Fair Trade in Bali

Cultural Traps along the Way

Most importantly for the farmers-turned-craftsmen, Mitra Bali acts as a cultural translator. The organization help Bali nese to produce work to work International standards and decipher odd market trends – like the shift from carved bananas to giraffe CD-holders-rather than merely copying samples. For craftspeople who wish to explore new forms, Mitra Bali operates a design center that has a library of references and holds workshops where foreign buyers can explain their needs.

Yet no matter how fair one tries to make it, trade is still trade. Once Bali nese enter the global arena, they are expected to become modern market players, often at the expense of tradition. Overseas buyer expect producer on time. They can't afford to care about the proper days to cut wood according to Bali nese calendar, or to wait the large, more experienced producer groups who can guarantee delivery of large Christmas or peak season orders, rather than the smaller groups just getting off ground.



International alternative trade organizations that order from Mitra Bali also expect a certain number of social, changes to come from participating in fair trade, some of which make little sense to Balinese producers. Western concerns about child labor, for example, are often difficult for Bali nese to accept. Gender inequality is also hard to address, for no matter how many Balinese women are taught to carve cats, they still, according to Bali nese customary law, are unable to take part in village decision-making processes, or to inherit their parents' land. Even with the rapid influx of wealth, social change come slowly in Bali .

Organizations like Mitra Bali still have along way to go to find acceptable solution, and need to help to concerned buyers from overseas who give the preference to Fair Trade Production.