Jakarta Shopping Guide: Top 11 Indonesian Products

Indonesians have used puppets for centuries to tell the stories of the Ramayana, Mahabharata and ancient myths as well. Indonesian puppets may be divided in two categories: wayang kulit (leather or shadow puppets) and wayang golek (wooden puppets). Different regions have their own styles of wayang puppets, but they are all handmade. Wayang puppets represent all kinds of characters - good guys, bad guys, gods, demons, animals and so on. Though, sometimes, objects from the modern world, like airplanes, cars and others, are also made, they are mostly for comic effect. Generally, the traditional designs for making wayang puppets have not changed much over the last 300 years. The puppets are made by groups of artists, each one performing a certain operation. Nowadays, wayang puppets are still quite popular and used to depict modern stories, as well as old ones. Prices for wayang puppets start at $10.

Congklak is a game that has its origins either in the Middle East or in Central Africa. The game was brought to Indonesia by traders, then adopted by the locals. Historical references refer to Congklak as the game played by young girls of the Javanese nobility. Later, the popularity of the game increased and it began to be played by the common folk as well. In most Indonesian regions Congklak is considered to be a girl's game; only a handful of regions has it played also by men and boys.

The board for this game is usually made of wood and it has 5, 6, 7 or 9 holes on each side, depending on the region. All versions have two larger holes on both ends. The board may be simple or decorated, boat-shaped, carved and painted. The usual colors are gold and red. In ancient times, the game was played with stones, seeds or shells and it continues to be played this way today. The goal of the game is to gather more seeds than the opponent. There are various versions and names of the game, but whatever version you may play, it is equally challenging in terms of patience and skill. A Congklak game board costs about $20.

Batik is a cloth made traditionally using a manual wax-resistant dyeing technique. It has been practiced in Indonesia since ancient times. The traditional colors of Javanese batik are indigo, dark brown and white. Certain patterns were worn only by nobility, others by royalty, and so on. Each region of Indonesia has its own unique patterns for batik that includes flowers, animals, folklore or people. Nowadays, batik is also produced by automated techniques and is called batik cap and batik print. The handmade batik is nowadays known as batik tulis (written batik).

In Indonesia, batik is used for traditional and everyday clothing; there are patterns and colors used for certain ceremonies. For special occasions, batik was decorated with gold leaf or dust, and was known as “prada”. Such cloth today is made with gold paint. Batik clothing still plays an important role in certain Indonesian rituals. Batik, in different forms, is worldwide popular these days. Depending on the quality of art work, craftsmanship and fabric, batik may cost from several dollars to several thousand dollars apiece.

Jewelry making has a rich tradition in Indonesia, and its history goes back to the times immemorial. Indonesian jewelry is made out of a variety of materials, such as pearls, diamonds, opal, sapphire, amethyst, agates and even the shards of ancient Chinese ceramics. There are many designs, modern and traditional, that differ from island to island.

The most popular jewelry in Indonesia is made of silver and opals. Another favorite are mabe pearls. These pearls differ from the others due to their semi spherical shape and the fact that they grow against the inside of the shell, not inside the body of the mollusk, as is the case with other pearls. The most affordable Indonesian jewelry is made out of the shards of ancient Chinese ceramics that are found on the shore where ancient ports used to be. Sometimes, the ceramics that was brought to Indonesia by Chinese traders got broken on the way and the shards were thrown away in ports. Today, these shards are used by jewelers to make original beautiful items. Indonesian jewelry may cost from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Stone carving in Indonesia dates back more than 900 years and the skill was honed largely during the construction of the temples. The volcanic rock is carved to make statuettes depicting characters from ancient myths and epics. Wood carving is spread even more across the archipelago with each island having its own traditions and designs. Ancient carvings were usually masks representing spirits and were used in burials and for communicating with different spirits; later, they began to be used for many traditional dances. The woods used in carving are ebony, teak, mahogany, ironwood, sandalwood and few others. There is a great variety of wood and stone carvings available for sale, such as statuettes, masks and others. The price for carvings depends on the material used for the object and the quality of work.

