Instruments that are gifts from the heart

Tri Vivi Suryani, Contributor, Denpasar

As a young boy he had often watched his father at work, and been filled with awe as a piece of metal was taken up and transformed into a musical instrument that produced a beautiful sound.

"I was so interested that I pushed myself to be directly involved in the process, and I learned how to make instruments," said I Wayan Astawa, the son of I Made Tomblos, a famous gamelan instrument maker.

His father -- the oldest man to make instruments for Bali's traditional orchestras -- died in 1999, at the grand old age of 110. He passed on his skills to Astawa, his youngest son.

Astawa recalled that he was in his third year of elementary school when he started to pay serious attention to his father's profession. He watched how his father, with the help of several employees, fashioned gamelan instruments in his home workshop.

Making a musical instrument requires patience and meticulousness, said Wayan, who was born in Tihingan village, Klungkung, in 1947.

The basic material is tin, which is acquired from Bangka island. It is melted and then formed into the required shape. For a gong, for instance, the melting process may take a whole day; another 10 days are required to shape the metal. The tuning may take three days.

"For me, besides carrying on my parent's business, I love what I am doing. I work not only to make money.

"Frankly speaking, I would feel guilty if I didn't have a desire to make gamelan instruments, because my father was widely known as a pioneer of the craft. What would happen if I didn't follow in his footsteps? What's more, my four siblings are dead. I am the only one left to take up his legacy," said Astawa, a junior high school graduate.

As a renowned gamelan instrument maker, he often receives orders not only from Bali, but also from Sumatra and even from the United States.

His local customers include establishments like Udayana University and star-rated hotels on the island, as well as individuals like noted painter Nyoman Gunarsa.

Astawa, who is also good at fixing broken gamelan instruments, said that he cannot work under a tight schedule. He always tells his customers that making a good gamelan instrument takes time.

After he receives an order, Astawa presents offerings and prays, asking God to bless his work and indicate the direction in which he and his six employees should head.

He also asks his customers to pay for between 30 and 50 percent of their order up front, as he has limited funds at his disposal to buy raw materials. Even though his income has remained modest, Astawa continues to give his all to his profession, which has become an inseparable part of his life.

The price of a set of gamelan instruments starts from Rp 70 million. It consists of 30 instruments, including gongs, drums, tambourines and percussion instruments. If the wooden frames of the instruments are carved, the price is Rp 125 million, but if the carving is complicated, it will cost Rp 160 million.

"The price might seem high, but I think it is in accordance with our efforts. I work with several people, including wood carvers if a complex design has been requested," he said.

"Besides, the materials to make a set of gamelan instruments weigh up to 300 kilograms. Today, the price of tin mixed with copper is Rp 55,000 per kilogram, but the price can change (at anytime)," he said.

Like his father, who received awards from the Bali governor and Klungkung regent, Astawa works from the heart. Even while melting tin, his body glistening with perspiration, he appears content.

Ask him, though, about the future of his business and Astawa, who has a son and a daughter, frowns. It would seem that his two offspring are not budding instrument makers, in fact the eldest works in a hotel.

"For now, I will allow him to continue working in the hospitality industry, but, when the time comes, I will ask him to carry on with the family business. What would happen if no one wanted to make gamelan instruments?" he said.