Instruments that are gifts from the heart<\/p>\n
Tri Vivi Suryani, Contributor, Denpasar<\/p>\n
As a young boy he had often watched his father at work, and been
\nfilled with awe as a piece of metal was taken up and transformed
\ninto a musical instrument that produced a beautiful sound.<\/p>\n
\"I was so interested that I pushed myself to be directly
\ninvolved in the process, and I learned how to make instruments,\"
\nsaid I Wayan Astawa, the son of I Made Tomblos, a famous gamelan
\ninstrument maker.<\/p>\n
His father -- the oldest man to make instruments for Bali's
\ntraditional orchestras -- died in 1999, at the grand old age of
\n110. He passed on his skills to Astawa, his youngest son.<\/p>\n
Astawa recalled that he was in his third year of elementary
\nschool when he started to pay serious attention to his father's
\nprofession. He watched how his father, with the help of several
\nemployees, fashioned gamelan instruments in his home workshop.<\/p>\n
Making a musical instrument requires patience and
\nmeticulousness, said Wayan, who was born in Tihingan village,
\nKlungkung, in 1947.<\/p>\n
The basic material is tin, which is acquired from Bangka
\nisland. It is melted and then formed into the required shape. For
\na gong, for instance, the melting process may take a whole day;
\nanother 10 days are required to shape the metal. The tuning may
\ntake three days.<\/p>\n
\"For me, besides carrying on my parent's business, I love what
\nI am doing. I work not only to make money.<\/p>\n
\"Frankly speaking, I would feel guilty if I didn't have a
\ndesire to make gamelan instruments, because my father was widely
\nknown as a pioneer of the craft. What would happen if I didn't
\nfollow in his footsteps? What's more, my four siblings are dead.
\nI am the only one left to take up his legacy,\" said Astawa, a
\njunior high school graduate.<\/p>\n
As a renowned gamelan instrument maker, he often receives
\norders not only from Bali, but also from Sumatra and even from
\nthe United States.<\/p>\n
His local customers include establishments like Udayana
\nUniversity and star-rated hotels on the island, as well as
\nindividuals like noted painter Nyoman Gunarsa.<\/p>\n
Astawa, who is also good at fixing broken gamelan instruments,
\nsaid that he cannot work under a tight schedule. He always tells
\nhis customers that making a good gamelan instrument takes time.<\/p>\n
After he receives an order, Astawa presents offerings and
\nprays, asking God to bless his work and indicate the direction in
\nwhich he and his six employees should head.<\/p>\n
He also asks his customers to pay for between 30 and 50
\npercent of their order up front, as he has limited funds at his
\ndisposal to buy raw materials. Even though his income has
\nremained modest, Astawa continues to give his all to his
\nprofession, which has become an inseparable part of his life.<\/p>\n
The price of a set of gamelan instruments starts from Rp 70
\nmillion. It consists of 30 instruments, including gongs, drums,
\ntambourines and percussion instruments. If the wooden frames of
\nthe instruments are carved, the price is Rp 125 million, but if
\nthe carving is complicated, it will cost Rp 160 million.<\/p>\n
\"The price might seem high, but I think it is in accordance
\nwith our efforts. I work with several people, including wood
\ncarvers if a complex design has been requested,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, the materials to make a set of gamelan instruments
\nweigh up to 300 kilograms. Today, the price of tin mixed with
\ncopper is Rp 55,000 per kilogram, but the price can change (at
\nanytime),\" he said.<\/p>\n
Like his father, who received awards from the Bali governor
\nand Klungkung regent, Astawa works from the heart. Even while
\nmelting tin, his body glistening with perspiration, he appears
\ncontent.<\/p>\n
Ask him, though, about the future of his business and Astawa,
\nwho has a son and a daughter, frowns. It would seem that his two
\noffspring are not budding instrument makers, in fact the eldest
\nworks in a hotel.<\/p>\n
\"For now, I will allow him to continue working in the
\nhospitality industry, but, when the time comes, I will ask him to
\ncarry on with the family business. What would happen if no one
\nwanted to make gamelan instruments?\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/instruments-that-are-gifts-from-the-heart-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}