Heri Sisworo
Lombok is not only known for its extraordinary natural tourism potential but also for of its charming culture. It is true that most tourists come to Lombok to enjoy the beautiful beaches or climb the majestic Mount Rinjani. However, there are many other things that can be enjoyed in Lombok, including a range of souvenir choices to take home.
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Aside from being a memento that captures your traveling experience, souvenirs can also be a gift for the people at home. If you go to Lombok you will be overwhelmed with great souvenirs choices, here are some of them.
Ikat and Songket
The group has a special cloth named Ikat and Songket. These two fabrics are traditionally made by skilled women in Lombok, sometimes you can even see the process. Since the manufacturing process is quite complicated and time consuming, the price of Ikat and Songket is usually more expensive than the factory-made ones.
The patterns used in this fabric are also traditional Lombok, with traditional dye for coloring. One of the centers of production of Ikat and Songket fabrics in Lombok is in the village of Sukarara which is about 20 km from the city of Mataram. You can also look for Ikat and Songket cloth in the famous Sasak Sade village in the southern part of Lombok Island.
Ketak Crafts
As the name implies, this unique Lombok woven craft is made from wild grass which is called ketak in the local language. The plant is sundried before being woven into various forms of handicraft. You can buy women’s handbags, jewelry, placemats, home decorations and many other crafts.
The center of woven ketak crafts is located in the village of Beleka. In this village, you can see how the wild grass are processed into various beautiful handicrafts.
Pearl and Mother of Pearl
One of the natural products from Lombok is its pearl. The pearl cultivation and sale center is located in the western part of the island, especially in the Sekarbela area which is still part of the City of Mataram. You can find lots of pearl sellers at special stalls.
They sell both ‘raw’ pearls and beautiful pearl handicrafts in the form of necklaces, earrings or bracelets. In addition to pearls, you can also buy mother of pearl as a home decoration or for other craft materials.
Pottery
The center for earthenware crafts in Lombok is located in Banyumelek Village. One of the special products from the area is Kendi Maling, a Kendi (water jug) that is filled from the bottom up. You don’t actually fill this kendi from the bottom, it is just a saying because it is hard to fill the water from the top of the jug.
Apart from Kendi Maling, you can also find various other products such as ashtrays, pots and candle holders. The price is quite affordable, around IDR100,000 for a quite large kendi.
Cukli
Cukli is a unique craft that combines wood and shells. Basically, the wood is crafted into several crafts like sculptures, masks, and various other forms. Seashells function as decorations by implanting them in the wood and then painted based on the pattern that has been drawn before. The results are extraordinary, comparable to classic carvings from other regions in Indonesia.
Since the manufacturing process is time-consuming and requires very skillful workers, Cukli is also relatively rather expensive. Today, this craft is known worldwide. The center of Cukli production is in Sayang-sayang village of West Lombok Regency.
There are many souvenirs to choose when you are on holiday in Lombok. If you want something that is durable, you can choose one of the crafts here. Almost all handicrafts in Lombok are made by hand so the results can be very good and long lasting. Next
