Knowing Indonesian Crafts, Types and Popular Crafts to Abroad

Knowing Indonesian Crafts, Types and Popular Crafts to Abroad

Knowing Indonesian Crafts, Types and Popular Crafts to Abroad – Indonesia is a country with a rich culture and unique craftsmanship. Over the years, Indonesian crafts have been exported to many countries around the world, becoming popular amongst international customers. As a business, it is important to understand the different types of Indonesian crafts and the most popular crafts in the international market. This article will explore the different types of Indonesian crafts and the most popular Indonesian crafts abroad.

Discussing typical Indonesian handicrafts, batik is certainly the first. Batik has been recognized by the world as one of Indonesia’s cultural assets. UNESCO has even named batik a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Batik itself comes from the Javanese “mbatik”, which consists of the word “mbat” which means throwing and “tick” which means point. So, batik can be interpreted as patterning many dots on the cloth.

Batik itself has been around for a long time and was used as a clothing material for kings in the past. Uniquely, every region in Indonesia has its own unique batik. For example, Solo batik is different from Pekalongan, Madura, and Bali batik, each of which has distinctive patterns and motifs that distinguish them from one another.

Most Popular Indonesian Crafts Abroad

Indonesia is known for its diverse range of crafts. The most popular craftwork includes wood carving, batik, pottery, silver and gold smithing, weaving, and glasswork. Each of these crafts is unique and has a distinct style. For example, wood carving typically involves intricate patterns and motifs, while batik is known for its bright colors and intricate designs. Pottery is also popular amongst Indonesians, with many people practicing this craft and creating works of art.

Indonesian crafts are popular around the world, with many countries importing Indonesian crafts for commercial use. The most popular type of craftwork abroad is wood carving, especially for furniture and decorative items. Batik is also popular, with many clothing retailers purchasing fabric from Indonesia to use in their products. Pottery is also popular, with many countries importing Indonesian pottery for decorative and household purposes. Silver and gold smithing, weaving, and glasswork are also popular amongst international customers.

1. Indonesian Popular Crafts – Tenun Sumba (NTT)

Apart from batik, woven is a traditional cloth from Indonesia which is in great demand because of its beauty. Sumba weaving from East Nusa Tenggara is among the most well-known and in demand by Indonesians and foreigners.

If you visit Sumba, you will see countless weaving-producing industries. What makes this weaving highly valued is the manufacturing process which is still very traditional and the coloring is done manually.

The motifs on the Sumba woven fabrics themselves are a description of the daily life of the people in Sumba. Some well-known motifs include lion, crocodile, hippopotamus, and squid, each of which has its own meaning. The woven cloth worn by the people of Sumba also indicates their social status.

2. Indonesian Popular Crafts – Wayang kulit (Java)

Wayang is an art that is still sustainable today. One of the most famous wayang is the shadow puppet which comes from Java. Wayang kulit is believed to be the forerunner of various other types of puppets in Indonesia.

Until now there is no definite information about the history of the emergence of wayang. Some say wayang is an art that has existed since Hinduism and Buddhism entered Southeast Asia. That said, it is believed that wayang is an art from China or India.

Wayang kulit itself is made of cowhide which has been made into sheets, carved with sharp iron, then shaped according to certain characters.

3. Indonesian Popular Crafts – Sandalwood Fan (Bali)

Another Balinese craft that is very beautiful and rich in artistic value. Sandalwood fans are still in demand as a souvenir when visiting the Island of the Gods.

This fan comes in a very compact and foldable form. The main ingredient, of course, is sandalwood which has that distinctive fragrance. No wonder when the fan is opened, you will immediately smell the fragrant aroma of sandalwood. Sandalwood fans are usually decorated with Balinese motifs and legendary figures in their folklore.

4. Wood Carving and Sculpture (Jepara)

Jepara is known as a world-class sculpture producing area since the 19th century. The form of the craft is usually in the form of furniture such as sets of tables, chairs, cabinets and beds. Wooden crafts from Jepara are already well-known overseas and continue to be in demand today.

Typical motifs for crafts from Jepara are trubusan leaves and jumabai motifs. It is said that these two motifs can distinguish genuine and fake Jepara handicrafts. The wood used to make this art is teak wood which can last up to 20 years.

The entire manufacturing process is done traditionally, making Jepara wood carvings very expensive.

5. Leather Craft (Sidoarjo)

Tanggulangin, a village in Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, has produced many leather crafts since 1939. Leather crafts made in Tanggulangin are usually in the form of bags, jackets, wallets and other items that can be worn.

Almost all residents of Tanggulangin have their own leather craft manufacturing industry. The price also varies. Starting from tens of thousands to millions, depending on the leather material and the complexity of the manufacturing process. This leather craft from Sidoarjo has been widely exported to foreign countries

6. Rangrang Weaving Nusa Penida (Bali)

Weaving is indeed one of the typical Indonesian crafts made in many regions. Weaver weaving from Nusa Penida, Bali is a very high-value craft.