Batik painting is an ancient form of art that has been made using an old wax-resistant dyeing technique. The batik technique is a difficult one, all the parts of a picture must be waxed at the same time and completed together. This means that the final design must be conceived before the work on the painting starts. There is no possibility to correct any color once it has been applied on batik. Batik paintings are made on fabric and the most used one is cotton due to its availability, but other cloths are also used for batik painting, such as silk, leather, wool, etc. Batik paintings feature a variety of designs, such as landscapes, floral designs, myths, village and traditional life and more. Nowadays, batik paintings are just as much appreciated as modern oil and acrylic paintings.

Gamelan is a musical ensemble featuring a variety of instruments, such as xylophones, drums and gongs, bamboo flutes and bowed and plucked strings. The word "gamelan" may refer to the group playing instruments, as well as to the instruments themselves. Usually, a gamelan is a set of instruments that are built and tuned to form an ensemble. Gamelans vary by collection of instruments, tuning, style, use of voice, repertoire and cultural context. There are no two gamelans exactly the same. Gamelans are available as souvenirs and may be bought as a whole or each instrument apart.

Kris or Keris is an asymmetrical dagger used both, as a weapon and spiritual object. Kris played an important role in Indonesian history; it was used as a secondary weapon by soldiers, and also as a weapon of self defense by commoners. Men and women alike wore this kind of daggers. Besides being a weapon, it was also considered that every Kris had its own spirit possessing magical powers. These spirits could be both, good and evil, but if the weapon proved to be bad for one person it could be good for another. There had to be harmony between the weapon and its owner. Kris was also used to demonstrate a person's status in society; they were part of rituals and worn during ceremonies. Kris is composed of three parts: the blade, the hilt, and the sheath. These parts are often true pieces of art and are beautifully decorated with precious metals and stones.

Nowadays, Kris's spiritual role has largely diminished, making it mostly appreciated as a wonderful piece of art. A Kris may cost around $200 for a simpler one, or up to $10,000 for a beautifully decorated piece with precious metals and gemstones.

Incense has been known to people for centuries, mostly in relation to religion or medicine. It has appeared in different forms: raw wood, chopped herbs, pastes, powders, liquids or oils. The most common shape incense appears today in is joss-sticks or cones. If you want to bring home a piece of Indonesia in the form of incense, there's nothing better than the fragrance coming from the exotic island of Bali, particularly that made by Gopala Bhakta Sakti. Their products are made from natural powdered roots and woods perfumed in accordance with traditional formula. Their incense comes in a variety of shapes, such as butterflies, frogs, pandas, turtles, etc., and in just as many aromas.

Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee is one of the most expensive and least produced kinds of coffee. It is obtained from the coffee beans eaten by an Asian Palm Civet, passed through its digestive tract and then defecated. The beans maintain their form and are then cleaned, roasted and grounded. The result is a very aromatic coffee with much less bitterness. The enzymes from civet's digestive tract make shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Kopi Luwak is produced on the Indonesian islands of Java, Bali and Sulawesi. The coffee beans for Kopi Luwak are of different varieties, so the coffee can vary in taste, however, all Luwak coffees have a shared aroma profile and lack bitterness. Being the most expensive coffee in the world, Kopi Luwak is sold for between $100 and $600 per pound.

Pottery has been produced in Indonesia since ancient times. It was mostly earthenware and stoneware. Later, the Chinese introduced porcelain. There are many centers in Indonesia where pottery is made. The most renowned of them are Kasongan, Pundong, Melikan, Klampok, Plered, Sitiwinangun, Lombok and Singkawang. The multitude of ethnic groups, each with its own tradition, create an interesting mixture of ethnic designs. Until recently, most of the pottery made in Indonesia were plain without much ornamentation. However, with the increased exports, more decorative pottery have started to appear.

Today, Indonesian pottery includes statuettes, vases, pots and various decorative pieces. Each item costs between $5 and $100, with a higher price charged for something truly extraordinary.