Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsCan't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsFlower touch: A craftswoman shows Karawo embroidery motif usually applied on fabrics
Flower touch: A craftswoman shows Karawo embroidery motif usually applied on fabrics.
Karsum Dunda still can't believe where fate has taken her. Once a simple fabric-cutter, she now runs her own embroidery business.
For 30 years, the widow with three children worked in Gorontalo as a fabric-cutter at an embroidery center owned by her aunt, Iko Mantali.
Now, the 48-year-old is a businesswoman in her own right, using her wealth of experience to set up her own firm. Naming the company Sumber Usaha Karawo, Karsum's Karawo embroideries have sold so well she is now a homeowner, a car-owner and was able to pay for the wedding of her eldest son, Anwar Nusi.
'Thank God, I can now afford to employ 100 workers, from [fabric-] cutters and Karawo stylists to embroiderers. They mostly come from our neighborhoods,' Karsum said.
Sumber Usaha Karawo is located in Mongolato village in the Telaga district of Gorontalo ' the center of the regency's signature Karawo embroidery.
Karawo-embroidered fabrics are priced based on their motifs, material-quality and design technique. An ordinary fabric with a simple motif costs Rp 250,000 (US$20), while silk ones cost Rp 500,000 apiece.
According to a recent study conducted by Bank Indonesia, there are currently about 10,000 Ta Mokaraowa (the local name for Karawo craftsman) scattered across Gorontalo, the majority of whom practice the craft in their spare time after completing work and domestic chores.
Gorontalo's late cultural observer Farhah Daulima once described Karawo as an acronym created by combining three Gorontalo's words.
'Ka', she said, derived from kakaita (intertwined); 'Ra' from ranteya (in sequence); and 'Wo' from wowoalo (interconnected at the edge of a cloth hole).
A local touch: Karawo embroidery is also used to adorn a fan.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.