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Rossatelier.wordpress.com
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*ABOUT INDONESIA’S HERITAGE, TREASURES AND LEGACY pages :
1.The Royal Replica Adornment
2.Fossils, Natural Earth Sources, Gemstones, (Semi)Precious Stones and the Diggers.
*3.Akik, Keris, Su-Seiki, Mpu, Shaman
4.Batik, Sarung,Kebaya (the past,the now and the future)
5. The Story of The Indonesian Lampwork Glassbeads
6. The Handembroidery and Needle Work
*7.IKAT- The Handloomed – Handwoven Cloth
8.Miscellaneous Handicrfats
9.Sea and Water Treasures ; Pearl, Sea Shell, Mother of Pearl (MoP),Fresh Water Pearl (FWP),Fish, Shrimp. And the Stolen Sea Heritage.
*10. The Dayak and The Baduy Tribes (Where the Badak Jawa- Rhino- exist.
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*ABOUT INDONESIA HERITAGE , TREASURES, and LEGACY ( 3 )
( AKIK , KERIS, Su -Seiki , Mpu, and Shaman)
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Pictured Agate (Akik) cabochon brooch /RossAtelier
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What is “AKIK”?
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AKIK is an Indonesia local name for most of the natural earthstones, the value gemstone and semi precious stone.
Akik, become one name for all gemstones.
All Agate family been called as AKIK.
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Indonesia is very rich in natural sources, included gemstone and semi precious stone. As well as its earth stone and the water species beauty. Also many kind of fossils species.
Indonesia is rich in “Akik”.
Briefly saying, for the Indonesian traditional digger, crafter and vendor, AKIK is a “one name for all” amazing natural stones which they think have mystical and magic power. And valuable.
Imagine, an AKIK price for all gemstones and (semi) precious stones….
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If the Indonesian seekers, diggers , vendors and local market people have no idea about the name of a gemstone or semi precious stone, they just said easily : “It is AKIK stone”. Means expensive, precious, mystical and charmed stone.
(Kindly visit, www.rossatelier.com, on Info Pages/About Gemstones)
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MISERY
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The very poor of information had made these dedicated hard working people still poor.
The local names for gemstones and semi precious stones in Indonesia never been recognized (introduced) into the international market neither on internet as the Indonesia treasures.
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No one in the world yet ( even the government) will inform or teach the villager, the diggers, the local seller, and the (very) small entrepreneurs about the international trade name of the earth stone and fossils they dug.
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I used to talk with the traditional seekers, diggers and vendors of gemstones, semi/ precious stones and fossils, also with the chairman of the small business cooperation (of gemstones, semi precious, precious stones and fossils) of West Java, Indonesia.
They are experts, well experienced, and had dedicated their entire life just for these natural stones. But they still the very tiny entrepreneurs and still totally blind about international market neither about internet. The foreigner merchant do the export businesses.
They also have no knowledge at all, about the international trade names for their own gemstones, semi precious, precious stones and fossils. They just using the local name in Indonesian expression. Or just as “AKIK”.
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Pictured Akik, cabochon, brooch/RossAtelier
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In other hand, for no doubt, they are expert about earth stones. But not in the international trade names.The never realized that ‘names make the price’. They just called it as ”AKIK” stone.
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I am not a gemologist (neither the government ),but I try to inform them that knowing the names will make them know the market price. “Each name has its own price and value”. That’s what I remind them.
They just realize recently that knowing the gemstones names will influence the prices.
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Thousands and thousands of collectors and buyers from around the world had came to Indonesia and bought in raw bulks or cabochons from the village people. But no one of them will “teach” our diggers and vendors about its international trade names and its value in the international market price. So, our people still in their very poor knowledge. No one taught them, and never been updated.
Even the chairman of the gemstone cooperation organisation I met, did’nt know at all, about the trade names. The leaders of this community, had no attention about internet.
They had realized that internet is very useful. But most all of them still think that internet is a “ too high technology” for them. “We cannot afford to hire an internet server neither having a website….. We have no time for internet…. Our time is most useful to looking for money. We must keeping alive and survive our daily life…… No one will feed us if my family are hungry,” they said.
