Banyusumurup Traditional Village, Imogiri, Yogyakarta

Throughout Indonesian artwork, temple carvings, and souvenir shops there are small, ornate daggers known as keris. Keris are traditional Indonesian weapons as well as spiritual weapons. Often they were believed to have magical powers that would aid the owner in battles—especially if he found the keris. That is a sign that the keris “chose” him and together they will be stronger.

Despite the keris being common throughout most of Indonesia, only one traditional village still makes them: Banyusumurup. They hand-carve not only the basic souvenir keris, but also the more intricate, real keris (with real gemstones) for high-ranking government officials and other prominent members of the society.
Finding Banyusumurup was no easy challenge, but when I did I was treated to a tour of the entire manufacturing process. Tourism out there is unheard of—not even the Indonesians come to visit, let alone random bule. Only a few hundred people remain in the village now, but most help with one aspect or another of producing the keris. Like with the tenun fabric of Tanglad village, it really is a community effort.