Minang Crafts

Minang Crafts

	A narrow path leads trough the Ngarai Canyon, up to a long flight of steps to the village Koto Gadang. The village has produced a number of leading intellectuals, including two former Indonesian prime ministers, Haji Agus Salim and Mohammad Natsir. Koto Gadang is famous for its silver work. Silver smiths produce delicate silver filigree items like broches in the form of flowers, rings an necklaces. Besides this. larger items are for sale, including models of traditional houses an the clock tower of Bukittinggi.
	Left: Silver smith making delicate silver filigree. A small broche alone will take him more than one day to make. Below: Model of a traditional Rumah Gadang.

Besides silver work, Koto Gadang has been well known for its unique type of embroidery, highly respected over the whole Minangkabau region, to be used for traditional bridal dresses or clan leader's costumes. In 1911, a woman named Roehana Koeddoes established the Kerajinan Amai Setia (K.A.S.), or Women's Handicraft Association, an educational institute to develop the embroideries and handicraft arts of the women of Koto Gadang. The house of the association can still be visited. Nowadays, it houses a souvenir centre and a small museum, telling the history of the K.A.S. and showing some fine examples of the Koto Gadang embroidery.