Ujungpandang's Borong streets paved in gold

Ujungpandang's Borong streets paved in gold

UJUNGPANDANG (JP): Borong in Panakkukang subdistrict, some 10
kilometers east of Ujungpandang, has long been known as a center
of gold handicraft.

Nearly 90 percent of the 250 people who live in the area are
gold craftsmen. The remaining 10 percent of the population
consists of civil servants and entrepreneurs who are involved in
various endeavors, including woodworking. There are two major
groups of gold craftsmen, each with about 60 members.

The Borong community, made up mainly of ethnic Makassarese,
inherited their craftsmanship from their ancestors.

"I am not sure how long this handicraft has existed. However,
according to my parents, kandawari (plaited) gold handicraft
existed in the time of the Gowa kingdom (in the 16th and 17th
century) under Sultan Hasanuddin," Daeng Nai, one of the
goldsmiths in Borong, said.

In keeping with the increased incomes the goldsmiths have
enjoyed during the economic crisis, the simple houses on stilts
which once formed the decorative backdrop of Borong are
undergoing changes.

On arriving in Borong, one will see that the once simple
houses have been transformed into permanent brick houses. On both
sides of the road leading into the area, a number of the houses
are under renovation.

Motorcycle models from the 1970s which used to be parked under
the craftsmen's houses are no longer there, having been replaced
by the latest models. Daeng Nai has three new motorcycles parked
in front of his house.

The increase in their income is also ascribed to the
craftsmen's hard work in developing new models and designs of
kandawari gold handicrafts. The process of creating kandawari
handicrafts starts with the shaping of a pattern, generally made
by men in the community.

Gold which has been processed to form something like a sheet
of palm fiber is fitted into patterns with various designs,
including flowers, phinisi (Bugis) boats, decorative fish,
jewelry boxes and the Makassarese's traditional houses. After
plaiting the gold in the pattern, the pattern is removed. The
plaiting of gold is done mainly by women, while the men handle
the patterns.

Kandawari gold handicraft generally comes in necklaces,
bracelets, rings, brooches, pendants and earrings.

The craftsmen in Borong require about 30 to 35 kilograms of
gold each month. With one kilogram of gold, they can produce 250
to 300 pieces of jewelry. This means that in one month they can
finish up to 10,500 pieces of gold handicraft. At current prices,
a one-kilogram gold bar costs Rp 73 million, while the finished
handicraft are worth about Rp 98 million.

Goldsmiths in Ujungpandang generally obtain their raw
materials from gold businesses along Jl. Somba Opu in
Ujungpandang and from Surabaya. The goldsmiths in Ujungpandang do
not usually buy their own gold, they simply take and fill orders.
From 100 grams of gold processed into jewelry, the goldsmith gets
6 grams of gold, while his employees receive 3 grams.

However, there is a growing number of goldsmiths who buy their
own raw materials. Daeng Nai, for example, has begun to buy 0.5
kilograms of gold each month.

His handicrafts are marketed in a number of provinces in
Indonesia, as well as being exported to various countries,
including the Netherlands, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Saudi
Arabia and Egypt, through traders in Bali and Surabaya.

Daeng Nai is now dreaming of bypassing the traders and
exporting his products himself. (Jupriadi)