My Indonesia

Since few months ago, government has been rapidly encouraging the awakening of creative economy that is the fourth generation of economy system, after agriculture economy, industry and information economy.  Creative economy relies on the creativity as the main capital. Creativity that is capable to change firewood into high-valued accessories. A clump of clay into ethnical pottery.  Empty laptop display into a series of animation pictures that makes people laugh. 

And Indonesia has abundant creative people. At the moment, central of creative people is Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo and Bali. While because of no effort of precise mapping, it is also possible that other regions also have creative community.

Each central has different specification.  Jakarta and Bandung is better in the aspect of modern technology, Jogja and Solo is better in stage art, and Bali is better in its skilled art.  If we classify them, creativity of Jogja, Solo and Bali tends to rely on the tradition, while Jakarta and Bandung tends to be modern.

Not long ago, Institute of Indonesian Art (ISI) Surakarta, held an international seminar entitled Development of Creative Industry Based on Tradition.  All speakers, artists or business people said that our culture wealth is a significant capital in developing creative industry.  In the other hand, there is a feeling of discourage to see no regeneration among the craftsmen.

Prof. Chitaru Kawasaki put an example of what happens in Dusun Pagerjurang, Klaten. Twenty years ago, young women as pottery makers are easy to find.  Nowadays, they are the same people that are still being pottery makers, assisted by their small children.  Youngsters prefer to work as labors in big cities which is assumed to be more promising.  They do not see any future of the craftsmen.  The pottery has no worthy selling value.

They are unable to find the access into marketing. Whereas, the pottery is in fact fond by people in foreign countries.  The craftsmen do not master the business technique.  Therefore, their dusun is still in poverty, the economic growth ceased.  The pottery making is still far from being called an industry.  Then the chain reaction occurs: The job as craftsman does not give a pride, social status of the craftswomen who are clearly the support of family economy us still low, children do not have opportunity to have better education. Technology illiterate, marketing illiterate has inhibit the development of this handicrafts that are passed from generation to generation.
That the government started to show a good will to develop creative industry seems to begin from the awareness of the economic potential of the traditional handicraft.  Our handicraft, such as woven cloth, has already reach global market.  Some of them are conducted by foreigner who have better knowledge in seeing that potential.  They enter Jepara, Jogja, Bali to find any goods that we think have no selling value, or even go abroad.   After they are sold in foreign countries, then the goods are interesting for us especially in big cities.  Handicrafts exhibition always attracts many visitors.

Begin to Realize

It seems that the government begins to realize the ability of creative industry in creating national pride.  Even Minister of Trade, Mari Elka Pangestu stated this matter in the dialog with the Association of Advertising Company of Indonesia lately.

The minister put an example of movie, “Lord of the Ring” that succeeded in raising the maker country, New Zealand.  Adidas shoes produce shoes with batik pattern.  If the users of that shoes recognize that batik is made in Indonesia, isn’t it a promotional media of the Indonesian brand to the global market? This is very possible, if there is a brief description about the batik pattern attached to the shoes.
We have very abundant culture wealth.  This country is acknowledged as the richest country of culture in the world, beside Amazon and Africa.

What we need at the moment is the sense of business that is capable to change something simple into something interesting.  This kind of sense of business is what we are lack of.  Just take an example, Kampung Batik Laweyan Solo actually can be packed in a better packaged that it is more interesting.  There, we have to go ourselves without any trained tourist guide, look for product ourselves because there is no detailed brochure available.  There are indeed some direction boards, but they just show the directions without explaining what are there.  There are no coordinated pedicabs or other transportations that can delievr us while going into narrow alley.  It just like a museum without appropriate narration that explain photographs, or objects displayed.  Brochures? “I am sorry, Sir. We’re out of stocks” That is a cliché answer frequently heard.

Our cultural wealth can be packed in various products of creative industry. Handicraft, fashion, music, photography, tv programs, movies, animation, interactive toys, and even architecture and advertising.   If we can put a red line on those packages, then it is very possible that it becomes a comparative advantage for this country. And this is the basic capital of branding the Indonesia.

The dimensional gong has been stroke by President lately, which signifies the proclamation of Creative Indonesian Year 2009. Hopefully the echo will summon the moving spirit of creative economy to start thinking about new innovation in the effort of playing their role to make the nation more prosperous.

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