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Ketut Sarwa

"My name is Ketut Sarwa. I was born in the village of Singapadu in the Sukawati Regency in 1946, just after World War II and at the beginning of Indonesia's struggle for independence from Dutch colonial rule. I have three children and my wife, whose name is Nyoman Rempeg. I have been making traditional Balinese masks for almost forty years now.

"In 1957, at the age of eleven, I started to learn how to make masks from my older brother, who himself learned from our father, and began producing on my own around the year 1970. I joined my parents with the intention of inheriting their skills as well as perpetuating the family tradition of mask making. As a carver of masks, I have created many masks to fill the needs of many people.

"The ideas for my masks come from traditional temple ceremonies and sometimes from personal creation as well. I am most zealous at making masks for use in sacred Balinese dances. In order to make a mask that will later be sanctified and consecrated by the customer, I must do a ceremony called 'Pejati' with special offerings.

"To make a mask I use two different types of wood: kayu pule and kayu sandat - special wood from Bali, and sometimes goatskin to make moustaches and hair. It takes me four days to make a mask and seeing how many years I have been making them, who knows, probably over a thousand masks have come from my hands!

"A lot of students have learned from me, so I guess you can say that mask making is not only a career for me, but also a part of my life. If you ask me what my hobby is, what can I say... mask making, of course, but I also like to watch boxing as well.

"What I like about working with Novica is that it gives people outside of Bali a chance to see my masks and I hope they get as much pleasure from them as I do making them. And I hope that through Novica Balinese art and culture will be promoted around the world."

The masks chosen by Novica have not been sanctified and are suitable for your home.