ethnic tourism

One of the great pleasures of going on holiday, apart from the sightseeing and touring, has to be the shopping. The thrill of finding the perfect item at the perfect price is universal. Whether it’s down an alley in some bustling marketplace, or in the airconditioned comfort of a modern shopping mall, the options for shopping in Indonesia are remarkably diverse.

A tourism centre like Yogyakarta probably wouldn’t have become as popular as it is without the option for some ‘retail therapy’. A stroll down the city’s main thoroughfare, Jalan Marlioboro, reveals the startling variety oflocal handicrafts that are on offer. Among the most popular are ceramics, leathergoods, silver, batik and wayangkulit’ leather shadow puppets. All of the items are made locally and for those not afraid to get off the beatentrack you can go
directly to the source, bypass the hustle and bustle, and discover some incredible bargains at local prices.

In many of the places you can witness the manufacturing process, often according to age-old methods passed downthrough the generations, and there are also some excellent short courses available for those who want to learn forthemselves how it’s done.

Ceramics

The area known as Kasongan, a short drive to the south-west of the city centre, is famous as a centre for ceramics. Scores of shopfronts line the streets here offering a bewildering array of locally-made pots, vases, statues,garden sets, ashtrays and more. The clay soil of Bangun Jiwo, about four kilometres away provides the raw materials for these cottage industries. Small workshops are often attached to the shops and visitors can witness the creativeprocess. Originally, the shops produced essential items like cooking pots and utensils. They quickly became populardue to the cheap prices and craftsmanship and as the area began to develop a reputation, new items were producedwith an emphasis on creativity and decoration. Today the variety of goods is amazing and they are rendered in arainbow of different colours like bright purples, greens, pinks, reds and gold. A medium sized vase sells foraround Rp 20,000 (about US$3), and ashtrays for as little as Rp 2,500 (less than the price of a packet ofcigarettes). Popular items for tourists are life sized clay lions and other animal figures, and also popular aregarden sets with four stools and a small table. Other shops offer items with more natural, earthy tones, like lampshades and traditional Javanese Loro Blonyo statues, that beautifully complement any interior design.With dozens of shops to choose from, Kasongan makes an excellent place to spend a morning or an afternoon strollingaround and browsing. You’re sure to find something you like at rock-bottom prices.

Silver

In Yogyakarta the name ‘Kota Gede’ is synonymous with silver. One of Yogya’s main centres for handicrafts, there are literally hundreds of shops here manufacturing and selling an infinite variety of items crafted from highquality silver. Most of the silver comes from West Java and is crafted into jewellery and other trinkets in cottageindustries scattered around the area. Many of the items end up in Bali where they’re sold to tourists at higherprices and other items are exported overseas. Obviously coming direct to the source means that you can cut out the`middle man’ and get some beautiful silver at factory-direct prices. Many of the shops have factories attached tothem and they welcome tourists who want to see the manufacturing process. Skilled craftsmen and women spend countless hours intricately creating the fine silver pieces that you see on display inthe showrooms, including all manner of jewellery like rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, brooches, cutlery andintricate filligree sculptures like traditional becaks (bicycle taxis), ships,  dragons and other figures.

The number of shops is almost overwhelming. Some of the main streets to try are Jl Tegal Gendu, Jl Kemasan and Jl Monodorakan. Avoid the larger shops with sluggish, impersonal service and higher prices due to their overheads. The smaller family-run businesses are muchmore friendly and helpful, you’ll find the prices are cheaper and they’re more willing to bargain. Most of the items are made from genuine 92.SS silver, however look out for items that look excessively shiny. Theymay be stamped with the 92.SS but they could be just silver plated fakes. Most of the shops are genuine operators but there are some dodgy ones. Also avoid touts that will try to take you to a particular shop. There are so many shops that you don’t need help to find them, and they’ll expect a commission from the shop-owner which means they won’t want to bargain.Take the time to stroll around and compare some of the prices and styles. You can easily spend a few pleasant hours browsing around finding that perfect gift or perhaps something for yourself. You can find silver rings for aslittle as US$1 and silver bracelets start from as low as US$5 - the perfect mission for die-hard bargain hunters!

