Indonesian Art and Culture website


	Story About Bamboo

Bamboo (Gingatocholoa Nasskarliana) grows almost in every place in Indonesia. It varies in variety, among them: bambu apus, bambu petung, bambu peting, bambu wulung, etc. The bamboo trees that grow along riverbanks function as erosion prevent, soil holder, and water reservoir. Under the bamboo roots many kinds of animals live. Bamboo trees help human beings as well. Beside the bamboo trees functioning as the lungs of the area where they grow, their trunks can be made use for many tools, household materials, or everyday-life equipment. They even have become a part of the people's daily life. Everything about bamboo has been a part of daily talks.

Is it a part of the people's language and culture, bamboo function as the language and means when people are searching for problem solving, or as the foundation of the daily life. Here bamboo trunks were just cut. The tool the people use to cut the bamboo trunks is just a simple parang (a kind of long blade). These people are treating the bamboo trunks just taken. The trunks then are chopped into the desired length, in this case for making roof construction of a house.


	The bamboo sticks then are chopped and sliced to the desired sizes, and then refined�also using parang. The work is also comfortably done under bamboo trees while enjoying cool breeze.

	Bamboo can last long, remains strong in tens of years if treated appropriately. The bamboo trunks and the chopped bamboo sticks are usually sunk in the river, pond, under flowing water or under mud before they are used for any purposes. Traditionally the bamboo sunk for around


	three months will last longer because destructive tiny bugs no longer live. The trunks or sticks are tied together before being sunk under water. To prevent them from moving or floating, they must be halted to some strong and immovable holder, then weighted with rocks.


			The bamboo not yet being used will be stored like this, leaned against wall or other upholder. They are arranged in such a way that there is a space in between one bamboo and another that air can


			passes through. In that way the air circulation will be more effective. People in the kampong call this a bamboo airing process. The people also use this method to straighten curving bamboo. Behind these aerated bamboo piles there is a bamboo building (this is located in Temanggung, Central Java) used for showroom of bamboo products.


		for more information about bamboo, click below

		[bamboo and its role] [bamboo and its product]

	\| Contact \| Webmaster \|

	Cooperation between MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ART AND CULTURE, THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA and PT. ASANA WIRASTA SETIA, Jakarta

	Supporting Institution: InCoDE, Yogyakarta

	1999