The Pondok: Gifts from Bali

2008-01-01T02:59:00.017-05:00

Om Swastiastu!

Welcome to The Pondok.

In Bali when the sun is hottest at midday a farmer will often take a rest in his "pondok", a tiny shack made of bamboo and grass usually situated in the middle of the ricefields(double click on foto at top).

We like the idea of this blog being a quiet place to introduce our life in Bali where we spend a good portion of every year. Why? Because one of us is Balinese (Wayan) and one of us is American (Richard). That's us during our wedding ceremony in the photo above. Wayan's mom is the laughing lady in pink.

This is Wayan (3d one back) her brother Kadek Suarna, and our best friends and business partners in Bali, Kadek Astiti and her daughter Miss Ducati. While in Bali we spend almost every day with them doing our business of finding artists and craftsmen to represent in our small Fair Trade enterprise we call "The Pondok".

One of our favorite artist/craftsmen is Wayan's grandfather I Wayan Siada (pronounced "Ee Why-on See-ah-dah") Here he's working on statue of Ganesha, the Hindu elephant god, made from jackfruit wood. Below a foto of him working as a young man.

We welcome you to scroll down and see some of the things we offer: Handwoven baskets for the home; hand-batik bedcovers; sterling silver jewelery, woodcarvings, "green" shopping bags, textiles and fine art. Double click on any foto to see it larger. To jump to any particular section just click on a link from the "Previous Posts" list at the top of the blog.

Prices and further information happily provided. NOTE: Everything is sold wholesale only except for people who come to our house in New Hampshire by appointment. Everything we have made in Bali is guided by Fair Trade principles. Questions? Just e-mail us at ThePondok@aol.com

Some people have asked who we are: Wayan was born in Bali and before coming to America she worked in the Seniwati Art by Women Gallery in Ubud, Bali. In America she has her own small business managing gardens. (for fotos see our other blog: www.hancockbali.blogspot.com). Richard is an American photographer, filmmaker and author whose work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and featured on NPR's Studs Terkel's Almanac and ABC's Good Morning America. Check out his photography blog www.richardnevellfotos.blogspot.com.

Terima kasih-Thanks

Ni Wayan Suarni & Richard Nevell
Nyuh Kuning, Bali, Indonesia - Hancock, New Hampshire, USA

Handwoven "Ate" Basketry

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One of Bali's truly unique crafts are baskets made from a wild vine called "ate" (pronounced ah-tah). Each basket is first woven from the green vines, then dried in direct sun, then cold-smoked to get the color. Here is a foto of one of our weavers, Kadek from Parangsari:

Here are some of the styles we offer:

Fruit Baskets

The Apples

Candy Baskets

Organizers & Specialities

Baskets from Pengosekan

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Made by Nyoman and Ketut (foto above)in the village of Pengosekan these baskets are woven from the "lontar" palm and dyed with natural dyes only.

Hand Batik Bedcovers

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All the batik bedcovers shown below are available in any size and color combination. It is also possible to have matching sheets and pillow covers made. Usually these bedcover tops are made from 100% cotton but it's also possible to have them made in silk. Prices upon request.

christmas cactus

small flower 1

small flower 2

samblong 1

pulmanaria

pineapple & coconuts

monstera 2

breadfruit

Monstera 1

German

Frangiapani

Fern

Candra Abu Abu

Aloha 2

Aloha 1

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More Quilts, Bedcovers, Tablecloths

Made by women in a small village near Ubud. Each piece is hand-made to order. Any design is possible, from traditional Amish and Hawaiian motifs to whatever the imagination allows!

Some pieces are made by the batik method. Batik is a resist dye method of decorating fabric. A pattern is drawn using a thin line of hot wax. Then color is applied either with a brush or by dipping so that the fabric is dyed wherever there is no wax. Then the wax is removed and the piece is finished such as shown below in our Baby Quilt:

Some of our quilts are made by the traditional patchwork method. Handwoven Balinese cotton, ikat, factory made cotton, blends and silk is used. As with the batik items each patchwork quilt is made to order.

