The run-up to Chinese New Year, or Imlek, means good business for craftsmen at a lantern production center in Malang, East Java.

Lantern maker Ahmad Syamsudin said he was so overwhelmed that he had been turning down orders since December.

'€œI'€™m currently focusing on meeting a special order for 2,500 lanterns for Imlek,'€ said the 29-year-old.

Lanterns are mostly used to decorate houses and Chinese temples, a tradition believed to originate from the Han dynasty.

According to legend, lanterns were used to ward off an evil phantom called Nian, which would appear during Imlek to hunt cattle, steal agricultural produce and even prey on children. As a safeguard, people used to place some food in front of their house doors on that day to prevent Nian from returning.

One day, a village resident witnessed how Nian was scared and ran away after encountering a child in a red costume.

From that point, villagers learned of the ghost'€™s weakness and hung red lanterns on their doors and red curtains from their windows.

Along with his seven workers, Ahmad crafts the paper lamps from morning to midnight to finish them by the deadline given by his customers.

Ahmad said Imlek was special for him because of the large number of orders compared to those he received throughout the rest of the year for weddings, birthdays and Independence Day.

Making the round-shaped red lanterns for Imlek is fairly simple, requiring paper, cloth, wire, thread and rattan.

A lantern takes 30-45 minutes to make, plus another 10 minutes to dry in the sun if paper is used. At his production center in Blimbing district, Ahmad produces around 200 pieces daily.

'€œWe shape rattan frames into spheres, cones, cylinders or ovals as ordered, before they are coated and glued,'€ explained Ahmad.

Prices range from Rp 10,000 to Rp 100,000 each, depending on their sizes and models.

'€œCertain models with a high degree of intricacy may cost millions of rupiah,'€ Ahmad says.

Ahmad prefers the use of cloth to cover the lantern'€™s frames because he says the weather is a constraint on paper ones.

'€œWith a cloudy sky, their colors tend to lose their luster, changing from their original gloss.'€

He said a neighbor called Anas inspired him to start his business. Anas taught lantern making in 2002 in Bali.

He died several years ago, but shared his skill with other youths in the district to help them open their own businesses.  

Ahmad'€™s creations have gained attention and since 2006 he has frequently taken part in Malang'€™s lantern contests.

His business has expanded, with orders and sales reaching Surabaya, East Java; Jakarta; Samarinda, East Kalimantan; and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara.

Following technological developments, Ahmad introduced his products online in 2012. The result has been amazing, with orders flowing in from other countries, such as France and Italy.

The presence of factory made lanterns does not worry him and he believes his creations will be singled out due to their quality and affordable prices.

'€œCustomers like our lanterns because they are handmade and are much more exclusive.'€

Ahmad is trying to maintain good prices for his customers, especially for those coming with big orders, despite higher production costs, mainly due to the recent fuel-price hike.

'€œWe try to utilize materials efficiently without lowering product quality,'€ he says.

Another craftsman, Hasan, also tries to prevent rising prices, despite higher costs. '€œIf sale prices are drastically raised, customers will be reluctant to buy,'€ said the 32-year-old, who is Ahmad'€™s older brother. He declined to reveal his business turnover.

Ahmad, meanwhile, is aware of the seasonal nature of the lantern business, which mainly depends on festive events. When business is slow, he and his workers stock up on products and at times, look for other work.

Photos by Nedi Putra AW

From The Weekender

Living with borrowed certainty: A Gen Z reflection on the climate of our times

When dry roads feel like a gift, what kind of future are we really holding on to?

Read on The Weekender

Popular

Indonesia climbs to second in SEA Games medal standings

Hope fades for Indonesian fishermen shipwrecked off Portugal

MR. D.I.Y Indonesia marks 1,200th store opening as the fastest expanding retailer