Klungkung, Ancient Kingdoms

Gelgel Village as the Centre of Genuine "Songket" Fabric

Gelgel Village is one of the villages situated in Klungkung Regency. It is some 4 km south of Semarapura (Klungkung) city. Since 1998, the Regional Government of Klungkung has named Gelgel Village as a tourist object.

What is the uniqueness of Gelgel Village? It’s no other than its songket woven cloth. This weaving craft has existed since 1920s. This is stated by Ni Ketut Mami, a craftswoman of songket woven cloth from Jerokapal hamlet, Gelgel Village. Mami has been involved in weaving songket cloth since she was 20 years old.
Songket cloth of Bali is used as costume in customary and religious ceremonies, such as wedding and toot filing. Songket cloth, either in the form of kamben, headdress, saput and sash produced at Gelgel Village utilizes a traditional weaving tool popularly known as cagcag. The name of cagcag is probably the onomatopoeia of the weaving tools sounding cag-cag. This sound is heard when a weaver tightens the spinning thread with wooden blade (made from coconut trunk).
In terms of its name, the songket cloth of Gelgel Village is the most renowned amongst others existing in Klungkung Regency. The songket cloth of Gelgel Village has the best quality and its genuineness is guaranteed. Because the threads woven to produce pieces of songket fabric uses Mastuli silk thread of which size is the smallest. This thread and other accessories are purchased at thread shops in Semarapura city. "At other places, most craftsmen make use of thread belonging to second quality and having a larger size," utters the woman who was born in 1947.
Also added, if using genuine thread, the process of the making will take longer time. As a consequence, the price of genuine songket cloth is more expensive. When scaling, the weight of genuine of songket cloth is heavier. AA Biyang Mayun, a songket cloth weaver from Gelgel Village, confirms the argument of Mami.
To a great degree, the songket cloth weavers existing at Gelgel Village are deeply involved by household mothers. By the woven Mastuli silk thread and using cag-cag weaving tool combined with golden and silver thread eventually produces distinctive motifs of songket cloth.
By nature, this motif is divided into two, namely overall and frame motif. Colour of this cloth varies as well, ranging from pink, scarlet, blue, violet, green and black. In terms of consumer’s demand, the most favourite is the motif of square combined with green, yellow and red. (BTN/033)
Having completed the space allocation, it’s followed by incising the painting motif. One set of lontar along with its bamboo cover is finalized within two days. Completion process will also depend very much on the storyline made. For instance, a painting of Balinese calendar, which contains 12 pieces, is completed within 3-4 days.
When the incision process is completed, it is resumed with black colouring by pangi fruit. It is performed by rubbing out the motif resulted by incision. This rubbing process will bring out the motif made into view. Later, Madra arranges those pieces of lontar in accordance with its hierarchical storyline and then sewn by sewing machine. Bamboo cover of the lontar set is embellished with attractive ornament.
Works of Mandra are immensely favoured by foreign tourists as they look like antique articles. Tourists from America, France, Japan and European countries frequently visit his art shop and purchase his entire stock for souvenir. His lontar works are sold at the average price worth IDR 300,000. Have any interest in this painting? If you do, rush to make a visit to Kamasan Village.(BTN/033)