Exotic Singkawang ceramics stand in for Chinese antiques

Text and photos by P.J. Leo

SINGKAWANG, West Kalimantan (JP): Natural hues and antique engraved motifs decorate the Sinar Terang ceramics which resemble antique large water jars from an ancient Chinese dynasty.

A factory for their production was set up in 1980 by Tjhai Thiam Djin, 58, -- known to close friends as Ibu Tjhai -- at her residence on Jl. Padang Pasir, Singkawang.

Her home has become an attraction for tourists visiting Singkawang, the second largest city in West Kalimantan after the provincial capital Pontianak. Many of the tourists expressly visit the city to collect ceramics with antique motifs.

"Sinar Terang produces various kinds of ceramics but it makes more large water jars than other objects, which include flower pots, table legs, chairs or souvenirs. In a week we produce 100 items of small size, 50 of medium size and another 50 large items," said Tjhai.

Clay and kaolin earth (white earth) at the ratio of 3:7 are soaked in a pool of water for three days in the initial stage of ceramic making. Then they are mixed so that the clay and the kaolin are well combined. Sinar Terang soaks clay and kaolin twice a week.

"At the stage of forming the ceramics, patience is important for the ceramicist in order that he can create a good ceramic item from a mass of earth. Skill is also needed to lift the mixed earth from the turning wheel before it is left to harden for two days in the case of small sized items and four to five days in the case of larger ones," Tjhai said.

In the next stage, craft workers will engrave various motifs owned by Sinar Terang or provided by the individual making the order. Then the items are dried for five to six days in a special closed room in which the illumination source is artificial and controlled.

"The variety of colors that Sinar Terang ceramics have derive from nature and are in no way obtained from chemical substances," said Tjhai. "For white, the color base is obtained from the mixture of husk and mollusk pieces of mountain stone submerged in water. Green is from sea mud. Sinar Terang has not found a way to produce a blue and must therefore buy it from China," Tjhai said.

After being left for two days in the glazing stage (coloring), ceramics of various sizes are put into a kiln which is 20 meters long and one to three meters high. Firing occurs for between 16 and 20 hours. It is at this stage that the colors of the ceramics will become visible. (At the glazing stage, only a gray color is visible, despite the application of color to the objects.)

Afterwards, the ceramics are left to cool for 24 hours and then they are ready to be sold in the shop on the premises of Sinar Terang. Some of them are packed to be dispatched to customers.

"The Sinar Terang ceramic shop is frequented by many buyers on Saturdays and Sundays or on holidays. They are usually keen to collect large water jars resembling those from the Ming dynasty in China, about 110 cm to 150 cm high." said Tjhai. "Often we cannot cope with orders for "ancient" water jars. You know one such item will take about 15 days to make." The ceramics are sold at prices ranging from Rp 500 to Rp 1,500,000.

School and university students vie for annual apprenticeships at Sinar Terang. This training has been provided since 1992.

Sinar Terang has received citations from central and local administrations for not only the quality and quantity of the ceramic products but also for the welfare condition of its 35 employees.

The company has on several occasions experienced difficulties in maintaining production of the ceramics. All constraints have been removed thanks to the hard work of Ibu Tjhai. In recognition of her dedication to the craft, in 1996 she was awarded the Paramakarya Award by then president Soeharto at the State Palace in Jakarta.