Doing business while preserving the Bali’s cultural heritage, that the ideals I Ketut Los Antara. From these ideals, he developed a certain attitude Bali home decor business in his village in Banjar Kebayansari, Tangeb, Abianbase, Mengwi, Badung. His business could lift Tangeb citizen lives. It is proved, the number of employees Antara now reached 60 peoples. “We not only employ adults, Tangeb Carving Technical High School students also participate as freelance workers,” said the man who was born in Tangeb 1952. The business that he had pioneered and developed since 1990 was awarded Upakarti ( the award for Pioneering / Preservation ) by the Indonesian Government in 2009. It’s become a pride not only for him, but also citizens of the Tangeb Village and Bali in general. The appreciation of his work submitted directly by Mr. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in December 2009 at the Istana Negara.
His struggle in promoting Tangeb’s sculpture, in order to compete with the craft from other areas are worthy of being rewarded. He was able to lift the original Bali carving from Tangeb village to get a special place in the hearts of the Balinese carving’s fans. “Now the Bali’s sculpture is not only known from Gianyar, Tangeb village also has a carving craft,” said the man who was familiarly called Pak Mangku.
Handicrafts products which produced by Pak Mangku indeed diverse, ranging from the temple, doors, bed, ram, Tere, pelangkiran, jineng, Bali style gebyok and Bali carved furniture. In the midst of a global economic recession, the business run by Pak Mangku still increase. This happens because most of his customers are from local market. Besides serving to construct a Bali style house, Pak Mangku also cooperates with schools in making school-related inventories, such as benches, tables, or bookcases.
In running this business, he was confronted by the raw materials limitations. He said that he mostly has been use ex Borneo teak, moja gaung, and chrysolite wood. “Bali has no forests, we must buy the materials from outside Bali, such as Flores and Sumba,” he said. According to Pak Mangku, he had a lot Bali style home orders. For this product, he set a price around IDR 20-30 million. “If complete with couch and other furniture, the price could reach IDR 200 million,” said the father of two children and grandfather of three grandchildren.
It is a little difficult in constructing a Bali style house. The process takes one year. All work is done on the location to facilitate the measurement process. “Making buildings must be adapted to the circumstances and the land size,” he said. He was not alone, he needs partners in cultivating a home. “We cooperate with developer and some stone carvers as well,” he added.
Although he was succeed in Bali carving business, Pak Mangku not a real craftsman. He is an educator. After retirement, there is a desire to develop in the Tangeb village’s carving. “I saw there are uncountable Tangeb Carving School graduations. “Its need a place to accommodate their skills,” he said.