Kasongan is the name of a village located in low lying areas in the hamlet of landless limestone Kajen, Bangunjiwo, Poor District, about 8 km southwest of Yogyakarta city center, or about 15-20 minutes drive from downtown Yogyakarta.
Kasongan an industrial center of the village pottery. Earthenware vessels are vessels made of clay or clay soil. This area is a residential area makers craft items such as furniture, kitchen and also an assortment of similar items, mostly using clay as raw material.
In the past, making pottery in the village is limited to household equipment, such as jars (water container), Kendil (container for cooking), barrel (water vessel), anglo (burner - a furnace with charcoal for cooking fuel), and the like.
In line with the changing times, now making pottery is not only limited to household furnishings, but also other similar items that have high sales value in the market.
Kasongan regional origins into an industrial pottery
In the Dutch colonial period and one region in the south of Yogyakarta city shocking events that ever happened to local residents, that is a horse owned by the Dutch Criminal Investigation found dead in the paddy fields owned by a citizen. It makes people scared to death. Fearing punishment, the people finally let go of their land rights and does not recognize the land again. This was followed by other villagers. Land that has been released even this then recognized by other villagers. Residents who fear finally silence around their home. Because it has no wet land again, so to fill the day, they use whatever is around. They take advantage of existing soil, then-ngempalnya mengempal that do not break when put together, and began shaping it into a variety of functions which tend to be consumer goods, kitchen or children's toys. Starting from daily life that their ancestors had a habit finally lowered to the present generation who chose to become artisans tiles for kitchen furniture and toys so far.
Making Process
Basically, the process of making pottery is divided into two major parts, namely by way of printing to manufacture in quantity (mass) or directly by hand. For the process of making by hand on a cylindrical ceramic (vases, pots, jars), was done by adding little by little over a clay that can be played. One craftsman hand side will be inside while the others were outside. By twisting the base, the existing automatic above ground would form a cylinder with diameter and thickness of the scale is set through a process of suppression and the withdrawal of the existing soil on the palms of the hands of craftsmen.
Making pottery or ceramics, ranging from the milling process, the formation of materials using perbot, until drying product usually takes 2-4 days. Items that have been dried and then burned, before finally finishing process using wall paint or paint tile. A gallery in Kasongan usually a family business handed down from generation to generation, they work collectively. Now the manufacture of ceramics involving neighbors around the dwelling owner of the gallery, but the family is still responsible for material selection and supervision of production.
Modern Ceramic Design
At first it did not have the ceramic design style at all. But the death of a horse legend has inspired craftsmen to create a horse motif on many products, particularly pottery horses carrier or roof complete with a basket placed on a horse, other than the motive of frogs, roosters and elephants.
The development of the modern age with the inclusion of the influence of outside cultures and through various media has brought changes in Kasongan. After Kasongan region was first introduced by Sapto Hudoyo around 1971-1972 with a touch of art and large-scale commercial and used commercially by Sahid Ceramics around the 1980s, now tourists can encounter a variety of different motifs on ceramics. Even tourists can book according to the wishes of motifs such as peacocks, dragons, roses and many others.
Pottery crafts sold in the village Kasongan varies, ranging from unique items for souvenirs small size (usually for a wedding gift), ornaments, pots for plants, the interior (decorative lamps, statues, furniture, etc), desk chair, and many another kind.
Even in its development, rural tourism product was also varied include artificial flowers from banana leaves, bamboo furniture, mask-topengan and many others.
Pottery production in the present Kasongan already includes many types. No longer confined to the kitchen furniture (Kendil, cauldron, pengaron, cormorant, and others) as well as children's toys (musical instrument, a frog, a piggy bank). In the region will look Kasongan ceramic galleries along the street that sells a variety of decorative items and souvenirs. Form and function have also varied, ranging from small cigarette ashtrays and flower vases or pots that are large, reaching adult shoulder. Decorative items are not only having the function, but also goods and souvenirs wedding decor decoration.
International tourists who like the statue of Loro Blonyo model, special ordered with a variety of forms, such as dancers, guitar players, models and others. His clothes no longer wear traditional Javanese clothes in addition to adopting a typical multiple countries, the most widely use motif Bali and Thailand, even teracota soldier statue can be found here. Some ceramics gallery has now been sold a pair of these unique sculptures that continue to be produced in several forms and different models.
Village Tourism Kasongan
At present visitors can encounter a variety of handicraft products besides pottery. Immigrants who opened the gallery in Kasongan also influence the development of handicraft business here. Items sold are still including local crafts such as coconut wood crafts, craft or crafts in dried herbs shellfish. Kasongan handicraft business grow with the flow and opportunities. However, pottery remains a major milestone in the livelihoods of local residents. Ceramics with various shapes and patterns, modern and even artistic, and various other crafts as an additional attraction Kasongan until today. Kasongan has now become an attractive tourist spot with beautiful goods expertise results of the clay is processed by local residents. The production process is basically a conversion of raw material (inputs) into products (output). To carry out the process or activity required a series of phased construction process. The design of the production process in this case will depend on product characteristics and patterns of needs that must be met in the project making the product.
