The Island of the Gods Takes Center Stage at Inacraft 2015

Jakarta Globe, Tunggul Wirajuda,  Apr 09, 2015

The annual Inacraft trade fair will feature products from nearly 1,500
artisans and manufacturers. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)

A vast array of Indonesian handicrafts range as far as the eye can see, as vendors from all over the country jostle to catch passing customers’ attention.

Spread across stands at the Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta, the merchants are on hand for the Jakarta International Handicraft Trade Fair or Inacraft, one of the mainstays in Jakarta’s expo calendar and a haven for sellers and aficionados of batik, woven craft, ethnic jewelry and other traditional items.

President Joko Widodo kicked off Inacraft’s 17th edition on Wednesday.

Its theme “Through Enchanting Bali Towards Global Market,” [sic, not a translation] showcases the so-called Island of the Gods and its culture, starting from the main gate, the opening ceremony, as well as the Balinese pavilion dominating its main lobby. Bali’s iconic standing among foreigners and Indonesians alike makes the choice of the island momentous, as organizers placed high hopes on this year’s fair.

“We hope that revenue from foreign buyers will be much higher than in previous years — due to the strengthening of the US dollar. We also expect more than 200,000 visitors for this year’s Inacraft, including thousands of major buyers from both Indonesia and overseas,” said Association for the Export and Production of Indonesian Handicrafts (Asephi) chairman Thamrin Bustami, who has with the help of exhibition organizer Bina Media Tama Kreasi been the driving force of the fair since its inception in 1998.

“We will have buyers from 56 different countries, a majority of which are Asian, including Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong. However, we will also see [sales] representatives from the United States, Australia and Germany,” said Thamrin, adding that Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s majors manufacturer of handicraft.

“In recent years, we have also seen increasing interest among buyers from African countries and those of the Middle East,” he said.

This year, a larger portion of the products on display are locally made, but the fair will also offer an international stand of Chinese-made items that represent the cultures of ten different countries, including Iran and Vietnam.

Asephi secretary general Sugiarto attributed part of Inacraft’s growing success to the constantly changing demographic within the industry.

“Sixty percent of the handicraft manufacturers in this year’s Inacraft are privately owned, independent business. That’s a significant change from previous years when the majority of our participants were small-to-medium enterprises sponsored by state-owned companies and other government agencies,” Sugiarto explained. “Many of [this year’s] featured manufacturers are able to promote themselves and lay out their own marketing strategies. Their strides reflect their state-owned predecessors’ success in fostering entrepreneurship and encouraging businesses to stand on their own.”

Nearly 1,500 handicraft artisans and manufacturers at more than 1,300 stands will fill the Jakarta Convention Center’s 25,000-square-meter space through Sunday. Shoppers will be spoiled for choice, as the goods range from batik, woven cloth and other textiles, woodwork, as well as precious stones and jewelry. Other featured items include ceramics and pottery, as well as home decorations.

 For the Rp 20,000 ($1.54) entrance fee, visitors can expect to figuratively “travel around Indonesia,” Thamrin said.

Residents from the Greater Jakarta area can breathe a sigh of relief as organizers are providing shuttle buses to the venue from the following malls: Plaza Senayan, Senayan City and Pacific Place, South Jakarta; Taman Anggrek Mall, West Jakarta; Grand Indonesia, Central Jakarta; and Margo City, in the southern outskirts of the capital.

Women find hope and empowerment

The Jakarta Post, Margaret Agusta, Contributor, Jakarta | Sat, 04/16/2011

Hand made: An artisan uses a wooden hammer to make wayang kulit
(leather puppet) during the exhibition. JP/P.J. Leo

The enticing strains of keroncong music wafted out into the Rumah Jawa Gallery compound at Jl. Kemang Timur Raya in South Jakarta, inviting visitors to step inside and see what the archipelago has to offer.

The gallery is hosting the Meet the Makers exhibition, which allows anyone interested in traditional textiles and handicrafts from various villages across the archipelago to not only view and possibly purchase the hand wrought items, but to also watch them being made from Friday, April 15 through Sunday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

Meet the Makers makes a point to provide visitors the opportunity to meet the handicrafts people, mostly women, whose wares, ranging from hand-painted batik and traditional woven textiles, mats and bags made from woven reeds, leather wayang shadow puppets, wooden handicrafts, and ceramics.

