Ceramic wares are Klampok's claim to fame
Ceramic wares are Klampok's claim to fame
By Agus Maryono
BANJARNEGARA, Central Java (JP): The housewives of Klampok
village finish their chores and then head off to their side job,
creating some of the best-known ceramics in the country.
Klampok has built its reputation on the production of high-
quality ceramics. The village in Klampok subdistrict,
Banjarnegara, Central Java, is known in many major cities.
Ceramics as a home industry has opened up job opportunities
for thousands of people, particularly women, living in and around
the village.
The making of clay crafts has been practiced in Klampok since
1950. The wide range of products available today include interior
decoration items, vases, teapots, animal-shaped decorations,
cups, stationery holders, plates, wall hangings, ashtrays and
umbrella containers.
The products are distributed throughout the country and also
occasionally exported.
A varied price list, ranging from the downright cheap to the
expensive, is available.
The cheapest of the products are small souvenirs, such as
ashtrays and ones in the shape of a palm or shoe, which are about
Rp 500.
The most expensive, for about Rp 750,000, is a large jug; it
and its lid are intricately decorated with Arabic calligraphy.
The process of making one article is long and involved, taking
between two to three weeks.
One of those who earns his livelihood from the industry is Tri
Mulyantoro. The 40 year old, who owns the Mustika ceramic center,
told The Jakarta Post recently that he inherited the business
from his father.
Business has been good to him and he said it funded the
university education of all of his children.
"We now employ 35 people and fork out about Rp 9 million to
pay them."
He said his three siblings were also involved in the business,
following the lead of their father, H. Suparyo Marto Suwiryo, now
60, who founded it in 1974.
Tri said his ceramics needed special clay, which he purchased
from Wonosobo, some 60 km from his residence, and from
Banjarnegara. The clay must be gray in color and soft so it can
be easily shaped. Clay of this type is only found in upper-lying
areas with a low temperature.
Every month he buys 10 tons of clay, which is delivered to him
every two weeks, each time in a truckload of five tons worth Rp
650,000.
"One truckload of clay is enough to make thousands of types of
ceramic articles," he said.
Tri said the clay must be allowed to soak in water overnight,
or about 12 hours, before it could be stamped underfoot. It is
then sifted through an iron sieve to ensure that sand or gravel
will be separated.
The clay is left to stand in a pool for two days and two
nights to ensure the soft clay will settle.
It is then laid out to dry and solidify under the sun, which
will be easier to shape. Under ideal conditions of a bright sun,
the process takes two days.
It is ready to be made into wares, either through molding or
by hand. The duration of the process depends on the size of the
article. In the case of a pencil box the size of a glass, each
maker can produce 300 ceramic boxes every week.
"However, each person can make only a maximum of three or four
large vases, each measuring one meter high and 50 cm in
diameter," he added.
The objects are decorated with motifs and left out in the sun
for 15 days until completely dry. However, the length of time for
drying also depends on the size of the object; large products can
take much longer before the dampness is gone.
Once dry, the objects are smoothed over with damp sandpaper
before the final process begins.
Firing
The objects are fired in special kilns, at a temperature of
more than 1,000 degrees, for 24 hours.
Several large-capacity kilns are used, with thousands of small
ceramics carefully arranged in each in an attempt to guard
against any damage occurring in the process.
Larger kilns are used for the biggest objects, such as jugs
and vases. The heat comes from two sides in a process resembling
baking bread.
The cooling-off period, when the kilns are switched off and
the objects left to stand, lasts about 36 hours.
The ceramics are then removed and selected according to their
quality. The best products will be wiped clean with a piece of
cloth before being put directly on sale.
Others which show slight flaws and are not up to standard must
be painted or glazed first, usually with ordinary paint used for
wood or cars. They are then returned to the kiln, fired once
more, and then removed, cleaned and put on sale.
The products then make their way across the country, and
sometimes to shops in distant lands. So the next time you
purchase a ceramic object, take a second look to see where it
comes from. It may well have been made by the industrious women
of Klampok.