Stone quarriers dig their business in heat and dust

Stone quarriers dig their business in heat and dust

By Tarko Sudiarno and Ronaldo al Hakim

MAGELANG, Central Java (JP): The clang of iron banging against stone sets a monotonous, discordant beat. A little further off, men use hoes and crowbars to excavate a plot of land. Cavernous plastic tents shroud the pit to protect workers from heat and dust.

This is life for many villagers in Keningan near Magelang, Central Java. They dig for andesite, or batu beras (rice stones) in local parlance, the basic material for making statues, art objects and many household utensils. Users claim the pitch black stone is not as hard as granite. Although it is easy to shape, it is resistant to breakage because it is not porous.

Diggers start shaping stone according to order as soon as they find it. Simple tools, such as chisels and pointed crowbars, are used. Shaped andesite is much in demand as the right size for statues and large decorative objects.

Clients wishing to have andesite made to order must wait at least one month for the stones to be dug. Dealers and artists wish they could have even bigger stones, perhaps as big as an adult elephant, for shaping statues.

"It is difficult to find these huge stones," said Mrs. Wito Wiyono, 55, a local stone quarry entrepreneur.

The stone is shaped in the pit and then hauled to the top. This is not an easy task. On one side of the pit, a passage is made close to the stone at a 45 degree angle. The stone is pried with a hydraulic jack. It is then bound with wires and chains connected to a crane.

Ropes are fastened to several tree trunks around the quarry. Some logs are placed in the way as a pad for the stone and to lift it upward. The crane lifts the stone, which is then placed in a neat row on the edge along with other pieces of andesite.

"Formerly, when there was no pulley and no crane, we needed two days to lift one stone, but now we can do it within six hours," said quarrier Marto.

The use of cranes also ended accidents in the excavation process.

Wiyono said she began in 1974 on her own land. Later, she rented land from her neighbors. Two years ago, this mother of four rented half a hectare for Rp 6 million/year. She made a profit of Rp 4 million, an amount difficult to obtain these days.

Last month, she rented a square kilometer of land for Rp 1.5 million. She attributed the decline in profits to the increase in the number of quarriers. Land leases were higher, and stones were also in short supply.

"Ten years ago, just digging half a meter already yielded andesite. Now we have to go 10 meters and beyond," said Wiyono.

Wiyono employs eight workers at a daily pay of Rp 7,000, plus catered lunch. She spent an additional Rp 300,000 for the construction of a small road to the main road because of the distant location of her quarry.

Last month, her crew excavated three big stones, worth Rp 300,000 to 500,000 each. The remainder of shaped stone was cut into small pieces and sold for mortars, essential for making chili sauce, and other kitchen utensils, priced at Rp 10,000 each.

"My profits are small, but I seldom suffer losses," Wiyono said.

Local farmers also benefit from the quarrying. Keningan villagers lease their land for between Rp 500,000 and Rp 2 million a year -- check. The lease value drops concomitant with the land's distance from the main road.

Nobody is ever sure of the andesite deposits in the land. But quarriers like Marto claimed there is little risk involved.

"There is always andesite. When we are lucky we quickly find big stones. At worst we get stones measuring one meter square," he said.

If digging reaches 20 meters or the quarry is no longer viable, the contract is considered finished. The quarrier is responsible for restoring the original condition of the land.

"The land will become more fertile if planted with sweet potatoes and tubers," said Sarju, a Keningan farmer who leased his land.

The land becomes more fertile because it has been worked and cleared of stones and debris.

Many farmers also work as quarriers. Sugiyono said he worked in a quarry while waiting for the next harvest.

"I earn between Rp 5,000 and 7,000 a day," he said.

The quarriers have no difficulty in finding buyers. Craftsmen from Muntilan, Temanggung and Sidoharjo, all in Central Java, always use andesite from Keningan village as basic material for their statues. With transportation costs up to Rp 150,000, the stones are delivered to the buyer's place.

They are then made into Gupala, Ganesha, Buddha and other statues to comply with orders. A Gupala statue requires two months' work by four sculptors. Each sells for Rp 8 to 10 million. A Ganesha statue can sell for Rp 15 million.

Other andesite stones can be chiseled into gates, reliefs and lamp stands, work taking weeks and sometimes months, depending on the complexity of the design and the size of the material. Smaller stones measuring half a meter can be made into statues or used as gravestones.

Kitchen utensils and lamps stands are most in demand. Craftsmen use andesite of even smaller size. Prices range from Rp 10,000 to Rp 150,000.

Statue vendors and artists display their goods in front of their homes or shop at the town of Muntilan located on the Magelang-Yogyakarta main road.

"Sales are highest during the holidays," said Mrs. Wiji, who owns a kiosk in Muntilan.

Well-known Balinese artist I Nyoman Alim Mustapha settled in the area in 1967. He is the owner of the Sanggar Linang Sayang that produces statues, reliefs and ornaments using Keningan andesite.

Nyoman employs 50 artists who make installation works in hotels and resorts throughout Indonesia.

His output includes a huge statue at the Sheraton Hotel in Senggigi, Lombok, an elephant cave at the Bali Hyatt, and rooms and a swimming pool at the Melia Purosani, Yogyakarta.

Keningan andesite also makes its way to distant shores, as Nyoman's pieces are found in Hong Kong, Thailand and Britain.