Clay handicrafts puts Purwareja on the map

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.