looms then weavers will be easier and faster in the
weaving process.
It is proved by the result felt by weavers that is
only able to produce one songket in two weeks. The
slow weaving process was caused by the songket
weavers who still used okik as loom. Moreover, the
other thing that caused the slow process of weaving
was the weavers tend put this job as a side or part-
time job so that they don’t put this as their main job
or priority. This fact is also caused by the low wages
obtained by the craftsmen so the weavers are not able
to fulfill their needs hence the weavers only wave in
their spare time or half day.
This is a very serious issue where the weavers
who are one of the elements that maintain the
weaving culture do not get the economic impact
directly due to the low income they receive from
weaving songket activity.
In average, each craftsman could only earn Rp
500.000.,- wages every month. This is far from
worthy if we consider from the time they ought to
spend to weave songket, and then the energy that they
waste is not adequate with the wages they receive.
Hence, the weaving culture is no longer an interesting
thing for public.
Generally, the songket craftsmen consist of 40-
year-old housewives, while the teenagers both boys
and girls prefer other jobs such as being self-
employed and work in neighboring country,
Malaysia.
6.3 Batubara Songket Craftsmen
Craftsman is one of the essential elements in the
process of preserving songket culture. They have big
role in the process of songket production and they are
human’s songket resources who are willing to give
energy and time to create a beautiful cultural work,
has ideological, aesthetical, cultural and economical
value.
Their role is sine qua non and fundamental in the
process of conserving the weaving songket culture
but the dedication they give is not in line with the
wages they receive so that economically, they do not
feel a significant impact. This becomes a very
miserable reality amidst the necessities of life is quite
large. It could be concluded that songket craftsmen
are far from welfare community.
Sibarani (2012:193) explained that there are
several things needed to be considered and done to
increase the welfare, such as:
1. Empirical problem or Empirical fact which is
faced by public should be known and analyzed
to get a solution as answer to overcome welfare
problems.
2. Legal Basis or Legal Rule is an important thing
because it could be made as legality to build
connection with several institutions that can give
benefit and improve welfare, the creation of
legal basis such as laws or particular rules which
could be the basis for deciding, conducting, and
helping in improving the welfare. Additionally,
the construction of connection or relation could
be done by several institutions such as
government institutions, private agencies as well
as individuals after the legal basis already exists.
3. The socio-cultural research. This is one thing
that could measure and explain factually about
the conditions, developments, and issues that
are new or old which becomes the challenge of
realizing the welfare of songket weavers. The
result of this study will be used as reference to
develop a new empowerment model to achieve
prosperity.
4. Organizing. It is to make the concept of welfare
improvement based on the finding of research
and planning the cooperation among
institutions.
5. Planning. It is the preparation of plans and
schedule activities systematically started from
the beginning to ending, anyone who will
involve, person in charge, and targets to be
achieved.
6. Implementation is an empowerment activity in
the field that should pay attention properly to the
target of welfare improvement and in the right
target.
The six points above should be considered,
thought, and realized effectively and efficiently so
that the implementation of empowerment activity of
songket craftsmen could be achieved.
The welfare issue of songket weavers is a problem
to solve. For that reason, according to previous
illustration, researcher used local wisdom theory in
solving this problem.
Local wisdom for welfare by Robert Sibarani
(2012) has been divided into some points, those are:
hard work, discipline, education, health, mutual
cooperation, gender management, cultural
preservation and creativity, and environmental care.
Those are expected to produce prosperity which later
by Robert Sibarani (2012) is divided into several parts
as well. The purposes and functions of local wisdom
for welfare are: Prosperity, source of creativity,
cultural industry deposit, motivation of success, and
poverty alleviation. If this is made into diagram, then
it will be understood easier. This is the diagram of