Distinctive iron handicrafts put Pasir Wetan on the map

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto

In a simple workshop, craftsman Sutoto is busy creating a unique handicraft made from iron.

"This craft is meant for export, and maybe it will be displayed in someone's home," explained the 39-year-old resident of Pasir Wetan, which is in the Karaglewas subdistrict of the Banyumas regency of Central Java.

He has crafted a novelty item, locally called angkrek- angkrekan -- one of the numerous creations he has wrought from iron over the last six years, on an on-order basis from a Jakarta-based exporter. Sutoto said the ornaments were usually destined for France.

In just one month, Sutoto can sell up to 8,000 of the novelty items. There are four different models and 2,000 are made of each model every month.

The ornament is named after the figure it has on it, like the Goyangan Ikan Paus (whale ornament) or the Goyangan Perahu Layar (boat ornament).

Unfinished ornaments usually sell for Rp 15,000 each, and the buyers can paint it themselves with the color of their choice.

"I have no idea how much the company sells the product for abroad," said Sutoto.

After paying wages and meals for 30 workers, Sutoto makes a profit of Rp 3,000 for each of the ornaments he produces. At the end of each month, he can pocket up to Rp 24 million.

Obtaining the raw material to make the products, consisting of iron rods used at construction sites, iron sheeting and tin, is relatively simple and easy. He has only to buy the tin from the store while the rest can be bought from scavengers.

A kilogram of used iron sheeting or rods, for instance, costs him Rp 2,500, while a kilogram of tin costs Rp 4,000.

One of these novelty items, which is 40 centimeters in height, including the tin-made ballast of some 0.5 kilograms, weighs only 1.6 kilograms. The ornament usually costs Rp 4,500 to produce.

Sutoto, however, is not the only craftsman in Pasir Wetan. In fact, he is only one of hundreds of villagers who have been earning a living from producing various kinds of iron handicrafts.

Sutoto said that at least 500 residents in the village who also work in the village administration office, depend on the handicraft business, and are either craftsmen, business owners or workers in the trade.

"I don't know exactly when this industry began. As far back as I can remember, people have been making iron handicrafts since I was a little boy. But the village elders told us it began during the Japanese occupation," Sutoto said.

Novelty items are not the only things the villagers make. Other products include home appliances, agricultural appliances, home accessories and even children's toys, badges, placards and tractor wheels.

Orders for badges do not just come from nearby towns such as Purwokerto, but from as far away as Sumatra, West Java and Jakarta.

An iron lighter, which was once a best-selling product made under the Djawatan Rek Pasir (DRP) trademark, is no longer produced. "The lighter is no longer made as people prefer buying modern, gas ones," Sutoto said. The DRP lighters, which closely resembled modern ones, used gasoline.

Sutoto said he could produce almost all of the iron products except for tractor wheels. "The equipment needed to produce them is too heavy to be supplied here," he said.

Thanks to the handicraft business, many residents of Pasir Wetan do not need to go outside the village to earn a living.

"As you can see, you can hardly see any unemployed youths here. Most prefer to work in this industry and do not want to go outside the village to work," Sutoto said.