There is even one display of educational toys by the Yakum Craft non-profit organization of Central Java that empowers handicapped people toward independence through the recycling of discarded packaging into useful objects, like puzzles that can help children learn.

After all, this Meet the Makers exhibition is primarily about empowerment.

According to Ibu Luwek of Tende Village, Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, who was sitting on a woven reed mat in the middle of the central exhibition space on Friday weaving natural tan colored and black dyed reeds into traditional patterns for a small mat, she is delighted to have the opportunity to visit Jakarta and share her skills and sell her products.

“The money we make is a welcome addition to household income,” said the small shy woman in colorful red traditional garb, her hair pulled back in a traditional bun.

“I am really happy that we can sell so much when we exhibit in Jakarta,” she said, explaining that this is her second opportunity to come to the capital to promote the handicrafts of Industri Bentuan Lestari Cooperative that groups 25 women handicrafters in her village.

Which one?: A woman look at masks in a handicraft exhibition
at the Rumah Jawa Gallery at Jl. Kemang Timur Raya in South
Jakarta. The items are from Azizah Craft of Bantul,
Yogyakarta. JP/P.J. Leo

“It has not been easy to market our mats and bags and other woven reed items,” she said.

“I finally approached the local Industry and Cooperatives Agency and we were able to get some guidance and training to help us manage our cooperative well and to find more ways to promote and distribute our products.”

Her cooperative also collaborates with the Borneo Chic shop at Jl. Bangka Raya 99A to produce sheets of woven reed that are then used to produce attractive, trendy modern bags on the basis of designs created by a young woman named Diana, who originates from Hulu Village in West Kalimantan.

Among the other cooperatives, women’s empowerment organizations and small-scale home industries with displays are Tafean Pah, which features traditional woven and embroidered fabrics of various kinds from the western part of East Nusa Tenggara; House of Lawe of Yogyakarta that features items made from the traditional fabric favored by the staff and guards of the ancient palace there; Asmoro, which features the unique designs and colors of the coastal batik of Pekalongan; Red Lotus, which features a wide range of hand painted batik items from Banguntapan, Yogyakarta,. and Pekunden, of Depok, West Java, which features pottery items.

RI registers three cultural heritage sites at UNESCO

Antara News, Tue, March 29 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - RI has registered three intangible cultural heritage sites, namely Balinese traditional dance, Noken handicraft and Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), at the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, an official said here Monday.

"The Minister of Culture and Tourism today registered the three sites to UNESCO to preserve Indonesian culture," Jero Wacik, Minister of Culture and Tourism, said here Monday.

Jero said by the addition of the three heritage sites, Indonesia had added a number of intangible cultural heritage sites, such as Indonesian puppets (2003), Indonesian ceremonial knives (2005), Indonesian Batiks (2009) and Indonesian angklung (2010).

He further said that the more cultural heritage sites are recognized by UNESCO created higher pride for the people in preserving the cultural sites in Indonesia.

On the occasion, he also expressed pessimism in registering all Indonesian cultural heritage sites to UNESCO due to the limited financial factor.

"Thousands of people have been involved in the registration of the three sites, so there must be more people and money to spend in registering all the sites of Indonesian cultural heritage since we have plenty of them ," he said.

Those three intangible cultural heritage sites are involved in the representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritages (Balinese traditional dances), Urgent Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Noken handicraft) and Best Practice of Intangible Cultural Heritages (TMII).

The registration documents were also signed by Coordinating Minster of People`s Welfare Agung Laksono after the Ministry of Culture and tourism.

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono

Related Article:

RI to act as judge at upcoming UNESCO session

First lady opens handicraft council congress

Antara News, Saturday, April 17, 2010 21:40 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - First Lady Ani Bambang Yudhoyono officially opened a national congress of the National Handicraft Council (Dekranas) 2010, here, Saturday.

The one-day congress themed "Developing Creative Economic Through Technology, Innovation, and Culture-based Handicraft Development, is being held at Smesco Building, Jakarta.