And the elite in power still don’t care and neglect them in very poor knowledge, and their low economical living standard. And let them as a forever victim by the ‘smart’ merchants.
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In Indonesia, “AKIK” is not only a synonym for Agate family and other hard gemstone, but also very common name to most natural earth stones.
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Not only the solid plain, but also to the pictured gemstones and semi precious stones. Even Sapphire, Jasper, Turquoise , Tiger Eye, Chrysocolla, Moonstone , Onyx, Petoskey, fossils and many others , they just called as “Akik”.
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Also everything with turquoise color they just called it “Pirous”, the local name for turquoise gemstone.
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Talking about the ‘species” of Akik in Indonesia, is like a never ended story.
Too many variations, but the Indonesian called it just under single name as, Akik.
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There are gemstones carrying the magnetic power, or carrying the radium power where the picture inside only be seen under a flashlight. Some carry amazing pictures, like human figure or animal.
How about the name? Don’t ask. Sometimes the owner create names, instantly.
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Most of the gemstones seekers, diggers and vendors are in senior age with poor education background. They never knew what’s going on (and don’t care) with their treasures in international market.
They just seek, dig, and sell it as a way to survive their day to day live. And sometimes, this traditional digging would ruin the environment.
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Even they might be poor in formal education, but they are fast learner. The cause is, they never got the sincere and honest guidance to the accessibility. Our people are smart and very creative by nature. But that’s not enough at all.
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Yes, the diggers and the vendors had the earth and the stones, but they didn’t have the marketing channels. Neither the names of the stones, the international trade names, nor the international market and price.
Their younger generation couldn’t help. Most of them are also uneducated.
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Until now the villagers had to crawl and survive by them self and still couldn’t make it fast. No tools, no information, no knowledge . No (government) help.
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Recently the natural stone seekers, diggers and vendors just slowly awake, that the gemstones, semi precious stones, also the Akik family, could be created as an amazing luxurious jewelry.
The Indonesian stone seekers, diggers and vendors are very sad, and just realized how they had lost too much in their life and business.
As a sample, they are very sad, when knowing that people in overseas had recognized the Indonesia Agate as African Agate.
Even the Indonesian handcrafted ethnic jewelry are recognize as “African” jewelry. Where in the same time the Indonesia crafters used to got order from around the world included Africa.
Most of all, they are very disappointed that, the “Indonesia’ name didn’t shown up on internet and international (designers) jewelries and gemstones merchants. What a misery.
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They probably are poor about international trade names and trading know how, but most of the seeker, digger, and vendor are expert about their job. They can easily identify whether a natural stone is genuine or fake; rare or common; genuine color or have been colored and enhanced. Whether from earth ground, from volcano lava or water, from mountain or sea.
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Most of these villagers and the small vendors had been in this field almost in their entire life.
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West Java and Kalimantan (Borneo) island is the most source for Akik (Agate and many others). Kalimantan which is also rich in mining, jungle, wood, and big forests with its nature’s treasures, not only carried Akik, but Kalimantan are also rich in various gemstones, semi and precious stones, like diamond.
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Around Indonesia (the biggest archipelago country on earth), its earth are carrying valuable gemstones, semiprecious ,precious stone and fossils. Name it.
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‘SHAMAN’ ( and Gemstone)
Since ever Akik had believed as a talisman, precious, charmed , carrying the mystical power, with healing power. Especially for Agate, Chrysocolla, Petoskey, Sapphire, Carnelian ,Onyx, Moonstone, Turquoise, Jasper family and all fossils stone.
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For very long, Agate (Akik) jewelry in Indonesia had been made only as brass’ bezel setting for men’s ring. Where all the natural stone here, comes up as cabochon. No holes. The bead holes just have made in few recent years in very traditional way.
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In Indonesia, the Akik family had known as a mystical stone for the ‘shaman’. In Indonesia “shaman” is called as “dukun” (read: doo–koon).
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Formerly, if someone claimed himself a ‘shaman’, look at his fingers. Usually they had very big Akik rings. Mostly in black, red, brown, turquoise, or white Akik stone. They are so proud showing the star effect or the picture of his stone, while telling about its magnetic and magical power.