Gerabah (Earthenware) are vessels made of clay was formed and then burned to later become useful tools that help life
The process of pottery production
The production process is carried out in the pottery business activities require only relatively simple equipment because more draw upon the expertise of human hands to create the results that have high artistic value. Stages through which the pottery production process, as shown in Graph
A. Raw Materials Preparation
Raw materials such as clay (black and yellow), fine sand and water prepared in advance before entering the mixing process. Mixing process is done by using a mixer or grinder (molen). Raw and black clay, yellow clay and fine sand mixed with a pre-determined ratio is 0.5: 1: 0.5, it aims to obtain a mixture of good and strong. The units used by each craftsmen in Kasongan is like a car unit equivalent to a colt or m3. The comparison is a m3 of yellow clay mixed with black clay and fine sand 0.5 m3 respectively. Both materials are mixed thoroughly by using soil pelumat (molen), then given a little water so the texture is achieved, such as wax (porridge). Further material (dough) is ready for use.
B. Production Process
In running the production process, the craftsmen in Kasongan doing the same techniques and treatments. Early stage in the production process is to prepare beforehand the main raw material which formed the dough mixture of clay and sand. Subsequent phases can be divided into several phases, namely:
1.
Phase Formation
The dough mixture of raw materials have been prepared and shaped using hand tools swivel (perbot). Swivel tool is used to make goods or cylindrical symmetry, such as jars, stoves, water jars, flower pots and other. While for various forms of sculpture and contemporary decoration, a tool used in the play is not absolute. In the modeling process, which is an indispensable skill, creativity and artistic ability for employees. For pottery Kasongan, adding the motive of the most widely performed is a form of flower, leaf and carved dragons.
2.
Drying Phase
After the pottery is formed in accordance with the desired, then arranged on the clothes line to dry before burning done. Drying process was conducted in an open place exposed to direct sunlight. Laying vessels must be arranged so that vessels can be dried evenly, while in the evening was closed with deklit pottery or tarpaulin.
The purpose of this drying stage is to reduce the water content contained in earthenware vessels, especially in surface area, so the pottery can be hardened and there is no breakage or cracks in the combustion process. The duration of the drying process, ranging from two to five days, depending on the thickness of thin material that is dried and weather conditions. The drying process will take much longer during the rainy season, because the drying process is done only aerated.
3.
Phase Combustion
Items that have been dried naturally (with the help of the wind and sun) and then arranged in a room or furnace. Length of the combustion process conducted approximately six hours adjusted to the size of the pottery. This process is useful for removing moisture from the inside of earthenware. Earthenware is usually ripe orange like a brick. Combustion process will result in excessive or charred black pottery and easily cracked or even broken. Required temperature in the combustion process are between 800 - 1000oC.
4.
Cleaning and Refinement Phase
After the firing process, clay is cleaned of the ash residue, as well as earthenware surface refinement process is carried out using fine sandpaper. In this process of examination of goods, if there are minor defects (cracks), then these vessels can be repaired by filling with a mixture of cement and pieces of pottery that has been refined, and then through the next stages. For the pottery has damaged (broken) and can not be used again, it will be demolished or could be used as a mixture to repair the cracked pottery.
5.
Coloring and Finishing Phase
After going through the stages of post-combustion clean-up and refinement, vessels entering the final stages of production process by providing certain motifs on pottery bodies such as the provision of decorative colors, accessories or other ornaments. For this work the necessary skills and artwork for their workers because the better the coloring, the higher value products.
6.
Packaging stage
If there is an order from outside the city or from abroad, the goods must be packaged in such a way as to maintain the security of goods that are not broken or damaged at the time until the goal. This packaging process using the tools or simple materials such as wood boards, hammer, nails and other. To keep the goods are not easily engaged in the packaging used cork or straw that is useful to condense the pottery in the packaging. Cork or straw-padatkan dipadat sidelines empty space in the packaging. In this case the price of packaging is fully charged to the purchaser.
7th.
Phase Warehousing / Shipping Goods
Pottery that has become or is already packaged and then inserted into the finished goods warehouse and ready to be marketed or shipped to customer. As in the packaging, the entire cost of shipping the goods covered by the buyer, while craftsmen only provide convenience through a partnership with the cargo.
In the process of moving goods from one place to another by using human power, so that in the process of moving goods can be done with caution because the product is fragile goods.