The First Lady was accompanied by Mrs. Herawati Boediono (wife of the vice president),

Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Industry Minister Ms Hidayat, Small and Medium Scale Business and Cooperatives Minister Syarief Hassan.

Dekranas was established on March 3, 1980, as a non-profit and independent organization aimed at developing and preserving culture and handicraft as cultural heritage as well as marketing and promoting handicraft products in order to improve the people`s welfare.

The trade minister said handicraft products are one of main state revenue contributors.

The tarnished future of Kotagede silver

Yuliantoro, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta | Fri, 12/11/2009 10:22 AM | Java Brew

Rare skill: Marni, 25, from Kotagede, Yogyakarta, applies herself to making jewellery, in Salim Silver’s workshop, in Oct. 2009. JP/Yuliantoro

Kotagede’s fame as a silver town is not limited to Indonesia, but is evenly spread throughout the world. In the 18th century, the Mataram Palace appointed Kotagede as a silver handicraft center to meet the palace’s needs.

Consequently the fine art work and engraving produced in the town have been complex and of high quality.

The silver handicrafts of Kotagede experienced their peak when they went international in the 1930s. This was largely thanks to Mrs Mary Agnes Van Gesseler Versvir, the wife of the Dutch East Indies governor who exercised power in Yogyakarta from 1929 to 1932.

The Dutchwoman was so impressed with Kotagede silver handicrafts that she ordered many to be sent to the Netherlands.

Drs Pim Westerkamp MA, the curator of Southeast Asian Culture and History at the Tropenmuseum in the Netherlands, said that the Dutch Tropenmuseum currently stored at least 62,000 examples of Kotagede silver handicrafts from Yogyakarta, covering production between 1929 and 1932.

The collection of silver handicrafts includes silver bowls, cake plates, cup sets and teapots, wine cups and more. A large part of the collection carries relief motifs of the Prambanan Temple, the Boko Queen, the Jepara Mantingan Mosque, motifs from West Sumatra and elsewhere.

In the 1930s, all the silver craft industries experienced growth.

Soon after Indonesia became independent, the international prestige of Kotagede silver began to fade, especially after the confrontation with Malaysia, followed by Indonesia leaving the UN and the events of Sept. 30, 1965.

In the 1970s, after the political situation started to stabilise, Kotagede silver was back in fashion and triumphant again.

Because Indonesia opened its doors to the outside world, especially with the tourism sector, silver goods became popular among consumers and jewellery businesses, and were marketed by art shops in the Kotagede area.

The results were very profitable and the living standards of the community improved, so that almost the entire community of Kotagede was eking a living out of making silver handicrafts.

A dying art: Wasik, 60, makes a pendant out of silver in Salim Silver’s. JP/Yuliantoro

Unfortunately, over time, and particularly since the early 1990s, silver craft industries in Kotagede are no longer prevalent. The shocks to the economy from the monetary crisis in 1998, the 2006 earthquake, the increasing price of fuel and the global crisis from 2007 to 2008, have made Kotagede silver craft industries seem ready to give up or simply survive.

A Kotagede silver entrepreneur, Priyo Jatmiko Salim, who owns Salim Silver, said that since the late 20th century, silver craft had shifted from an art form to an industry of mass-produced goods, purely based on economic value.

The fine engraved silver artwork with its characteristic hallmark identifying it as part of Kotagede’s cultural heritage is now rarely found in showrooms.

“Look at the silver shops. Is there an engraved silver product there that has any semblance of art?” Priyo asked.

The shift from art to mass production began during the 1998 economic crisis. Priyo added that the weakened rupiah had sharply increased the price of silver raw materials, while at the same time reduced buyers’ purchasing power.

There were no more major orders for household goods such as tea, dinner sets, bowls and large handicrafts.

“When silver was Rp 400,000 [US$42] per kilogram [before 1998], we needed five kilos of silver worth Rp 4 million to produce a set of cutlery. We could then sell it for Rp 5 million. But when the price of silver jumped to Rp 3 million per kilogram, the sale price of silverware in the marketplace could not cover the production costs.”

