Since most of the land is peatland or peat swamp ecosystem, purun grows and spreads across almost all districts in South Kalimantan. Areas that are not mentioned in the song “Kapal Gandengan Taksi”, such as Amuntai in Hulu Sungai Utara and Banjarbaru, have also transformed into purun handicraft centers. With the support of various programs implemented by both NGOs and the local government, purun has now become a superior material that also represents the identity of the tribes of Banjar and South Kalimantan.
However, craftsmen in South Kalimantan still face the same issues. There remain difficulties in reaching markets and accessing capital. Few parties help to build a network of markets and capital resources for craftsmen. This is what attracted the attention of Mariatul Asiah and her friends in Komunitas Pelangi in Banjarmasin. Atul, as Mariatul Asiah is usually called, is committed to overcoming the struggles of these craftsmen.
Atul, born on 31 May 1976 in Barabai in the Hulu Sungai Tengah district of South Kalimantan, partnered with friends in her community to build a network for purun craftsmen in various regions. They went directly to the craftsmen and gathered information about patterns, the availability of materials, prices, and the variety of purun products. Atul herself also got hands-on training in purun weaving. "It turns out that weaving purun into a single piece is extraordinary difficult," she said.
Understanding the difficulties of the craftsmen, Atul and her friends, including Ida Mawardi, a senior journalist and lawyer, drafted a concept to tackle the issue. Their concept was to create a system in which consumers could buy a variety of purun handicrafts directly from the craftsmen. The prices they offer are more than worth it, ranging from IDR 6000 to IDR 35000 (US$0.4–$2.40). Relationships with the artisans are merely one-off sales; handicrafts are paid for on the spot. "This is in order to build trust and responsibility for the craftsmen," said Ida Mawardi.
Atul graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Tarbiyah (Holistic education), Department of Islamic Education at IAIN Antasari, Banjarmasin and a master’s degree from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Department of Anthropology at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. After completing her studies, she built this marketing system. "Purun like this is a product on the peripheries. Well, it's time purun is brought to the center," Atul said last week in Banjarmasin.
Purun can be expensive when on the modern commercial market. Take shopping malls for example. Atul decided to cooperate with a large supermarket chain in Banjarmasin. This supermarket is part of a larger network from Jakarta. When the supermarket opened last month, hundreds of purun bags graced the hands of invitees.
