Clay handicrafts puts Purwareja on the map

Text and photos by Ahmad Solikhan

BANJARNEGARA, Central Java (JP): A gray-haired man, wearing a T-shirt and sarong, is sitting on a low bamboo bench in front of his house in the morning.

He is sipping strong hot tea poured into his cup from a clay teapot. With his wrinkled lips moving as if he is mouthing words, he smokes a hand-rolled cigarette as he enjoys the soft coos of his favorite turtledove in a cage.

When he grins, he shows his only tooth, which has blackened over time from the nicotine. He is not the only man leisurely sipping his tea as most other elderly men in Central Java are doing exactly the same. What a way to spend the morning.

Clay tea sets -- usually associated with Chinese handicraft products -- are also produced in Kelampok, Banjarnegara regency in Central Java.

Craftsmen here have made porcelain, including tea sets, since the Dutch colonial era and they are known as Kelampok tea set craftsmen.

They do not only make tea sets but household articles, souvenirs and interior ornaments due to the high demand at home and abroad.

One of the clay businessmen is 36-year-old Supriyati, a resident of Purwareja village. Learning to make clay from her parents, Supriyati said the handicraft business started for the first time in 1945.

Over the years, craftsmen have only made plain teapots called teko bingsing. However, to meet the market demand, craftsmen started making new designs for the teapot.

The new design changes the look of the neck, spout and lid of the teapot. The lid may be decorated with brass accessories, for instance a miniature shape of the Borobudur Temple.

Supriyati, a mother of two, said Purwareja villagers produced clay handicrafts as their source of income. Since they lack capital, they usually are reluctant to improve product quality and as a result the handicraft is not worth much.

Most craftsmen in her village are satisfied with their earnings and unwilling to make Purwareja a center for clay handicrafts.

Business

When Supriyati, a graduate of economics, wanted to lend capital to craftsmen, they turned her down and even accused her of monopolizing the clay business.

After learning that locals preferred to be employed rather than become businessmen, Supriyati decided in 1992 to hire 90 workers, who had only gone as far as junior high school in their education.

They are paid between Rp 6,000 and Rp 11,250 a day, or in certain cases, based on their skills. All workers become a part of a cooperative, which enables them to bring home 30 kilograms of rice and 10kgs of sugar every month.

One of her workers, Kusnen, said that he and his fellows were also producing vases, jugs, flasks with a neck and spout, ashtrays, clay swans and fish, desks and chairs.

The 39-year-old father of four has been making handicrafts made out of clay for 30 years and earns Rp 11,250 a day.

"In fact, my earnings are not enough to support my family but I have no capital to run my own business," he said.

His friend Misar, 47, is also working on a contract basis. He earns higher, up to Rp 25,000 a day, but unlike permanent employees, Misar does not receive rice and sugar.

The Kelampok clay tea sets, which are less refined and thicker than the original Chinese tea sets, are marketed in Surakarta, Tegal, both in Central Java, and Jakarta.

They have also found their way into star-rated hotels and been exported to Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, England, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

A tea set -- comprising a teapot, cup and tray -- costs between Rp 7,500 and Rp 10,000. Clay souvenirs and articles for household purposes range in price from between Rp 2,500 to Rp 1 million.

Recently, Supriyanti received orders from abroad for up to 40,000 tea sets but she finds it difficult to meet the target due to a lack of workers.

Therefore, she often buys tea sets from other craftsmen to enable her to meet the demand. However, the tea sets she gets are usually of lower quality than her own products.

"I was thinking of getting machines to produce the tea sets. If there's a foreign investor interested in this business, I'm ready to discuss a deal with him," she said.

Support, both moral and financial, from the local community and administration are absolutely needed in helping Supriyanti realize her dream of turning the village into a clay handicraft center.

A successful example can be seen in Kasongan village in Yogyakarta, which is a clay handicraft center that received support from famous artist Saptohudoyo. Craftsmen in Purwareja could be spurred to improve their work and lives from studying the achievements of this village.