Because of the higher costs of the raw material, all the craft industries had to think pragmatically. They switched to mass products because that made manufacturing simple and the price was relatively affordable to consumers in the domestic tourism market.

“Making craft silverware is complicated and expensive, so the selling price is high. Domestic consumers can’t afford this. This is why we stopped making creative art products.”

However, said Priyo, maintaining the artistic products of our cultural heritage can be profitable because the price of the items depend on the beauty of the product, unlike mass produced goods, where the price is determined by volume.

“The artistic value of one item of silverware made from 10 grams of silver can reach Rp 10 million if it’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye. If it’s a mass-produced good made from only one gram [of silver], the price will depend on the weight.”

However, the consumer market is still limited to art lovers. There are still relatively few buyers of art in Indonesia, though there are many such customers overseas.

A Kotagede arts and cultural observer, Chirzin Natsir, said the prospects for a thriving silver handicraft industry in Kotagede had not only faded because of national disasters and global events.

The fall, he went on, has been caused by silver crafts people’s lack of foresight. Appreciation of the arts, culture and history of silver is still low among craft workers.

“If we’re clever, every time we make a good design, we should put aside one or two pieces. After 10 or 20 years, the collection will have expanded and the items will be expensive. If they cannot be sold, they can be shown in a museum so that every time people see them, they will have to pay,” he said.

Nasir said Kotagede’s silver collection from the Dutch period, which has been carefully stored, has a very high monetary value.

Before the earthquake, around 650 craftspeople worked in Kotagede making silverware. After the earthquake, the number decreased dramatically to 125 people.

Now around 100 still survive in some outlets of silver craftwork, and only 25 people in Kotagede and its surroundings.

“This is a very drastic decline, and has created a challenge for all crafts people; how to deal with the market without compromising the industry and the historical value that exists here?” Priyo asked.

The market for well-designed silver handicrafts with fine workmanship is still open, especially for exports to European countries, America, Australia and East Asia.

Customers in those countries are very interested in the silver Kotagede art products, especially those that are well made and with individual characteristics.

Priyo said that when he went to an exhibition in Hong Kong last September, many visitors from all over the world were interested in his products.

“They said we were the only Indonesian silver craftsmen that were creating art for the future.

As a result we received many well-priced orders in the international market.”

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Skilled craftman’s business has silver lining

Asia-Pacific reporter Patrick Barta on exploring Borobudur, one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the world.

By PATRICK BARTA, The Wall Street Journal 

Bell-shaped stupas are at the summit of the temple. (Patrick Barta/WSJ) 

What it is: Located in the heart of the Indonesian island of Java, Borobudur is a massive, mysterious stone temple built between 775 and 850 A.D., but abandoned when Islam became more prevalent in Indonesia. The temple was restored in the 1970s and 1980s and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It now stands as one of Asia's most important holy sites. The temple is built in several terraced levels with hundreds of decorative reliefs depicting scenes from Javanese life 1,000 years ago. Pilgrims travel from across the world to ascend the temple's summit -- a journey that is supposed to bring visitors to the highest level of enlightenment. The top offers sublime views of the Javanese countryside, with rice paddies, coffee plantations and volcanic mountains. Borobudur is also close to Yogyakarta, a city of 500,000 people that is the center of Javanese fine art and culture. It is a major destination for handicrafts and performing arts, including Indonesian puppet shows. Tourists can hire a cyclo to ride through town to visit a sultan's palace and a large market of handmade batik fabrics. 

Where to eat: Dining options are a bit limited around Borobudur; top restaurants are located in hotels and guesthouses. Most visitors schedule at least one meal at Amanjiwo's restaurant, which is open to non-guests and serves a mixture of Western and Indonesian food, including a Javanese tasting menu with satays and other local specialties. Food stalls nearby also serve basic Indonesian fare such as nasi goreng, or Indonesian fried rice. 

Where to stay: The ultra-luxurious Amanjiwo (www.amanjiwo.com; +62-293-788-333; rooms start at $700 a night), set in a valley among rice paddies about three miles from Borobudur, is built to mimic the temple's style and feels like a major monument in itself. Built with local limestone, it features an art gallery and a dramatic colonnaded open-air dining room that overlooks Borobudur and the surrounding mountains. Rooms feature rattan furniture, Javanese textiles and domed roofs. Activities include tours on the backs of elephants and midnight treks up a nearby volcano. 

