Kotagede, Silver Handycraft Center

WHO does not know the area Kotagede? Silver centers that have become its own brand image for every tourist who came to Yogyakarta. The area is located about 10 kilometers southeast of Yogyakarta city attracts tourists, especially foreign tourists, because a lot of silver jewelry and accessories on offer there.

Kotagede addition, there are actually several other silver centers in Indonesia, such as Bali and Lombok.
However, Kotagede silver has its own characteristics, which still maintain their handicraft manufacturing process manually. “Since first until now the benefits of our products are in the manual work,” said Rifai A Halim, a businessman in Kotagede silver.

Location silversmiths in Kotagede spread evenly, starting from Kotagede market until the Great Mosque. Currently around 60 stores that offer a variety of silver products. At least four types of products sold, ie filigri (texture with holes), tatak carving (teskturnya prominent), cast (made from molds), and type of handmade (more precision hand, such as rings and necklaces).

To obtain a form, many processes to do a craft. Yanto, silversmiths, explains, the earliest stage is to make the design, then move it into the mold design. Next, sheet brass or copper as the base material using tin didrik software. “If you’ve just put together didrik. The last step is the coating of a finished with silver plating process.”

Yanto added, some forms require different processes. Silver plate should be carved out little by little with the sheet of wax or asphalt or a thin silver wire, and arranged in such a way as to obtain the desired shape.

Most Kotagede silver ornaments strongly influenced by the motifs of batik cloth. Determination of silver prices are not only based on small-or large weight, but also the value of art and the level of complexity in the process.

ACCORDING to the entrepreneurs in Kotagede silver, silver is mostly cultivated area communities are hereditary. Initially, the number of craftsmen only a few people, because their business is only intended to meet the demand for jewelry or other equipment for the palace of the king and relatives.

Before they become centers of silver handicrafts, Kotagede is the capital of Mataram Kingdom first, the first king Panembahan Senopati. Panembahan Senopati receiving area when it was still a forest that is often called the Sultan Alas Mentaok Pajang, King of the Kingdom of Hindus in East Java. Kotagede became the capital until the year 1640, because the third king of the Islamic Mataram, Sultan Agung, move it to the Village Kerto, Plered, Bantul.

According to Rifai, the existence of silversmiths emerged as the birth of Mataram. “The move to Plered capital that did not make the crafters bandwagon moving. Those who are serving the needs of the king was still maintaining its business by selling to the general public.”

Kotagede heyday as the center of the silver industry occurred in the era of 1970-1980. At that time, dominated by the type of goods cutlery to meet the demand for foreign tourists. “Moreover, it was not a lot of shops selling silver products,” said Rifai.

According Sutojo, Chief II Cooperative Production Perak Entrepreneur Yogyakarta (KP3Y) the existence of silversmiths in Kotagede also did not escape the role of the Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) which came into Yogyakarta about 16th-century ago. At that time, many traders are ordering VOC equipment household of gold, silver, copper, and brass to the local population.

“Based on data KP3Y 2000, at least 2,000 people were directly involved in the silver industry chain in Kotagede. Craftsmen were not only from society Kotagede, but has expanded. The people of Bantul, Kulon Progo, and Gunungkidul many come and settle in Kotagede to become silversmiths, “explained Sutojo.

However, since the monetary crisis and rampant bombing in Indonesia, the silver industry grow dimmer. In fact, today hundreds of silversmiths were forced out of business. From about 2000 artisans, 30 percent of them switch to other professions such as horse cart driver, the shop business, and construction laborers.

Craftsmen who still survived no longer rely on silver as the raw material industry. About 40 percent of them use copper and brass as an alternative raw material.

Kotagede silver slump was exacerbated by the lack of interest in the young generation’s effort to cultivate. They prefer to work in sectors considered practical and economically promising, such as working as factory workers or civil servants.

Kotagede historical journey as the center of the silver industry had ever experienced heyday. However, this condition was dropped. To restore the glory days, it seems not easy. The contribution from all parties clearly needed. The problem, until now there has been no concrete steps to save the silver centers.