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All of the shamans have their own ‘story’ about their “ Akik”. Some of them said they got it as a gift from someone, from dreams, from sky, from grave yard, or from nowhere. But they should never mentioned that had ever bought it. The shaman’s story.
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Before, the shaman in Indonesia had specific unique appearance. Scary faced, talismans, mystical tribal knife, long haired, beard and big mustache, barefoot, dull, slum, untidy, and no luxurious life style.
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The Indonesia ‘shaman’ of the now generation, has different appearance. Perfumed, diamonds, precious stones, rich, luxurious house, expensive (sport) cars, and became celebrities.
They become part of the TV celebrity gossip show, and have their own TV advertisement.
But they still doing the same rituals like the old times shaman did. And most of them have not enough good education.
Most of them use religion appearance as their jumping bridge to popularity. They started in ‘religious’ outfit and in ‘religious’ ceremony.
When they become rich, driving luxurious car, they turn back into common (celebrity) appearance.
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There are also celebrity shaman who still have untidy appearance, with mustache, never combed long hair, who has huge (scary) residence, but driving the latest sport car.
The Indonesia ‘shaman’ of today become rich and famous very soon.
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It is said that the rich shaman works for the celebrities, the rich, jet set, and the government people. Who cares.
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Indonesia is very unique. Many of the intellectuals, high education, on top and high level people, religious, rich and famous, who used to visit the religion advisor, counselor, medical doctors, psychologist, but in the same time they also visit the ‘shaman’ who worn huge Akik rings, smoky incense, carried the ancient knife called “Keris”.
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“The KERIS (Mpu and Shaman)
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Ancient Antique KERIS and its glove, of gold and precious stones/google.com
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Ancient Keris or Kris, is a mystical hollow knife, which had been made in thousands year ago by the “Empu” or “Mpu” (read: mpoo), the highly respected expert in ancient Java, in making amazing arts tools.
(Now, the Indonesia artistic fancy Keris or Kris, had been exported to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in big quantity, made by Indonesian home industry’s crafters).
It’s astonishing when see the collector’s Keris. Very artistic in wonderful designs by the ancestors. Not only the making, but also the amazing adornment with genuine precious stones, like diamonds, from past ages.
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Some people, as I did, admire Keris just of its beauty of the amazing craftsmanship. But some adore for the mistical spirit which they believed had been carried in the hollow knife.
Believe it or not, there are antique Keris that can stand by its self on its sharpest iron point.
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Ancient Antique KERIS with its glove/google.com
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Many people believe that in every Keris has its own magical spirit. They believe also that every Keris been made by a Mpu as a mystical, magical, and powerful ancestor. And not only had made by the spiritual magical Mpu but they strongly believe that the Mpu can transfer their magic spirit into the dangerous and mysterious knife.
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Hero, knight, fighter, king, prince, and the respected honorable people in the ancient time of Indonesia used to carried Keris at their waist. Some put at the back, some in front of their waist.
Until during the Dutch domination in Indonesia, Keris still used as a magical power knife.
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In ancient ages, once the Keris had been token out of its wrapper, means it must be use to stab into the body of the enemy.
They said, it’s forbidden (and been a coward) to wrap again the Keris without using it.
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In the old times during the kingdom age of the Javanese, carrying a Keris is a symbol of honor and dignity. Keris is also a symbol of a brave knight, as well as a symbol of honorable status.
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Nowadays not only the native Indonesian collect the amazing Keris. The foreigner white people who had lived in Indonesia also become a fanatic Keris collector.
Every year the Indonesian Keris collector have special ritual to “shower” their Keris with water and various flowers, by the Keris’ shaman or dukun (doo–koon).
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If many people admire and honored the Keris as a mistical carrier tool, I my self scare to death of its sharpness and dangerous effect of this hollow knife. You can’t imagine, how many blood had been poured and how many people had been murdered by an old antique Keris in the ancient times.
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Indonesia where all the people (population almost 250 million people) have their own religion, and most are religious and good believer.
