Batu Akik Souvenirs as RI Cultural Introduction to AAC Delegates

Liputan6.com, Jakarta With the 60^th Asia-Africa Conference Commemoration only a few days away, Indonesia exerts all its power to refurbish its two hosting cities and deploys a large number of security forces to assure overall safety throughout the international scale event. 

The event will be held both in Jakarta and Bandung starting on the 19 through to the 23^rd of April 2015.

Apart from efforts on the two cities refurbishment as to yield a good presentation of the country, Indonesia will also provide the infamous agate stone or 'Batu Akik' as souvenirs for foreign delegates. 

'Batu Akik' is considered as a booming object which for quite sometime dominated the nation’s market. 

The stone is normally placed on top of a ring or any other compatible accessories.

It has been learned that the every stone possessed has varying superstitious meanings relating to one's health, fortune and many other equally interesting aspects. 

The price of the stone ranges from hundreds of thousands to millions rupiah depending on the size, type and carving.

The decision to have 'Batu Akik' as souvenirs is viewed to be Indonesia’s intention to introduce an object that symbolizes and defines the nation’s culture to the foreign delegates.

Dozens of craftsman used 60 kg of colourful raw materials to create stone with the price of Rp 300 million from Gunung Kencana, West Java.

As shown on Liputan6 Siang SCTV, Wednesday (15/4/2015), the stones are beautifully carved for the event’s guests. Craftsman are assigned to make 109 of them as it is equivalent to the number of participating countries.

So far, they have successfully created 80 pendant. They will be preoccupied with making the rest as the event is just around the corner. (Akp/Tnt)