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Motorcycle models from the 1970s which used to be parked under the craftsmen's houses are no longer there, having been replaced by the latest models.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)