Wood, Vine, Grass, Shell Handicrafts & Construction

Building Courses | Jewellery | Carving Building courses

(There are two options, I or II ) I. Depending on what is needed at the time and duration of your visit with ICE you will have the opportunity to build one of the following pieces of work either for ICE or for locals: rotan and/or bamboo chairs, benches, tables, baskets, or for transportation transportation bamboo rafts. You will have the opportunity to experience a ride on the bamboo raft you build, if you choose.
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Making banana leaf roofing panels. Photo courtesy of Cazz Arnsby-Wilson

II. You also have the opportunity to build houses made out of or a combination of bamboo, cement, wood, leaf, or metal. The housing you will aide in building will be either used for:

A. ICE B. Assisting locals that cannot afford to build a house. In this instance the money for your programme will be helping to offset the costs of building the structure for the person/family in need. *ICE will give you background information on the individual or familys situation to ICE feels they are a fair choice to receive assistance. Prior to your commitment to aide in assisting to build a home for needy locals you can decide if that is an undertaking you would like to experience by helping out the individual or family that ICE has previously determined is in need.

C. Assisting people who are already in the process of building a house or building structure, in this case your money will offset the fees for you to gain entrance to the grounds in order to assist with the construction. *This option is solely dependent on if there are any on-going construction projects in the surrounding villages at the time of your arrival and during your stay with ICE.

Please note the following: Choice I *If you wish to build furniture or baskets for food storage or fishing for yourself you will have to make your own shipping and handling arrangements for the piece you choose to make. ICE does not help with the arrangements for your goods in this programme. ICE will however, aide in transporting/translation for transporting to and from Medan, Sumatra Indonesia. Please gather all information (company, pricing, and pick-up from Medan, Sumatra Indonesia) prior to your arrival to ICE. Choice II B. *ICE will give you background information on the qualified individual or family situation whom will receive your assistance. Prior to your commitment to aide in assisting to build a home for needy locals you can decide if that is an undertaking you would like to experience by helping out the individual or family that ICE has previously been determined to be in need. C. *This

option is solely dependent on if there are any on-going construction projects in the surrounding villages at the time of your arrival and during your stay with ICE. *For all Choice I and II options ICE will notify you if you have ample time to enter into the forest or gardens (whichever is applicable) and collect appropriate materials needed for your particular programme. The longer your programme the greater chance you have to collect the raw materials yourself. If you have chosen to collect materials such as rotan for construction of furniture or baskets you will be entering into the jungle for collection, therefore, you will need to provide proof of insurance.

Assorted baskets: fishing, storage, separating rice, dish coverings

Split bamboo used to make house walls. Photo courtesy of Cazz Arnsby-Wilson

Woven bamboo walls

Carving

You will learn how to carve using traditional Sumatran Indonesian carving methods and designs. The natural materials you may use are coconut, bamboo, and wood that is not a protected species. Some of the things you will be able to carve are statues, a dinnerware set (plate, cup, spoon, bowl, etc.), or other Western trinkets such as key chains, bookends, picture frames, etc. The sky is the limit in this programme. Have fun and learn a new art. *Tell us your what would like to carve beforehand if not a statue or part of a dinnerware set. To insure that you will be able to keep the handmade handicraft that you make please check your agriculture and customs rules for materials that are not allowed in your home country before making something that you may not possibly be able to take home with you from the airport. Please alert ICE if you are not allowed any of the materials used in the Carving programme. You have the option to take your carvings home or to donate them to ICE

Batak carving

Traditional Minangkabau decorative carving for house.

Batak carvings

Jewellery

You will have the opportunity to create jewellery that you will be able to take home with you. (To insure that you will be able to keep the handmade handicraft that you make please check your agriculture and customs rules for materials that are not allowed in your home country before you make something that you may not possibly be able to take home with you from the airport. Please alert ICE if you are not allowed any of the materials that you can make jewellery from). You will create your very own custom crafted pieces from start to finish, meaning from collection of materials to the final ready-to-wear product. Your keepsake will be made from one or more of the following materials, rotan, coconut, bamboo, wood, and Akar Batu. Only specific species of wood will be used, protected wood species will not be used. ICE is an environmental conscious company. What you create is up to your imagination. You have the option to take your carvings home or to donate them to ICE.

An antique necklace from West Sumatra.

ICEs programmes are great tools in aiding you in your independent research projects. You will attain first-hand and second-hand knowledge and gain everlasting relationships between the people you interact with. Come and explore the mysteries of a land you have only ever dreamt about. Key:
( Denotes programmes that require insurance. You must show proof of insurance before participation of programme. Medicinal, Building, Jewellery, and Sports programmes will not require proof of insurance if you agree, sign, and notarize a statement that says you will not enter into the rainforest. Building, Jewellery, and Sports programme participants allowance of entry into the forest is only applicable if your duration of time with ICE is deemed long enough by ICE. Participants that choose not to enter into the forest for the following

programmes must fill out an Opt-out of Statement: Medicinal, Building, Jewellery, Sports, and Waterfalls ICE will provide Opt-out of Statements and Release of Liabilities to be filled out by programme participant. However, if for some reason you did not automatically receive an Opt-out of Statement or a Release of Liabilities form please request whichever you need. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have returned in all documents to ICE. Due to the amount of planning that takes place to organize these programmes ICE must have ample time to schedule forest entries and ghost encounters.