After a two-year hiatus, the National Handicraft Council (Dekranas) is once again holding the Kriyanusa 2022 exhibition under the theme "The Spirit of Survival, Competitive Artisans.” The event takes place from September 21-25, 2022, at Hall A, Jakarta Convention Center.

The exhibition was inaugurated by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo and Dekranas Chairwoman, also known as the National Craft Mother, Wury Ma’ruf Amin.

Established on March 3, 1980, Dekranas has been a pioneer in bringing together national craft industry enthusiasts. It serves as a driving force in the craft industry and has played a role as a government partner in nurturing and developing traditional and cultural heritage into increasingly high-quality and competitive handicrafts throughout Indonesia.

The Chairperson of Kriyanusa 2022, Elizabeth Thohir, stated that the primary goal of the exhibition is to support the marketing of products fostered by Dekranasda and to provide a platform for the Nusantara craft industry to continue fostering creativity and innovation to improve business performance and showcase its superior products.

"The craft industry is one of the sectors that has been able to adapt and innovate amid the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing it to survive and even contribute to national economic recovery (PEN),” she said.

Every year, the Kriyanusa Exhibition highlights a different regional icon from across Indonesia. This year, the featured icon is from Lampung Province, showcasing the Pucuk Rebung Motif and Raja Medal Motif.

The Pucuk Rebung (Bamboo Shoot) Motif is commonly found in woven fabrics from Java and Sumatra and carries the proverb "Noble in youth, even more so in adulthood.” A young bamboo shoot is soft and nutritious when consumed, but as it matures, it stands tall, strong, and yet remains humble. In Lampung, this motif is worn by married women in traditional ceremonies and symbolizes fertility.

Meanwhile, the Raja Medal Motif features the shape of a ship and its crew, signifying that the wearer is a woman of high status, such as a benefactor’s wife (Traditional Ship). The ship symbolizes Lampung’s past as a maritime power.

The Kriyanusa 2022 Exhibition showcases handicraft products of increasingly high quality, helping Indonesian crafts gain global recognition. "This exhibition is an effort to promote Indonesian handicrafts internationally,” said Reni Yanita, Secretary-General of Dekranas and Director-General of Small, Medium, and Various Industries at the Ministry of Industry. "Additionally, Kriyanusa is a craft exhibition eagerly awaited by people not only in Indonesia but also abroad, as it features outstanding regional handicraft products created by skilled and competitive SME artisans,” she said.

According to data from the Ministry of Industry, the craft industry subsector achieved export revenues of USD 916 million in 2021, marking a 10.49% increase from the USD 829 million recorded in 2020. Additionally, data from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy shows that the craft subsector contributed IDR 166.13 trillion to the national GDP in 2020, employing approximately 3.9 million people.

Therefore, Reni emphasized that Indonesia, with its diverse ethnic groups, customs, arts, culture, and languages, has the potential to produce unique and high-quality handicrafts.

The Kriyanusa 2022 event features 147 participants from various regions and is supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Investment/BKPM, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, and the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, as well as sponsorship from several state-owned enterprises. (RO/M-4)