Ganeca Silver Class

Village Life: Balinese Silver Jewelry Craftsmanship

Selamat Datang (welcome) to Ganeca Silver Class.  There are so many hidden gems not far from the tourist crowd in Ubud that offer a world of wonder. As a Balinese , we  will be honored to help you discover the hidden authentic Bali during your visit to the Island of the Gods.

As a traditional  Silversmith  I. Komang Puriana, Licensed Tour Operator and silversmith .  He would like to invite you on a special tour to his village Batuan, a traditional village near Ubud. Batuan and Celuk communities specialize in traditional silver jewelry making. 

Villages in Bali are known as desas, and are located on the wetlands of the rice paddies and on the drylands of gardens, compounds and roads. Most Bali villages and life are centered around 3 temples known as kahayangan tigas (celestial duties) and each focuses on a symbolic aspect of life:  origin-pura puseh (navel temple), pura desa (territory temple) and pura dalam (temple of Siwa the dissolver). Temples are important to community life as it bonds the community through local rituals and ceremonies.

Each village has their own unique social structure, village headman and village committee who make major decisions for the community. Families of the village are cohesive, group-conscious, and closely knit. Most villages prefer to operate in privacy, but some allow visitors to learn about their way of life.

Many villages produce some type of art such as traditional painting, silversmithing, wood carving, stone carving, textiles and musical instruments to name a few.  The products produced  are sold locally in markets, privately, in fine shops and many works are exported throughout the world. Entire communities are supported and benefit from the sale of their fine  hand craftsmanship. 

Silversmithing Balinese style requires fine intricate handwork of the silver and setting of stones.  It is tedious and time consuming work. Traditional villages do not have high technology and machinery so depend on labor intensive  traditional skills. Skills are passed down the generations instilling pride for the member’s contribution to the community. Each silver piece is hand made and is unique with no two pieces exactly alike.

Puriana offers you  a private tour of a silver jewelry making village to see this fine art in the making, and he can also arrange for you to try your hand at silver jewelry making in a class to create a wonderful memento to take home.