For more affordable rates, Saraswati (www.saraswatiborobudur.com; +62-293-788-843; rooms start at $89 a night) has comfortable rooms in a peaceful estate in an enclosed area off a road leading into the temple. It has a pleasant inner courtyard, a large garden pool and traditional Indonesian xylophone performances in the lobby. Many visitors stay in Yogyakarta, about 50 minutes away. The best value there is the Grand Mercure Yogyakarta (www.mercure.com; +62-274-566-617; rooms start at about $50 a night), in an elegantly restored colonial building.

Handicrafts: Batik takes on a new shape

Nurni Sulaiman, THE JAKARTA POST, BALIKPAPAN | Fri, 01/16/2009 1:06 PM  

Housewife Budi Hariyati had never imagined she would work in the batik industry. After all, batik is a Javanese tradition, and she lives in Kalimantan. 

But an offer to join a batik training program changed her life.

 

New twist: Wooden batik handicraft with Dayak motifs are proving very popular. JP/NURNI SULAIMAN 

 

She recalled how she and about 20 other women joined the workshop organized by the Industry and Trade Agency in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, back in 1991. 

Before long, batik and batik-making had become a central part of her life, as she bought the materials and avidly practiced at home 

Of those 20 women, she is the only one still working with batik – with stunning success, in the form of a small business. 

Her business, Shaho Handy Craft – which claims to be the first batik maker in Balikpapan – puts a fresh twist on batik by using Dayak designs for the motifs. 

Hariyati started by using silk-screen techniques, but later moved onto printed and fine batik.

“At first, my dream was only to improve and develop batik in Kalimantan so that local people who wanted to learn about it did not have to travel far away to Java,” Hariyati said. 

Now she employs 10 workers, mostly women from her own neighborhood. Each receives a monthly salary of at least Rp 900,000 (US$80), while others are paid at a daily rate of Rp 30,000. 

She also provides training to anyone who wants to learn about Kalimantan’s batik handicrafts – and many people do. 

Every year about 500 to 1,000 students – including students from international schools, such as Bugis International School and Prabu International School – study batik in her workshop, she said. 

“School students usually bring their own designs and make batik here [on a piece of cloth].

“Later they can make various items from their batik, depending on what they want – a bag, clothing or something else,” she said. 

A number of local and foreign employees have also studied in Hariyati’s studio.

All in all, she said, the batik industry is proving quite promising. 

“The income is enough to cover the cost of living in Balikpapan. I’ve even been able to send my three children to university.” 

Hariyati’s children and husband fully support her flourishing business. 

The name of her company, Shaho, is formed from the initials of her family’s first names – Supratono (Hariyati’s husband), Hariyati and her children Ardi, Hendri Astuti and Oki Hendro Julianto. 

What distinguishes fabric from Shaho Handy Craft is its use of unique and abstract Dayak designs. 

Products made from the fabric include bags, sarongs, sleepwear, and clothes. 

Prices for Hariyati’s printed batik fabric begin at Rp 20,000 per meter while prices for fine batik start at Rp 150,000. 

Her workshop can produce at least 200 meters of printed fabric per day or 12,000 meters per year, although production output also depends on the season. 

Output drops during the rainy season, because the cloth cannot be spread out in the sun to dry.

Now, in yet another twist on the classic, Hariyati is developing batik based on Kalimantan designs using wood, not cloth. 

For this, she uses local woods such as lime. She is also developing natural coloring. 

“Wooden batik with Dayak designs is extremely popular. We are also developing it to support the ‘Visit Indonesia Year 2008/2009’ initiative,” Oki said. 

Despite the popularity – and uniqueness – of her products, Hariyati has no plans to expand her business to Jakarta, Java or anywhere else because of the extremely high operational costs, which would make it difficult for her products to compete with Javanese batik in term of retail prices. 

“We have no branches outside of Kalimantan,” she said. 

“However Shaho batik can be found overseas in places such as Australia, the US, France, Mexico, Canada and Nigeria. The buyers come directly to this showroom.”

