Instruments that are gifts from the heart
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.