But in other hand there are many people who admit themself as a religious one, but still believe in shaman’s mystical power. They keep offering things like the ancient animism believers, or act like the primitives tribes who still lives in deep forests. They excused it just as a matter of their ancestor’s tradition that they couldn’t avoid it.
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To such people, between being religious ( believing in All Mighty and The Only God ) and being the pre-religion believer (animism, shaman’s follower, ancestor tradition) in the same time, became mixed up, complicated, confusing, and would brought to nowhere.
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AKIK & SUI-SEKI COLLECTORS
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The Akik or Agate seekers, diggers ,vendors, and collectors are so proud with the unique and ‘mysterious’ picture in the Indonesia’s Agate stones, which had been painted by nature.
Since the nature just create it once, the picture or the nature designs in the Agate stone is always just one of a kind. Never in identical twin picture. It is one of a kind picture created by nature.
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If you visit my bangle, brooch and pendant creations on RossAtelier.com you could purchase such one of a kind unique pictured Agate.
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I love the pictured Agate. And never be the same. It’s been painted by nature…The nature create just once…
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Email me, if you want to have the picture Agate (perhaps it’s not just an Agate but a much more valuable gemstone!).
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I also still have some cabochon of amazing pictured Agate, like the ‘fish’ figure (‘inlayed’) inside the small stone. Some people ask me to purchase it. But I still love it. It’s nice to look at.
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I love the color and picture inside the stone, just because of its rare beauty, never be twin, and hard to find. Most of all, as my high admiration to God’s wonderful creation.
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In Indonesia as well in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, there are fanatic collectors for the Indonesia Agate/Akik. They hunted the “mysterious” and the unique picture in the stones. It could carry an image of human figure, Chinese goddess, face, animal, fish, number, sahara, calligraphy , river, mountain, abstract design, etc.
They also said the more colors exist in an Agate/Akik stone, the more precious it will be.
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Did you ever heard about “Sui-Seki”? In common knowledge it is about very unique shapes of a stone fossils which had firstly recognize by the Japanese.
Since it is not easy to find, had made it valuable and expensive. It could be found in the deep forest, mountain, caves, bench of a sea and river, etc. (Like beach stone),
Indonesia has many Sui- Seki. There are Sui-Seki hunters as well as Sui-Seki collectors.
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In Indonesia, the Sui-Seki collectors usually are also a “Bong Sai” (keep a tree in tiny size, a Japanese botanical art) collectors as well.
In Indonesia, Sui-Seki also used been found by the gemstones seekers and diggers. The big vendors used to sell (cabochon) Gemstones, Semi Precious Stones together with fossils and Sui-Seki. For collectors and home décoration.
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The Sui-Seki digger usually are also the fossils hunter and digger. Like the gemstone digger, most of the Sui-Seki digger are villager and poor farmer who just to survive their life to buy food for their family.
But uniquely, they are also expert about what they are doing.
They used to sell it to the local government museum in their region.
Selling straight to traders will hard to trace the Indonesia heritage and treasures.
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Indonesia has strict rule and regulation about antique and heritage treasures. It will against the law if bring out the antique and heritage treasures to overseas without goverment permit. It is strongly forbidden to bring out and to sell it out of Indonesia.
(But I don’t understand, since the tree and gemstone fossils are selling free in free open common market).
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Till now, Indonesia still discover new found treasures of artifacs, historical legacy and heritage, especially in Java island.
And the gemstones , the semi and precious stones is like a never ended treasures in Indonesia. Will stay and live forever.
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Ross T Nugroho, is the Author & Editor &Photographed of RossAtelier.com. and her Blogs Feel free to contact her at ross@rossatelier.com .This article is just a general and random information about Indonesia material and sources, and Ross’ personal experiences. Just as a global introducing about Indonesia. You are free to copy Ross’ articles for noncommercial needs as long as mentioned the author/editor and RossAtelier.com and RossAtelier. wordpress.com (Blog) as the sources. It’s very nice of you to inform it to Ross
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NEXT >>> About Indonesia Heritage, Treasures and Legacy ( 4 )
(BATIK , Sarong, Kebaya ; in Past, Now, and Future)
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