Several decades ago their toys were made from used material or natural one that they could get from the surrounding area. They made their toys by them self. Orange skin, stem of the banana bunch, leaves; wood remnants or bamboo and used tin are the favorite material. The games motivated and push their creativities.
Recently in the digital era their toys are not avoidable from the touch of modern technology. Ready to used toys are spoiled them. Although there are some high tech toys can motivate them on their creativities and new technology innovation, but unevenly development in the aspect of economy and education causes deep gap between the poors and the haves, the villagers and the urban areas. A bad situation but that is.
Fortunately there are some individual transition era generation like Spriyadi and friends that willingly provide toys for children who can not completely follow the digital era. He is a toy monger who walks around from village to village. Some tens of them are practice those works. Their targets are student from kindergarten to intermediate school; or at the downtown and night hotspots where parents bring their children for comfort.
Spriyadi came from Wonosari a district of Yogyakarta. He sells his made toys almost around Java, Bali and some other inlands in Indonesia like Sulawesi and Sumatra.
His toys are made of bamboo. They are ‘gasing’, flute and whistle. “Gasing’ is the most favorite toy for children around the area. ‘Gasing’ is made of 10 cm diameter (more less) and 10 cm long. The both ends are closely covered by a piece of circular wood. By that way is formed a bamboo tube. A 2 Cm square hole is made at the middle of this tube. A bamboo axis is set up so that the tube can rotates with the help of 50 cm rope which is twist on the axis and pulls it pass through a sewing needle hole like that made of bamboo as well. When the bamboo tube rotates fast it stands on the axis, a specific sound is heard. The children make competition among them with those toys. The winner is the “gasing” that can rotate and stand in longest period of time.
Spriyadi sells this “gasing” for Rp. 5,000.00, flute for same price, and whistle for Rp. 2,000.00. Those tree toys are made in the village of Semin, sub district of Wonosari, Yogyakarta province. Spriyadi told he can earn money up to 1.5 million rupiah by doing this work in 9 to 10 days. He also can arrange selling his toy in big party. The price is negotiable.
