Handicraft Industry in Bali
The proliferation of handicraft industry in Bali, for many people is considered the side effect of tourism. It is true that when the tourism of Bali experienced its darkest moment after the first and second Bali bomb, handicrafts industry has its hardest time when many workshops and factories stop their activities, the some art shops and galleries closed, and some continue to operate with a hope of recovery of tourism.
It is also true that in the earliest stage of tourism in Bali, the handicraft market of Bali was overloaded with local traditional products for the consumption of visitors who come to Bali. However, handicraft industries in Bali develops and became less ethno-centric, more modern and cope with the demand of the costumer with the magical words “made to order” and at the end the handicraft industry in Bali find that they begins to make products for export and they have another source of income besides the local market.
Now, in the remote corner of Tampaksiring, in Gianyar regency, local carvers carve the seal horns with Eskimo art style. The horn are imported from Alaska, carved in Bali and sent back to Alaska to satisfy the demand of Alaskan market for Eskimo handicraft; and the buyers of this handicraft maybe an Indonesian tourist who happen to visit Alaska. Another example is the carvers in Ubud or Kerobokan who carve digeridoos, decorated with Aboriginal dots and lines sell their products in the market of down under and the tourist in Australia would have no clue that these aboriginal handicraft are made in paradise island of Bali.
Similarly many non-Balinese Indonesian crafts, including traditional Papuan or Borneo souvenirs are also made in Bali since the Balinese carvers can made anything as long as it is made to order.
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