Klungkung, Ancient Kingdoms

Banana Sheath Handicraft at Satra Village
Favoured Due to its Uniqueness and Classic Style

Satra Village, Klungkung is known as the village of kupas or banana sheath craftsmen. Kupas is the outermost layer of a banana trunk that has been dried under the sunlight for 5-7 days until it turns brown and shows its fibre resembling small cords and looking supremely classic and nice.

Desak Nyoman Martini is one of the kupas craftsmen. She lives at Kawan Hamlet, Satra Village. It is some 5 km south of Semarapura City or 47 km east of Denpasar.
The handicraft business of Martini, initiated in 1997, is called Sari Kupas. For the time being she employs five workers. Main product of this handicraft is named Buah Kupas, namely replica of assorted fruits made from wood and then wrapped with this banana sheath. Normally, this sheath fruit is used as car accessory and ornament in guest’s room. Due to the demand of art shops located in Kuta, Ubud and Sanur, the motif of her craft developed into handicraft like photo album, photo frame, address book, agenda and so forth.
Martini says that the demand of banana sheath fruit was rare at that time. "In those days, I produced 100 pieces of sheath fruit per month," recalls Martini. In keeping with that this craft was getting widely known and the demand of this handicraft increased from year to year.
According to Martini, who was born in 1968, visitors coming to her art shops and buying the sheath craft she made, are favoured because those crafts are looking unique and classic. In 2006, production of her photo album reaches 2500 pieces per month. This figure can rise or fall in accordance with the number of her orders. This handicraft is also exported to Poland, Hawaii, Greek and Republica. Now, Martini employs 20 persons, while the other 10 workers are in charge in Bangli and Gianyar.
The kinds of photo albums produced by Sari Kupas are sizing 32X36cm, 23x38 cm and 19x23 cm. A photo album sizing 32x36 cm is sold at IDR 17,000 and sizing 19x23 at IDR 8,000. A worker can produce 10 albums per day. Sizes of the photo frame are 3R, 4R, 5R, 10R and 12R. A 2R photo frame is charged at IDR 2,500 and 12R at IDR 12,000. One worker can complete 5-10 pieces of photo frame, highly depending on its size.
Method of its making
Materials that should be prepared consist of the main material and accessories. Main materials are banana sheath, straw paper, thick carton, cardboard and wood adhesive, while accessory material of lamtoro (Leucaena glauca) and waru leaf, butterfly and tara cord. Before in use, the lamtoro and waru leaf should be steamed to make their leaf turn brown. When the materials above have been ready, the first step is cutting the paper. Carton paper, straw paper and cardboard is cut in accordance with the required shape.
These papers function as structure or cover. These frames are then made a sketch as per each art creation. This creation encompasses the faunal (fish, tortoise and gecko) and floral design. A structure that has been sketched is wrapped in banana sheath and affixed with such leaves in appropriate with the sketch.
When the outer structure has been completed and been embellished with accessories, we remain to arrange its internal content in accordance with the type of handicraft intended. If making a photo album, the carton is adhered with tara paper as its page sheets. Meanwhile, for making a photo buffer, the grass cord is sewn on the four sides. And when making an agenda book or address book, the pieces of tara paper that have been printed for its wording through silk-screening (in compliance with the format of agenda and telephone book made from ordinary paper) are then fastened with glue and bound matching the cover made from grass cord. The first step has finished.
If required, additional accessories can be appended such as the arrangement of grass paper (in the form of flower, sun or butterfly) and krotokan (dry coconut twig). The second step comprises the fastening by glue on its external side and drying off by means of drying by exposing to the air. Now, the process of making the agenda and telephone book is over. It remains to pack them into the transparent plastic bag that has been filled with silica gel. Do you get interested in this banana sheath handicraft, simply come to Satra Village, Klungkung. (BTN/033)