Wayang Kulit

A good place to see the manufacturing of traditional wayang kulit shadow puppets is at Gubug Wayang (Kadipaten Kulon Kp.1/ 44 tel: 383684). Pak Olot Pardjono is a master puppet maker who also works for the Museum of Art and Culture so he knows his stuff. His small workshop is conveniently located near the sultan’s palace in the centre of town and makes a nice adjunct to a tour of the palace or Kraton. Olot is happy to explain the process; from the first stage where the rawhide is scrubbed smooth, to the cutting stage where the puppets are cut into shape with intricate patterns; and the several stages of painting using a range of colourful acrylics. An average-sized puppet can take anywhere from three weeks to two months to complete and the final products are spectacularly detailed and colourful and make a distinctively Indonesian gift idea. Most of the characters are from Ancient Javanese and Hindu legend and include Rama and Sinta (the legendary `Romeo and Juliet’couple), the elephant god Ganesha and the Hindu gods Wisnu and Arjuna. Olot is also well-versed in the legends relating to all the puppet characters and is happy to fill you in. Prices start from a few hundred thousand rupiah depending on the size of the puppet, that’s around US$40 - wellworth it when you consider the time and skill needed to produce such beautiful pieces.

Batik
Raradjonggrang Batik Home Industry (6A Tirtodipuran, Yogya 55143, tel: (62-274 375 209), is a batik showroom with an attached factory producing a range of colourful batik fabrics. The batik is made by hand using the traditional methods of batik tulis and batik cap. Batik tulis involves drawing the design onto the plain fabric using an instrument called a canting, something like a fountain pen with a small reservoir for wax. Batik cap uses a large brass stamp to
imprint the design in wax onto the cloth. The function of the wax is to prevent those areas of the fabric from being dyed. The fabric is then dyed by immersing it in a tub of dye or by painting the dye onto the fabric. The wax can then be scraped or boiled away, leaving an imprint of the design in the original colour of the fabric. The process can be repeated several times to produce the colourful patterns that you see in the finished product. The showroom has a large variety of items for sale including clothing, table clothes, napkins, wall hangings and plenty of other gift ideas.

Due to the skill and time required to make genuine batik, it was originally reserved only for use by royalty, and the traditional brown, black and white patterns are still popular. However, batik has now developed into a modern art form and there are several `galleries’ around the Jl Marlioboro area with examples of colourful abstract designs. A look at these so-called galleries can be an interesting diversion from the bustle of Marlioboro but be careful not to get pushed around by persistent touts and pushy salesmen. If you like a piece, bargain for a price you’re comfortable with, and don’t be afraid to walk out of the shop.

When buying batik check to see if the design is equally visible on both sides of the cloth to make sure that it’s original batik and not a cheap ‘printed on’ design. In the street markets be sure to bargain hard. In shops the prices are usually fixed but it never hurts to try, you might get a discount. Prices for original batik may seem expensive but when you consider the time that goes into making it, it seems more reasonable, especially for a very good quality piece that will be a beautiful momento of your trip to Central Java.

Short Courses
The Vocational Education Development Centre (VEDC) of Arts and Crafts (also known as PPPG) is situated in the beautiful Kaliurang area on the lowest slopes of Mt Merapi to the north of the city. The centre is part of the Education Department and offers continuing education for teachers at technical high schools throughout Indonesia. The centre also offers short courses to the public in several different fields of arts and crafts at very reasonable prices. For those with a keen interest in Indonesian culture and enough time to spare they make a great idea for a memorable addition to your holiday. The instructors are all highly qualified masters in their respective fields and most of them have had training overseas. Courses are offered in the areas of; woodcraft; ceramics; leather craft; metal craft; textiles including batik technique; photography; computer graphics and performing arts including traditional music and dance. Courses range from a few days to a few weeks and can be tailored to suit your itinerary. Prices start from a few hundred  thousand rupiah per person depending on the size of the group.

The items on display at the business centre testify to the very high standards of quality. Furniture, lampshades, leather bags, artworks and sculptures are all available for purchase and make elegant additions to any home. Prices for the courses include stationery, materials, work clothes and a certificate. Short courses make a fantastic idea for a holiday diversion. Why take home a souvenir when you can take home a new skill and have a great time doing it?

For more information about short courses contact: The Business Unit of PPPG Kesenian Yogyakarta, Jl. Kaliurang Km. 13,8 Yogyakarta Indonesia 55581. Tel: (62 274) 897541, 895803.

Essential Info
Accommodation options in Yogya are plentiful, with budget places mostly found around Jl. Prawirotaman. Moving up the scale the Jogja Village Inn is a charming boutique style hotel with a relaxing ambience. Other hotels include the magnificent Sheraton Mustika Resort and Spawith a grand design and superb spa for some serious relaxation, and the Melia Purosani a “cultural sanctuary for the senses”. Then there’s the Hyatt Regency with a spectacular Borobudur design theme and its own nine hole golf course! Conveniently situated near the airport on Jl. Adisucipto is the comfortable and stylish Quality Hotel with an excellent Chinese restaurant.

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