Lestarikan Songket Silungkang, PT Semen Padang Kembangkan Destination Wisata Kampung Songket Di Sawahlunto

Anita Dona Asri provides education and weaving training for mothers in her village to preserve the silungkang songket which can be an economic source for the family. (Photo: Doc. SIG)

JAKARTA - PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (SIG) through its subsidiary, PT Semen Padang, also maintains the preservation of songket silungkang which is a typical songket and cultural heritage from Sawahlunto, West Sumatra. This support is evidenced by the development of songket village tourist destinations, in East Lunto Village, Lembah Segar District, Sawahlunto City, West Sumatra.

The development of the songket village began on April 25, 2024, PT Semen Padang held a songket village groundbreaking ceremony named Kampung Dolas Songket. The naming of Kampung Dolas Songket is an appreciation of the attention and efforts of the Songket Dolas MSME on the preservation of songket silungkang. The development of Songket Dolas Village includes, the construction of a gate, improvement of road access, construction of assembly point facilities for tourists, to the assistance of weaving machines.

Songket's dolas was founded by Anita Dona Asri in 2014. Anita Dona Asri, who is familiarly called Dona (38 years old), is a local hero born in Lunto who fights for the preservation of songket silungkang by providing education and weaving training for the community in his village.

With this endeavor, the silungkang songket is also expected to be a source of the family's economy. The name Dolas Songket itself is a combination of the names of Dona and her two younger siblings, namely Lastri and Sepri.

Dona said that her songket weaving skills had been possessed since she was in grade 3 of the elementary school she studied from her parents. Her skills were continuously occupied by making small businesses able to finance her studies at a university in West Sumatra until she finished in 2010. Dona finally solidified her intention to establish Songket's Dolas with an initial capital of Rp. 10 million and was assisted by a relative in 2014.

"Now I have 29 professional teamworks that have been able to weaving since I was a teenager. The products offered are also various, from fabrics, sarongs, men's shirts and women's dresses, with prices varying from Rp. 400 thousand to Rp. 3.5 million. For purchases can be made in the Songket Dolas gallery or through social media and marketplaces. Alhamdulillah, on average there are 120 items sold per month with an increase in turnover of 65 percent compared to the start of the business, "said Dona, in a written statement from SIG, Saturday, June 22.

This achievement did not necessarily make him forget his dream to make his village a songket village tourist destination.

In my village there are about 15 other weaving and we are intensely communicating. I want the silungkang songket to be known more widely to foreign countries. In my mind, tourists who visit our village will not only buy songket but can also try weaving songkets. I think it will give a deep impression, "explained Dona.

Ulam's beloved pinnacle has arrived. His dream has received support from PT Semen Padang, the oldest cement company in Indonesia, the pride of the people of Minang and the Indonesian nation. Since communicating with PT Semen Padang at the end of 2023, a number of assistance has been provided by PT Semen Padang to support the development of Songket Dolas, such as training in making digital-based songket designs in March 2024.

The training held by PT Semen Padang was very helpful and made the time for the design to be very fast, from what initially took 7 days manually to only 3 hours. In addition, we also received computer assistance and accounting machines. Thank you very much PT Semen Padang and GIS. Hopefully, we will continue to advance and provide benefits to the community," said Dona.

GIS Corporate Secretary, Vita Mahreyni said, one of GIS's focuses in compiling and implementing social and environmental responsibility programs (TJSL) is to optimize potential local resources and wisdom, as well as strategic issues in an area, so that it can create value and benefits in a sustainable manner.

Pembangunan kampung Dolas Songket yang dilakukan oleh PT Semen Padang adalah langkah strategis yang sejalan dengan semangat keberlanjutan SIG untuk menjaga keberadaan songket silungkang sebagai warisan budaya bangsa agar tetap preserve dan meningkatkan ekonomi masyarakat. Dengan pendampingan secara menyeluruh akan melahirkan penun-penenun relih yang mampu membawa songket silungkang ke kancah global dan mengharumkan nama Indonesia, kata Vita Mahreyni.