Putu Kartini

Artisan Organization: Putu Kartini

Country: Bali and Java

"My name is Luh Putu Kartini. I was born in Karangasem, an area that is still rural. I have 12 siblings consisting of 3 boys and 9 girls; I'm the first child. I was educated to help my parents raise my younger siblings. I am used to working hard to provide for the needs of my family. When I grew up, I migrated to work in Denpasar. I met my husband at that time and decided to marry him. So far, I have 4 children. Hopefully, they can support each other.

"I was already in the craft business when I first saw rattan bag crafts from Lombok. At that time I was motivated to make this craft myself. I began to study and find out what materials were used to make it look attractive in the eyes of consumers. And I continue to develop it today. In fact, the design is now highly developed from the original round shape; now various innovations have emerged. Additional accents are also being developed, and the components are made using leather to make it more durable.

"The use of rattan in everyday life is very diverse. For example, it is used as a material for clothing, food and crafts. Rattan handicrafts can have high economic value by improving the quality of the rattan. The increase in rattan production has been able to improve the welfare of the community. All these pieces are handcrafted, which is very innovative. The designs I do myself, while the production is done directly by craftsmen from Lombok. The designs that I put out are different from the others because they are inspired by the surrounding environment, and unique motifs such as flowers and animals.

"I have faced a situation where the economic survival was difficult. From that incident, I know that, as difficult as life is, if you work through it, all problems will slowly be resolved. I just keep thinking positive and stay productive to move on with life. I also hope that someday my children will never give up in life. I hope they are able to achieve all their dreams and continue this craft business. I hope and remain optimistic that, despite the difficult conditions right now, the business that I am running can develop well. Hopefully, Novica can help craftsmen like me to be able to achieve success. I also hope that all Novica customers stay loyal and always love the work of small craftsmen like me." "