Although Indonesia has many woven fabrics, rangrang has its own uniqueness that makes it different from other woven fabrics. Its characteristics lie in the motifs of flora and fauna as well as other two-dimensional fields. Weaver weaving is made by hand using a single tie technique.

7. Woodcarving of the Asmat Tribe (Papua)

The Asmat tribe in Papua is a tribe known for keeping many mysteries. The Asmat tribe has one expertise in the arts, namely woodcarving. The sculptures produced by the people of the Asmat tribe are unusual and considered very unique, thus attracting the attention of art lovers around the world. Apart from that, the Asmat wood carving craft also contains many meanings contained in it.

Amazingly, the Asmat tribe uses traditional tools to produce beautiful sculptures. The tools they use include wooden axes, shells, and star teeth. Meanwhile, to produce a smooth sculptural texture as a finishing touch, they use oysters, pig tusks and certain types of fish teeth.

The process that must be followed to produce this sculpture is also not easy. The price for one Asmat wood carving can reach billions of rupiah. Nonetheless, the sculptures of the Asmat tribe are less desirable in Indonesia.

8. Ulos Weaving (North Sumatra)

It seems that no one is unfamiliar with Ulos weaving. This typical weaving of the Batak people is an original craft from North Sumatra. The word ulos itself means cloth in the Batak language. The distinctive feature of ulos weaving is the dominance of red, black and white colors with a touch of gold and silver patterns.

Ulos cloth is usually given to women who are pregnant as a symbol of prayer so that they are given ease and smoothness during childbirth. This cloth is also a protective symbol for the mother and the fetus she contains.

9. Toraja Weaving (South Sulawesi)

Toraja weaving from South Sulawesi is not just ordinary weaving. The indigenous people of Toraja respect weaving so much that it becomes one of the equipment in traditional Toraja ceremonies which are known to be very sacred. Weaving from Toraja is used as a symbol of prosperity. In the past, not everyone could wear this woven cloth.

Only people from the upper social class can wear Toraja woven cloth. Previously, Toraja weaving was made from wood fiber. Then the material for making it changed to using pineapple fiber. But as the times progressed, weaving was made using thread.

10. Indonesian Popular Crafts – Gringsing Cloth (Balinese)

As an area that still maintains their traditional values very strongly, Bali also has many very interesting unique handicrafts. Grinsing cloth including among them. Grinsing itself comes from two words: “gring” which means not and “sing” which means sick.

The process of making grinsing cloth is not easy at all. To produce one sheet of grinsing cloth takes 2 to 5 years. The grinsing cloth itself is a double woven cloth which requires a more difficult and more complicated manufacturing process compared to a single woven cloth.

The uniqueness of grinsing cloth is the color which will be more beautiful the longer it is stored. No wonder traditional cloth lovers really like grinsing cloth.

11. Statue (Magelang, Yogyakarta, Bali)

Statues are objects that have existed since prehistoric times, but of course they can be categorized as a form of craft. The purpose of making statues is as an offering to the gods and gods. The statues are made of hot lava that freezes and turns into rocks. This hot lava can only be found near the slopes of a volcano.

There are 3 regions in Indonesia that are known to produce the best statues, namely Magelang, Yogyakarta and Bali. Even though the belief in statues has faded, this craft is still in great demand by art lovers.

12. Pottery (Minahasa)

Finally, there is the pottery craft originating from Minahasa, North Sulawesi. This craft uses clay as the basic material. The clay is then fired at a very high temperature, around 800 to 1000 degrees.

Pulutan Village in Minahasa is known as one of the famous pottery producers because almost all of its residents are pottery craftsmen. The forms of the pottery produced are also varied, such as hearths, flower vases, and pots which are given different colors and patterns.

The price of this handmade pottery is no joke, you know. One pottery can be sold from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah.

Conclusion

Indonesian crafts are renowned for their beauty and uniqueness. There are many different types of Indonesian crafts and the most popular crafts abroad are wood carving, batik, and pottery. As a business, it is important to understand the different types of Indonesian crafts and the most popular crafts abroad, in order to provide customers with the best products.

Indonesia, which is rich in culture, is also rich in beautiful handicrafts. Even for the craft has successfully penetrated into the international world. As Indonesians, we should be proud of the popularity of handicrafts made in the traditional way.

Crafts are goods that are produced through manual skills. Crafts produce works that emphasize the value of beauty as a use or decoration. In making handicrafts, the more complicated the process, the higher the quality and selling value.

A craft will produce an item if the item has function values. In addition to the functional value, the item also has a high aesthetic value in it. This makes one of the reasons crafts are used as display items.

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