GARUDA VILAGE

The
villagers
of
Pakudui
entertain us with a customary
interpretation of the Garuda
creature. Putu Sayoga visited
these talented artisans.
The Garuda is a long-standing
Indonesian
national
symbol,
however the public's interpretation
of its physical shape continues to develop. Artists are
still creating variations on this mythic creature that are
dramatic and which capture the imagination.
The village of Pakudui, which lies about 10 km north
of Ubud in Bali, remains under the Garuda spell. Some of
the villagers here are professional artisans and make
Garuda statues for a living. Indeed, Pakudui is more
commonly known as Desa Garuda (Garuda Village). The
customers who shop here are varied and range from
tourists to famous politicians.
The atmosphere was cool and tall trees shaded the
road. Far away from the major tourist spots, Pakudui still
radiates traditional Balinese village life.

Little kiosks line both

sides of the road and all
sell the same thing: statues
of the Garuda eagle. Sizes
vary and there are
different colours, however
the artisans creativity is
deeply rooted in Hindu
mythology. These little
kiosks don't just sell
statues though but also
function as art workshops.
Before making a purchase, customers can watch the
production process and come to understand the work
involved in the creation of these statues.
One of the artisans I met was Nyoman Reta. His
workshop was not particularly spacious and had a tin
roof and a cement floor. A few of his small eagles were
lined up neatly on a wooden shelf awaiting buyers.
Stripped to the waist, he hammered away at wood from
a nangka (jackfruit) tree, the main material used in the
making of these statues.
This now so-year-old craftsman started learning how
to carve when he was only ten. Everything he knows he
learnt from his father, who was also a sculptor. The
expertise needed to carve a Garuda that is rich in detail

does indeed require intensive training. Once a person

has mastered this craft though, he or she passes on
these skills to his or her children.
According to Nyoman, the production process of a
statue depends heavily on the size and the complexity of
its detail. Small ones of less than a metre in height
require three weeks work, while
larger statues can take up to three
months.
The history of Garuda statue
production in Pakudui is unclear,
however it seems that this
business
emerged
naturally.
Nyoman Reta explained that the
village's ancestors originally made
a range of different statues,
including dragons and lions, however as business grew,
the Garuda came to dominate as they were more
commonly requested by
customers.

Source:

Garuda Magazine