Nomad & Wayang Kulit maker Part II

The sun has gone down and on the back of a motor cycle I ride back to the Jogjakarta Wayang museum. Folks are flocking to the street to purchase their portion of Es Dawet, Es Teler and Sateh Kambing or Soto Ayam. It is Ramadan and the small street stalls are providing excellent service to the hungry believers. When my friend from the museum drops me off we take a moment to reflect on the bargaining game and light a kretek to clear our minds.

"I think the 500 he offered was probably a good price", he says. "Really?" "Yes really. They sell finished puppets for much higher there." "But I have exceeded my budget already and I really still need to buy a ticket to Bandung", I reply. Meanwhile I think of the 2 unfinished puppets and decide I really like them a lot. I start thinking of ways to frame them on a dark background. I have never seen unfinished wayang kulit displayed like that before. "It's quite unique. I like it and maybe other people will also.", I say and I feel sorry I could not buy them. "Maybe he will agree to 450?", my friend from the museum says.

I now decide the price is right and say, "I really don't have that kind of money on me anymore. Is should go to my hotel and see if I got enough cash." "Where are you staying?, my museum friend asks. "Dagen street, just off Marlioboro main street." "Oh, I can drop you off and take you back or we can call the Wayang maker from there." That sounds good, I think, as it is quite a walk back and its getting late. So there I am back on the bike and racing to my hotel. I find the cash and before long were back on our way to see the Wayang maker.

I walk in the wayang (work) shop and smile: "Hello again." Surprised the Wayang maker welcomes us back. My museum friend explains and hopes the Wayang maker will accept 450 for the 2 unfinished wayang puppets. But the Wayang maker is adamant and isn't planning to move down from his bottom price. My friend from the museum seems startled and I re-start negotiations to no avail. Now my museum friend looks disappointed and in English tells me (and indirectly the wayang maker) he is sorry that he already promised me 450 was okay and to make up for it he would take me to the train station to get my ticket to Bandung for tomorrow.

I take this as my cue to give it one more shot and enthusiastically tell him how I want to frame the wayang pieces to show the wayang making process and that I truly respect and appreciate his art. The wayang maker looks me over and finally changes his mind. The negotiations have reached their final play. "This time I will agree to 450." he tells me, "Next time you pay 500." "Next I might very well buy more and you should drop your price." I smile and we start laughing. "Kurang ajar, ini."
The wayang maker starts packing my newly purchased wayang kulit puppets and in a good mood we chat on about family and art. Happy I jump on the back of my friends bike one final time as he takes me all the way back to my hotel. On our way back I wonder what I should give him to compensate for all the trouble, when he starts explaining that he didn't help me for money but for points.

I wasn't sure if I understood him correctly and ask him to elaborate. He tells me the museum director is a wise and experienced man that had introduced a point system. The more points you gather, by for instance assisting visitors, the better your job position in the museum gets. I ask him if I should tell someone how well he helped me out, but he responds with: "They already know".

I must agree. This director is indeed a wise man. I am delighted by this charming and unique approach towards tourism in a country that is often in a rat race for the rupiah. A Nomad is hopeful that this surely is another sign that Indonesia is entering a new dawn.