Wayan Sueta - Bali Beader

Hi there, it is a miracle to me to have the opportunity to be involved in this new business venture where I can create work's opportunity to the local villagers. The local economy has been dropping down badly since the first Bali bombing in 2002 that create a lot of unemployment in Bali, life has been very difficult for the Balinese. It was totally a blessing when I got an email of someone from the US who was asking me to find the beaded baskets and so fortunate that I know that they are close to where I live so it was not that hard to find them. I was starting to take pictures to those local beaders and have found a lot of information from those guys. It is a great work and requires a lot of patient to create them and they do not make that much money from what they are creating even if they have to spend so much time to get them done. It is caused by the middle men who always make better money that the workers themselves.

I went and met those beader few times and asked the technique to bead the baskets as it seemed to be very interesting to know how to create these wonderful beaded basketry. I bought myself a couple small rattan basket and tried to bead them at home and I finally got my first basket in about 4 days but of course with lots of effort to get use to stitch every single seed bead on to the baskets. We are using the 2 drop peyote technique in creating the works. I was extremely excited when I got my first small beaded basket.

I jumped on a bigger one and tried to create butterfly pattern and not really great yet but quit satisfying to me as a beginner. I am also a tour driver/guide for Bali so I use only my free time to bead and you know that it is kind of very slow in getting my basket done. I am not sure when I would get my butterfly one finished and ready to enter the market, but one thing for sure you have to be very patient to wait for it to be finished.


Since I got a little knowledge on the beading technique and then I invited my neighbor to join me and tried to make them and they all very excited. I am happy to pay them more than what those beaders in the neighboring village earn. I could do this as I do not have to go through the middle guy. I market them myself to my clients and contacting all the people that I know to help me to market them so that I can support all these people and school children from my own village and my neighboring village.


Honestly, since I have paid them better and the news spread out the village and in a very short time, I got most of them wanted to work for me. Everyday, I got people come to my home asking for the job and it made me so exciting about what’s happening until I couldn’t realize that my small room mounted with beaded baskets. Wow….. What should I do? I can not take in everyone to work for me as my market is not that big yet, but I do want to help those guys to make something for their life, studies and family. Sometimes that it is so hard to be a good guy, right?

I do need help and support from everyone and wish that we all here can keep having the work and those children need good education, so let’s hand in hand help them out, keep them busy and keep their smile for a better world, a world of laugh and smile…
I am so happy to show you pictures of my work on this project, wish you do not laugh at me, okay?

Love and Peace, Wayan Sueta. ( The Founder of Bali Beadwork Center )