Garuda Pancasila Bag, Made from Rattan

Eheng village is well known as a home-based of rattan producers. This is because, Eheng a natural tourist destination in West Kutai, East Kalimantan. We could find rattan craft diversity ranging from the bag to takraw’s ball, Eheng is the right place.

“It’s been long time that people woven rattan in here. Women did the woven, I prepared the material, cut them and coloring rattan, ” said Mr Jamie (29 years) in the shop which also became her temporary residence in Eheng, District of Damai, Sendawar (22/3).

Mr. Jimmi’s family (first child of this family named Jimi-red), one of the many dayak families who seek rattan. There are dozens of families doing a home based rattan crafting in Eheng. There were a time that rattan became main sectors focus in West Kutai District before 2005, rattan began to catch an attention for community economic development in Eheng.

Later on, it evolved from the rattan dayak communities habit using the tools and household garden equipment of woven rattan. Rattan demand from outside the area also trigger these families to seek rattan. Besides, its raw materials readily available for long cultivated rattan in their field, local markets are also promising. Eheng as a tourist destination is clearly a milling travelers from outside the area.

“Those white skin people often passed through here, there are tourism here. During Samarinda’s PON preparations, we used to send rattan with the truck 3 times. Recently, there were message from Singapore and Malaysia, but they ask for cheaper and a lot, I could not fulfil it,” explained Mr Jimi recounts his experiences about display and accepting rattan crafts orders.

West Kutai government through the Department of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives (Disperindagkop) often involve Eheng rattan craft exhibitions in Samarinda and National level. Although society does not charge a rent to Perindagkop, people were quite happy that their rattan craft would be known by outsiders.

“My Goods, have stuck for months in government office. But never mind, those rattan was not leased and they were not taking me to the exhibition. Let the buyer know my stuff,” explained Mr. Jimi more information about the role of West Kutai local government in the rattan sector.

Palm wage labor
For last Several years, West Kutai have become a district for the construction and development of palm oil plantations. Currently in the subdistrict of Damai, there are some of palm oil plantations with core-plasma scheme. One close enough and influential to the Eheng Village is PT. Inti Sendawar Plantation (PT. PIS).

“I’m waiting for the order first. My wife had worked to PIS and not to mention about small kids we have. Most women here, work in palm oil plant,” Mr. Jimi answers about the activities of family and other families in that part of Eheng territory which opened for palm plantations.

As he showed one of the shiny rattan bag because it is often used to go to the field. Rattan bag with Garuda Pancasila pattern, Mr. Jimi said, “there are lots of people like this bag, eventhough its old. People like its garuda picture in it.”

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