.
Take for instance the Ungasan village.
The village is located at the nearest
point to the Nusa Dua tourist object,
some 25 km from Denpasar City or some
8 km from the Ngurah Rai Bali International
Airport. Among the villagers, you can
encounter a craftswoman of traditional
weaving. Her name is Ni Ketut Suratni.
She stays rather far from the people’s
housing complex. Her profession as a weaver
has been undertaken since last 2000 and
she was trained by her elder sister, Ni
Nyoman Sudarmi.
The motif of the songket cloth made is
quite the same as that of Karangasem (Eastern
Bali) such as the floral, box, spiral
and bird of paradise motives. It’s
understandable that the skill of weaving
of her sister was learned from there.
A piece of songket cloth can be completed
within a month. "In the morning,
having completed my cooking activity in
the kitchen, I proceed to weave. Sometimes
I go on till midnight," says Suratmi.
Some of her works are exhibited at the
Textile Museum, at the department of Culture
of the Bali Province in Denpasar. Meanwhile,
some others are sold at the Ungasan Village.
While weaving in the evening, she is only
accompanied by the melodious voices of
birds and crickets. Her husband, Wayan
Sumarji, is a farming worker who cultivates
the land belonging to their neighbour.
Materials like thread for her weaving
activity, is purchased in Karangasem.
A piece of "songket" cloth is
sold at IDR 500,000. "I just do weaving
when I receive an order. I have to do
this as the materials are costly and the
orders are minimal today," she says
frankly.
Originally,
the weaving activity came in staple source
of earnings for her family. However, seeing
the lack of orders and rise of material’s
prices, weaving became a side job. Her
main job now is making Balinese cakes,
supplying the Hindu ritual needs such
as uli and begina. "Within the last
few months, I had to stop weaving. I just
focus now on making such Balinese cakes,"
she affirms.
Though her works have been widely enjoyed
by people, good fortune seems not take
side with her. Throughout the years busy
in weaving unique fabrics, she has never
received any funding or other assistance
from the government or any bank. "So,
if I rely on the job as a weaver, I think
it insufficient to earn a living for my
family. Therefore, I had no other choice
as to take another job." she says
disappointed.(BTN/015)