A Duvet cover made with a traditional Amish motif:

This cover is queen size, made with 100% handwoven Balinese cotton.

Sterling Silver Jewelry

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From the famous village of Celuk all our sterling silver jewelry is hand-made by home-based craftsmen. Some samples are shown below. Full catalogue with wholesale prices upon request. While we try to stick with "classics" the Balinese silversmiths are very creative folks so we're always adding new designs. FYI the black earrings are onyx, the reds are coral and the rest are all for real: amethyst, mother of pearl etc. No glass!

Dangly Earrings

Bracelets

Necklaces

beads from lava with sterling silver

Travelling Buddha Eggs

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The perfect companion for the traveller, backpacker or CEO, these marvelous eggs are first carved by our buddha carvers from "crocodile" wood or the darker "sono" which is something like teak. Each egg is approximately 4 inches high and includes a miniature buddha inside. We then commission one of three artists to decorate the inside and sometimes the outside of each egg. Some of the eggs we leave completely plain. Each egg comes in its own travelling bag made from satin. See photos below. Very limited supply. Prices on request.

All Purpose Tote Bags from Recycled Plastic & Natural Materials

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Our totes are handmade from cloth by Wayan's aunt; from recycled plastic shipping tape(see below); or a palm-like leaf called "pandan".

The cloth bag is made from very sturdy and washable material we call "parachute" fabric in Bali. Available in several colors depending on what we can get.

Shop Green!!

Made from recycled materials these plastic totes are super-strong with double handles. They're easily washed with a sponge or rinsed with a hose. Gardeners love them to carry their tools around in or bring veggies in to the house. A great Beach tote! One size: 15L-8w-12h The bags are handmade so there can be slight variations in color and sizing. Prices upon request.

The bag below is all natural material, the leaf called "pandan" in Bali. Very strong, easy to clean, perfect for bringing stuff in from the garden, shopping.

We also offer a very small selection of handbags: These 3 exquisite bags are made in Borneo of palm leaf and leather. We can also get handbags made from the vine "ata". See posting above about our products made from "ata".

Woodcarvings

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Bali is famous for it's woodcarvings. Since Wayan's family has been carving wood for temples and gamelans for many generations we have asked them to carve some statues for our friends in New Hampshire. Now Wayan's grandfather(above), her father, brother and uncles are making Buddhas and other statues from teak and jackfruit. The teak is especially strong and can stay outside in a garden even through a New England winter!

Some examples of their work are shown below:

We also search for work by the most "halus"(refined)carvers. Some samples:

Another of our friends, Wayan Tesa, decorates carved statues from the village of Mas. Typical of Balinese artists Tesa works in minute detail. Some samples:

We're happy send more photos of Tesa's work upon request.

Made Mariasta - Painter

2007-12-31T20:24:00.000-05:00

Made (pronounced "Mahday") Mariasta is perhaps the finest practitioner of the "Keliki" style of painting living in Bali today. This style is derived from the miniaturist tradition of India, not surprising since Bali has been a Hindu culture for well over 1000 years.

This genre of painting is partially executed with sharpened bamboo sticks and very fine brushes. Mariasta uses what he calls Chinese ink and acrylic paints on acid-free watercolor paper.

Mariasta's paintings are mostly of Bali's famous and perhaps unrivalled scenery: rice terraces, volcanoes and jungle. Sometimes he paints mythical stories which are plentiful in Bali. Here are a few samples of his work and a photo of him and the view from his studio in Sebali, near Ubud.

Sampur - Dancing Scarves from Java

2007-12-31T20:23:00.000-05:00

The Sampur

Worn around the waist by the Sultan's court dancers, this all rayon batik scarf is very long, usually more than two yards, and makes a wonderful accessory to any outfit.

The sampur comes in many colors and motifs.