Bandung's Braga Festival kicks off today

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/30/2008 12:05 PM 

LET THE FESTIVAL BEGIN: Sendy Yusuf, wife of West Java deputy governor Yusuf Macan Effendi or "Dede Yusuf," cuts a garland of jasmine to mark the opening of the Braga Festival in Bandung. The 600-meter-long Jl. Braga will be closed to traffic on Tuesday and Wednesday during the cultural festival. JP/Yuli Tri Suwarni

Bandung's annual cultural festival, held in the city's Braga district, kicks off on Tuesday, with seven main arteries to be closed to vehicular traffic. 

"No public or private vehicles will be allowed during the festival, save those of visitors and festival volunteers," Bandung Traffic Police chief Herukoco said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com. 

The seven main roads that will be blocked off for festival events are Jl. ABC, Jl. Asia Afrika, Jl. Banceuy, Jl. Braga, Jl. Naripan, Jl. Suniaraja and Jl. Tamblong he added. 

Forty-six stage events and various booths offering food, arts and crafts will entertain visitors during the two-day festival, which was first held in 2006. (amr)

Roro Blonyo statue

Antara, Sun December 28, 2008, Yogyakarta .

Two artisans are finishing making of roro blonyo statue in Goa Selarong, Bantul, Yogyakarta province, Saturday (Dec.27). The statue of Javanese bridegroom was sold for 30,000 to 2.5 million rupiahs a unit in Indonesia, Europe, and US market. (ANTARA photo/Noveradika)

PRINCESS LOOK

The Jakarta Post     |  Mon, 11/24/2008 4:44 PM  

 

PRINCESS LOOK: Princess Mathilde of Belgium observes traditional handicrafts displayed by the Peramu Foundation in Kebon Pedes village, Bogor, on Monday. Mathilde visited a number of micro businesses in the area. JP/Theresia Sufa.

ECO-FRIENDLY PLATES

The Jakarta Post, Thu, 11/13/2008 10:50 AM  |  Bali

 

  

Ingke, traditional dishes and hampers made of woven bamboo, rattan, coconut leaves, pandanus leaves and other natural materials, are just a small part of traditional household utensils in Bali. (JP/Wasti Atmodjo)

Bali to hold Balinese Art Festival from June 14 to July 12

Denpasar, Bali, April 18 (ANTARA) - Bali will hold the 30th Balinese Art Festival from June 14 to July 12, 2008, according to a local official.

The festival would be highlighted with a number of national and international events, Head of the Bali provincial tourism service Nyoman Nikanaya said here on Friday.

The international events would include a world `wayang` (puppet shadow) festival, an ASEAN ethnic music festival, a congress of Balinese culture and an arts performance show to be participated in by 12 teams from eight countries, he said.

At least 20 provinces from Indonesia would also join the festival by presenting their cultural arts and handicrafts, he said.

Heritage disputes unnecessary: Society

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Culture belongs to everyone and arguments between Indonesia and Malaysia over the ownership of traditional songs and folklore should be avoided, the head of a heritage society said on the weekend.

A recent dispute between the two countries over ownership rights to a traditional song was unnecessary because "culture is for sharing", Endo Suanda, the director of the Indonesian Heritage Trust (BPPI), told a gathering in Jakarta on Saturday.

"If Malaysia believes Rasa Sayange originally came from there, let it be. We don't need to overreact as if we won't be able to enjoy the song anymore," said Endo, who is also the Archipelagic Art Academy director.

Rasa Sayange became the center of a heated debate in Indonesia last year when the House of Representatives protested against Malaysia's use of the song in its "Truly Asia" tourism campaign.

Tensions escalated in Indonesia when rumors circulated that Malaysia had also patented traditional Indonesian handicrafts, including batik and wayang puppets.

National Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Hakam Naja said Indonesia should sue the Malaysian government if it could be proven that the song originated in Indonesia.

While it is believed Rasa Sayange originated in Maluku, where people are believed to have sung it for generations to express their love for the environment, there is no proof as to who wrote the song.

