The sap of the gambir plant, which originates from Musi Banyuasin (Muba) District, South Sumatra, produces earth-tone colors, such as gray, brown, gold, and earthy shades. This natural dye is known as gambo Muba and is used as a basic ingredient in the making of Muba batik through the jumputan method (BPS Muba, 2023). Now, gambo Muba has also started to be applied to woven oil palm frond crafts by women members of the Women’s Economic Business Group (KUEP).
Muji Utami, a member of KUEP Mandiri Peduli in Karya Maju Village, Muba District expressed her enthusiasm to learn natural dyeing for her woven products, during the training on Improving the Quality of Palm Frond Woven Products organized by Yayasan CARE Peduli (YCP/CARE in Indonesia) under Women’s Empowerment Program in Oil Palm Communities Program in Musi Banyuasin (10-12/6).
“Using the gambir plant to dye the weaving is a new thing for us. We learned to apply natural dyes to woven palm fronds, so that the result was very beautiful and high quality,” said Muji. According to her, this natural dye provides uniqueness in creating new motifs and color combinations typical of Muba.
Muji along with 19 other KUEP representatives from Cipta Praja Village, Karya Maju Village, Sri Mulyo Village, Banjar Jaya Village, and Bumi Kencana Village, received refresher training on basic techniques such as the selection of quality palm fronds as raw materials for weaving. They also deepened their weaving skills by making a variety of products such as woven gutters, lanterns, large bowls, fruit baskets, and trash cans. “I feel that I need to practice even harder to achieve maximum weaving results from palm fronds. This training has given me new inspiration,” said Muji.
During the year of the oil palm woven craft business, four KUEPs from 4 villages assisted by YCP, managed to produce 2,000 woven oil palm frond crafts. The woven products were sold and earned an income of 13 million Rupiah.
Agus Tri Wahyuono, YCP Program Manager, revealed that by increasing the capacity and innovation of gambo Muba, it is expected to increase the market value and competitiveness of woven products in the global market. “There are many potentials that can be developed, such as the use of gambo Muba which is a distinction because the gambir plant is an endemic plant that only grows in the Muba area. This provides added value and competitiveness for these products to be sold in local, national and global markets,” he said.
Agus further said that the program to develop woven products from palm fronds is not only about the profits generated, but also strengthening the role of women in Muba District who can utilize palm fronds and gambo to produce economic benefits and manage natural resources that support environmental sustainability. “For the next one year, this program will continue by utilizing and reprocessing products from nature so that they are sustainable,” Agus concluded.
