VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Sewangi Island, which is located in Tanah Bumbu regency, is the place for making ‘Jukung’. Jukung is a traditional boat from Banjar tribe, one of the original tribes of the inhabitants of South Kalimantan. From Batulicin, the capital of Tanah Bambu Regency, Pulau Sewangi is about 20 kilometers away.The area of the island is about 4,500 square meters with a length of about 15 kilometers. Visitors can go around the island by motorboat for about an hour, while witnessing the beauty of Sewangi Island which is still beautiful.

Boats from Sewangi Island have been famous for a long time in some regions of Kalimantan. Although the island is small, the boat has superior raw materials, namely ironwood, Cangel wood, and Mada Hirang wood.The residents of Sewangi Island mostly work as builders of high quality boats. To make Jukung, it takes a lot of time.One Jukung can take about two weeks. The length of time to make a Jukung, depends on the material, size, and what kind of model the customer wants. The selling price of Jukung also varies, starting from 3 million rupiah to 8 million rupiah.

Around the 6th and 7th centuries AD, the manufacture of jukung increasingly developed in the Sewangi island area. This island is also the main producer of Jukung in South Kalimantan. Now, based on available data, Sewangi Island is the largest area for Jukung craftsmen in Indonesia.The profession of making Jukung has been carried out by the residents of Sewangi from generation to generation. Raw materials for boat building are also available on the island. In addition, the position of Sewangi Island itself is also strategic to be used as a shipyard.All these supporting factors make Sewangi Island a supplier of Jukung for other parts of Indonesia. Not only seeing the Jukung was made, visitors can also take a tour on a Jukung that sails with the Jukung craftsman. The cost of sailing with Jukung is according to mutual agreement between you and the craftsman.