The Malaysian government said Kuala Lumpur had never claimed ownership over the song and promised to drop two Indonesian traditional dances that were also featured in its tourism campaign.

"Culture does not belong to one specific nation. It is yours and ours and it belongs to everyone else too," said Endo.

"Why should we argue about this while everyone is still allowed to enjoy it?"

Endo said he was concerned people had classified culture into certain categories and said no one specific culture was better than another.

"We should not underestimate mixed cultures, which are created as a response to multicultural living, by saying that original cultures are better," he said.

As an example he cited Gambang Kromong music from Tangerang, which is a combination of several cultures, including Betawi, Melayu and Chinese.

Also present at Saturday's event was Hashim Djojohadikusumo, a businessman and art collector who will facilitate the return of the thousand-year-old "Minto" Stone to Indonesia from Scotland by the end of this year.

At the forum, the son of former New Order economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo called on Indonesian businesspeople to contribute to culture-related philanthropic activities, saying it would help preserve the country's heritage.

"I am concerned that culture-related donations are usually donated by foreigners. Local businesses should be able to take part in this. Contributing our money is not a hard thing to do if we love art."

Also speaking at the gathering, academic Laretna T. Adishakti said philanthropists had contributed a lot to her efforts to revitalize a silver handicraft area devastated by Yogyakarta's earthquake in 2005.

"We haven't received help from the government except for the renovation of mosques in Kota Gede," said the lecturer from Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

She said the revitalization of Kota Gede would take 20 years and would involve a large amount of funds.

"We have received Rp 1 billion (approximately US$106 million) so far," she said. (lln)

Sumba weavings break records

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (Jakarta Post) : Two traditional weavings by weavers in East Sumba regency have entered the Indonesian Record Museum (MURI) and broken a world record.

The fabrics were 24 meters and 50.1 meters in length, both hand-made by dozens of weavers.

"The fabrics are perfect, leading MURI to name them as the longest weavings ever," said MURI manager Paulus Pangka.

"One of them, (known as a) 'hinggi humba anda marongu', broke the world record (for length)," he added while handing the certificate to Silvia Angraeni Mehang Kunda, head of the East Sumba regency National Handicraft Council late Friday.

He said MURI earlier recorded an 18-meter-long weaving in Pekanbaru in Riau province as the longest.

"But the Sumba weavings entered MURI since they are manually and perfectly made," he said.

Silvia said the weavings were not only made to break records but to preserve traditional heritage and motivate weavers to develop their skills.

W Java declares formation of tourism board

Bandung, W Java (ANTARA News) - The West Java provincial administration here Tuesday declared the formation of a West Java Tourism Board in connection with the launching of Visit Indonesia Year 2008 by the central government.

"The board will be the spearhead of any central and provincial government initiative to develop West Java`s tourism sector. We will do it from now on," head of the West Java Tourism and Culture Office HI Budhiyana said.

The board would facilitate efforts to improve West Java`s performance in the tourism sector as well as serve as a think-tank on how the sector needs to be developed in the future, he said.

In conjunction with the launching of Visit-Indonesia Year 2008 at national level, West Java had also proclaimed a Visit West Java Year 2008 with the purpose of increasing the number of tourist arrivals in the province.

"The tourism sector saw significant growth in 2007. The year was the strategic start to raise the foreign tourist arrival target in 2008," he said.

He admitted so far the mix of tourists visiting West Java was still dominated by domestic tourists who accounted for as much 96 percent of the total number of tourist arrivals in West Java in 2007.

In 2008, the challenge and strategy in West Java`s tourism development efforts would be aimed at developing community-based tourism.

He said the tourism sector in West Java contributed some Rp19.4 trillion to the province`s revenues in 2007 while the target had been set at Rp22 trillion.

In 2007, the number of foreign tourists visiting West Java reached 350,000 compared to the target set at 500,000, he added.

He said efforts would be made to stimulate the souvenir industry in support of the West Java-Visit Year.

Special scout jamboree opens doors for disabled students

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Walking, assisted by staff, Allan joined a group reposing under a tree Thursday afternoon in the middle of Cibubur camping ground in East Jakarta.

Allan had come with 22 other participants, all the way from Bitung in North Sulawesi, to the five-yearly National Special Scout Jamboree.

