The Five Villages Bag... a story and a journey
I am quite proud of this bag, as the journey it would take comes from 5 villages and two Islands. I found its earliest prototype in a musty antique shop in Bali (priced at $999. US) where I learned it was a basket in which women put their cherished personal things in. Through my Balinese friends, I discovered that it originated from an island that the Balinese were afraid of. I knew it was a piece of art with its many textures and skill sets.
Alone, I decided to travel to this island by boat and find its source. The sea was so rough everyone on board was half sick as we held on for dear life. Happy to have arrived and dying of thirst, I soon discovered that my pickup person was at the wrong port, hours away on the South side of the island. (Oh yes, miscommunication is easy). Monkeys were everywhere and the heat of the sun stung my skin. I could write a novel here, but I discovered this bag’s village of origin was near the big mountain where they carved this light balalu wood.
At the first village, the carvers are very touchy about what they will carve, as they see the spirit in everything. They skillfully carve the top and bottom motif, the myth of the enlightened Avatar riding to heaven on a winged horse.
The bag is then taken to the second village where the art of weaving rattan is combined with the carving structure.
It was raining cats and dogs when I arrived at the 3rd village, known for their skill of shell inlay. A smiling pile of half-naked curious children greeted me in front of their main entrance. A man can have 4 wives here, so I understood why there were so many children around me. This island is known for its colorful horse and buggy transportation, and this bag is carried to the dock by this eco-friendly transportation ferry to the island of Bali.
The 4th village is beautifully settled amid cascading rice fields. The people there put a natural stain and a bit of gold varnished on it.
The 5th village is in a remote village near the sea, where my sweet manager, Ketut, and her brother take the day to deliver and later pick up the bags. Here, they are lined with fabric and leathered with goat skin- all by hand. This completely handcrafted bag has been in many hands with no two alike and is a true cultural treasure.
Specs for Five Villages Bag
Price
The wholesale price is $68. for a minimum of 4 pieces (shipped from Atlanta)
Details
- Height : 17 inches
- Width : 12 inches
- Depth : 5 inches
Five Villages
- Rattan woven body
- Carved wood base and top
- Inlaid shell
- Leather strap
- Lined with fabric and a pocket
