The Jakarta Post features a family of iron smiths in Bali who have been practicing their craft for over 500 years.

Iron in their blood

Jakarta Post, 04 July 2013

“At the time our family arrived in Bali there was only the Bali Mula here — there were no cities at that time because kingdoms had not yet begun, so in a way our family helped in the establishment of the kingdom working as blacksmiths,” said Sunarta of the household utensils, farming implements and weapons crafted by his family that formed an integral element of developing settlements in Bali.

Iron work is so deeply ingrained into Sunarta’s being that he believes his smith’s tools and fire-breathing forge are continuations of himself, with different implements having a direct correlation with parts of his body.