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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CIREBON -- Pieces of foam, cloth, yarn and various scraps of industrial materials usually end up as items that are no longer looked at. But in Suhendra's hands, those objects that were still viable and safe actually had a new life.
With hereditarily inherited skills, Suhendra transforms the waste into a wide variety of colorful traditional toys. From chicken shapes, barongsai to dragons, everything is handmade at a craft center located in Blok Tegalan, Jamblang Village, Jamblang District, Cirebon Regency.
In the place, the activity of the craftsmen is still visible every day. Pieces of material that initially seemed simple are slowly transformed into toys that have their own shape and character and are sure to be safe for anyone who plays them.
For Suhendra, the activity is not solely to seek income. There is a tradition that he wants to maintain so that traditional toy making skills do not disappear in the course of the times.
“Here it is indeed hereditary to make traditional toys. The materials make a lot of use of industrial waste,” Suhendra said yesterday.
Handcrafted, Relying on Meticulousness
Unlike the modern toy industry which relies on machines and mass production, the process of making toys at Suhendra's premises is still done conventionally. Each part is worked by hand.
It is carried out from cutting foam into shape, preparing fabrics and threads, sewing, assembling to giving color to toy parts. At first glance, the process looks simple. However, it takes thoroughness and speed in order for each piece of material to come together into the desired shape.
Make a slight mistake in cutting or assembling, the shape of the toy can change and the end result does not correspond to the design. “Everything is still made conventionally. So it does require thoroughness and speed,” he said.
In carrying out his business, Suhendra does not work alone. Five local residents come to his aid every day.
They are engaged in various stages of production, as well as earning income from the skills that have been developing in their environment. To produce about three toy kodi, Suhendra and his workers took approximately one week. That time is used to go through the entire production chain, from material cutting, sewing, assembly to the dyeing process.
It was from these leftover materials that toys of various colors were then born. Chicken, barongsai and dragon shapes are some of the products that are still made and marketed today.
Although made in the traditional way, Suhendra's toys still have a market. With a price of about Rp 10,000 per piece, the toys are marketed in the Cirebon region to various regions in Indonesia.
Products made by the craftsmen of Jamblang, which reach different regions in Indonesia, show that traditional toys still have fans amid the predominance of modern products. The relatively affordable price became one of the attractions. However, there is something else that makes it different, namely the manufacturing process that still relies on the hands and skills of the craftsmen.
Each toy produced is not simply a finished product, but also carries a story of how society leverages materials that are considered worthless into something of economic value.
