Traditional Lombok

Hello everybody!

I only have about two weeks left in Indonesia and it's getting really stressfull between all the things I still have to do and all the things I still want to do. Since I came here with the focus on helping at the Oasis, I always put so much off for later. Well, now I realize that there is no 'later' and that I really did put much off and so I used the weekend to discover some of the traditional Lombok with my friend Fitri.

We went to a little traditional village that makes pottery. And I mean the whole village! Almost everywhere you can buy ceramic and everywhere IS ceramic. 

We visited a girl that makes pottery. Fit and I also tried it and it turned out pretty darn good! :)

The pottery-girl. She is 20 years old, like me, and has been doing this for a looong time!

She has the technique down and is really fast. She can produce pottery in masses.

This is me, starting to make my first ash tray.

The ash tray looked crappy which is why I decided to make a plate instead.

My friend, Fitri, was really good at making the ash tray...other than me.

Turned out great didn't it?

This was my result, pretty plate, right?

Afterwards we visited some shops and it is really amazing what people can make with their bare hands. 

Take a look at some of these:

The outer layer is made with egg-shells. So much work!

The next day we went to a traditional village that is famous for it's weaving.

The carpets, blankets and Sarongs you could buy there were crazily expensive. But then I found out that one of those women needs about 3 months to finish one and I thought that the prizes are still waaaay too low to pay 3 months of wages. Poor women.

The biggest weaving frame we found. This has got to take months, or rather years!!!

One of the weaving ladies. She has been working on that same carpet for one and a half months.

...and then I came and probably messed up everything. :D

Just kidding, I actually did pretty well!

Two more of those diligent weaving ladies.

This is a 'Lumbung' a traditional Sassak house. Sassak are the Lombok people.

 

 It was a really interesting weekend! It was about time that I visited some traditional Lombok places.

Another thing I can scratch off my 'Have to do before I leave'- list.

 To whomever wants to try Lombok handycrafts, I can only recommend visiting these places. You actually get to try them out for yourself!