Life stories (Indonesia, Bali)

In Bali, baskets are traditionally woven from rattan (Calamus spp.) , bamboo , or lontar (Borassus flabellifer palm leaves). These locally harvested materials are boiled, dried, and then manually split to obtain flexible strips.

Weaving techniques are transmitted orally and by imitation , mainly between women. Their uses vary according to the form: bakul baskets for transporting or selling rice, dulang trays for ritual offerings (canang sari), tikar mats for ceremonies or sleeping.

These objects are omnipresent in domestic, ritual, and commercial life. But their production is currently in decline: the widespread use of plastic, which is faster and cheaper, is gradually replacing them, including in rural markets. Revitalization programs are underway, particularly in the Bangli, Karangasem, and Klungkung regions, supported by NGOs and women's cooperatives, to promote this intangible heritage.