Yogya's Kotagede silver industry faces slow regeneration

Yogya's Kotagede silver industry faces slow regeneration

By Bambang Trisno and Anis Suryani

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Silver craft has become the trademark of
Kotagede, a city located some five kilometers southeast of
Yogyakarta.

Kotagede's silver works, however, cannot be separated from the
history of the Kalang community, the pioneer of Kotagede's
present community.

It is believed this community introduced and developed silver
working in the 17th century. The Kalang community were known as a
society of rich traders owning large, luxurious houses. They
loved jewelry and mastered skills for creating silver and gold
works.

Their way of living was quite different from the indigenous
Javanese community, who were mostly traditional farmers.

There are many different variations on the origins of the
Kalang community. One version has it that one day, King of the
old Mataram Kingdom, Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo (1613-1645),
wanted carved ornaments for his palace. In order to get what he
wanted, he brought in some craftsmen from Bali.

Then, over time, through marriages between these Balinese
craftsmen and local people, a community of craftsmen grew in
numbers in Tegalgendu village, now Kotagede. They brought with
them a different culture. They even set up their own exclusive
community. The word kalang itself means boundary in Javanese.

One of the existing evidence that relates the Kalang community
and the present community of Kotagede -- according to the version
-- is the cremation ritual, which resembles the one in Bali. The
difference is, in Kotagede, it is not a human body being burned,
but a wooden puppet locally known as puspa.

However, no one can tell whether the present Kotagede
craftsmen are really the heirs of Kalang community, or whether
the identity of the exclusive community is finally fading out
after blending in with Javanese culture. But one thing is for
sure, the silver craft industry exists in the city until today.

Business

Currently, there are about 30 silver and gold crafting
businesses in Kotagede, employing some 400 craftsmen. The
interesting thing is that most of the craftsmen are aged between
50 and 77 years old, younger people are not interested to join
the business.

For instance, MD Silver Works employs 20 craftsmen and none of
them are young.

Suprapto, 77, the most senior craftsman working in the
company, started carving silver when he was 22 years old.

A senior craftsman, Suprapto, who joined the company in 1955,
is often assigned to create special orders from the Yogyakarta
royal family. Yet, he only earns about Rp 225,000 a month.

"I stay at the job because carving is my only expertise. I
can't change professions because if I do, I have to start all
over again," he said.

Silver craftsmen's work require high concentration, accuracy,
and perseverance. They usually work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily,
making younger people reluctant to join.

"Young men are not interested in Rp 5,000 a day or Rp 7,500 a
day (if working overtime). The payment is much lower than the
wage of a manual laborer, regardless that this work requires
accuracy and perseverance," said another craftsman Jumino, 65,
working for MD Silver Works. He added that a construction worker
in Yogyakarta could earn Rp 10,000 to Rp 12,500 a day.

Both Suprapto and Jumino said none of their children were
willing to have the same profession as their fathers.

"They are not interested in the silver industry at all. My son
prefers to open a car repair service than doing silver craft
work. And he makes good money from it," Suprapto said.

Serious problem

The lack of interest in silversmith apprenticeships in
Kotagede is a problem that could threaten the existence of the
industry in the future. Besides the low wage, the ongoing
economic crisis makes it even more difficult for the business to
survive.

Tom's Silver's vice director HM Margono said his company's
turnover was worse since the crisis hit the country. The company
cannot pay its workers more or hire more, especially young ones.

"The regeneration of silver craftsmen is actually there but it
runs very slow because the business is facing problems with the
crisis," Margono said.

He cited his company has contributed in the regeneration
process through its cooperation with a handicrafts industry
senior high school. The cooperation provides students with field
practices and a chance to work in the silver company after
graduation.

Set up in 1950, Tom's Silver now employs 40 craftsmen and has
projects with dozens of other craftsmen outside the company.

Margono said most of the workers are old and paid at Rp
225,000 a month at the minimum, or Rp 7,500 a day, excluding
meals, health allowance or insurance.

He blamed the sharp drop in the business to the sharp decline
in the number of foreign tourists -- its main consumers which
contributed between 80 and 90 percent of Tom's Silver sales prior
to the crisis.

Exports, according to Margono, may be the answer to the
industry's present problems. Yet, most of the silver companies
could not meet the demand due to the low capacity and tight
deadlines.

The skyrocketing price of silver, following the meltdown of
the rupiah against the U.S. dollar, is another reason for
declining business.

"Before the crisis, a kilogram of silver was Rp 300,000. Now
it costs us Rp 1,500,000 per kilogram. It makes it difficult for
us to run the business."