Up until the 1980s, the village of Pandes in Sompokan, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta, was always associated with traditional toys. The place was famous as a district that produced traditional toys for kids.

Various traditional toys like othok-othok (the name comes from the sound of the toy), Kitiran (propeller), kurungan manuk (bird’s cage), Wayang Kertas (paper puppets) were produced by locals.

In fact, the existence of Pandes in Sompokan, could be traced back from after the fall of East Java’s Majapahit Kingdom in the year of 1500. In the post-Majapahit era, particularly during the leadership of Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII in Yogyakarta, the location was also the playground of the king’s children.

As modern toys began to hit the market, however, the reputation of the village as a producer of traditional toys has been fading away. Younger generations in that village have little interest in toy-making as today’s children prefer modern toys to traditional ones.

— Text and photos by Tarko Sudiarno/The Jakarta Post