After a few minutes of chatter, Allan and other scouts went into a hall to receive instructions on what activities they would be doing next.

This was the fifth day of activities, which began Nov. 18, organized by the National Scouts Committee. Allan was one of 532 special scouts at the event, who were blind, deaf, hyperactive, physically or mentally handicapped, from 17 provinces including Jakarta (which sent the most, 142 scouts).

This was the seventh Special Scouts Jamboree since 1972 involving youths aged between 11 and 21, from second and third scout levels.

As many as 334 scout leaders and doctors were at hand to accompany participants in the activities, which included sending messages in semaphore, outdoor games and making handicrafts.

"The purpose of this camp is to pass on knowledge as well as to foster friendships among participants from different provinces," a spokesperson of the committee, Septembrianti, said.

She said there should be no differences between activities for regular and special scouts.

"For example, even if scouts are mentally challenged they can participate in the same activities as others, only it may take them longer, receiving assistance."

Suryawan, a finance official of the committee, said the Public Welfare Ministry and the State Ministry for Youth and Sports Affairs allocated funds to support the event.

"But each participant had to pay Rp 200,000 (US$23) to pay for food, shirts, a hats and scarfs."

Anang Suparman, the program organizer, said each contingent deployed numerous scout guides to help disabled participants because the committee could not provide enough facilities, such as providing signage in braille for blind participants.

"This year's camp still did not teach them to be independent, because they could ask for help from guides if they had any difficulties," he said.

Andreas, a guide from the North Sumatran contingent, said he needed to be patient to handle 10 scouts who were deaf, blind and mentally handicapped.

"We teach them simple things like codes and ropes," he said.

Samuel, a mentally handicapped participant from Medan, North Sumatra, said he was happy at the jamboree, since this was the first time he could make friends with people from other provinces.

"I love outdoor games because they are challenging," he said. (ewd).

Balikpapan market home to gemstones

The Jakarta Post, Balikpapan

Kebun Sayur market in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, is famous for its gemstones and semi-precious stones, with buyers both foreign and local regularly visiting the market in search of jewelry and other handcrafted wares.

Most famous among the market's offerings are gemstones, such as agate, amethyst, opal, topaz and turquoise.

The majority of the semi-precious stones come from Kalimantan, although some of the jewelry creations combine local gemstones with semi-precious stones from Abudabi, Bangkok, Dubai, India and Tanzania.

Nurhayati, a jewelry designer and owner of one of the market's many shops, Upik Shop, told The Jakarta Post she found her inspiration in trends and traditions both local and international.

"The Dayak people tend to combine all kinds of colors in designing necklaces, bracelets, brooches and other kinds of jewelry. Their creations are so classic and elegant.

"And Bangkok's trend in stringing stones into luxurious jewelry complements Indonesian style," said Nurhayati, who has run her jewelry shop since 1986.

The workers in Nurhayati's shop not only make and sell jewelry in a colorful array of necklaces, bracelets and brooches, but also invite customers to see firsthand how the jewelry is made.

Nurhayati said many prominent figures have visited her shop to purchase jewelry, including entertainers Ully Artha, Ully Sigar Rusady, Ulfa Dwiyanti and Tukul Arwana; the second runner-up for the 2006 Miss Indonesia pageant, Rahma M. Landy; and several wives of state officials.

The market, which opens daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., also features rattan mats called lampit, and various home decorations made from Kalimantan wood.

Sasirangan batik, silk batik and Kalimantan "Saho" are available at stores such as Kumalasari Shop, often at prices far lower than available at area retail centers.

Sasirangan and "Saho" batik prices start at Rp 75,000, while the most luxurious variety of silk batik sells for Rp 500,000.

Precious stones, such as zircon, crystal and white diamond valued at hundreds of thousands of rupiah, can be found in shops such as Permata Dua Saudara.

"I always seek polished diamonds in Kebun Sayur market because this is the trade center for precious and semi-precious stones in Kalimantan," said Zulkarnaen, a longtime visitor to Kebun Sayur.

"I think Kalimantan's diamonds are brighter than diamonds from Africa or other countries."