A Gemstone Craftman from the Edge of River Luk Ulo at Pasarpari, Kebumen Downtown

River Luk Ulo, just like as its name, twisting as a python which was walking from upstream to downstream. This river upstream is in a gap at hills of  The Thousand Mountains in the North. The flow of the river route to South until downstream and was going into the Indian Ocean. Near the upstream, there is a very unique geological sites, Sites of Geological (Geo Park) Karangsambung. From downtown, it’s about 19 kilometers.

On the site of geopark Karangsambung, there are various kinds of stones: agate, suiseki, biseki, coal and great pride for residents of Kebumen Central Java, Indonesia, is the uniqueness of agate which there was the best entire Asia region, perhaps also in the  world. Therefore, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) set up a special research site and make it as a scientific tourism. 
A citizen of the river Luk Ulo edge at Pasarpari, Kebumen downtown, Subowo (42 years) is an agate craftsman which has been working since the early 1990's. At that time, he received the materials of the existing river below his house. Needless goes a long way in order to choose the desired material without damaging the natural environment at the river which was the source of life for the people around it.

Subowo told, the largest environmental changes in the river Luk Ulo was making more difficulties in getting raw materials. And if any, the price was going more and more expensive materials. Some types are very hard to obtain. Indeed, there are two distinctive types of agate Luk Ulo River were purple amethyst and the ginggang which’s striped. Types of amethyst in great demand because it brings the myth seeking the wealth. If you filled a manner and by certain shamans it could be bringing a financial benefit and strengthen  charisma. Meanwhile, the ginggang’s more diversity motives and preferred color for jewelry. Mainly as gemstones for gold rings.

Subowo story is a small indication of a great changing in the natural environment at River  Luk Ulo which had been tending less friendly to the human being because of the damage occurred continuously from upstream to downstream. In fact, not far from the  governmental offices, about 500 meters from the office Head of Regent, the landsliding at the village cemetery has not been able to overcome Kebumen properly. Even extending to the South. In addition to the soil structure which contains a lot of spring water in it, hit the river water due to the loss of tree cover crops, especially Kendal tree and the thining layer of sand was mining on a large scale using heavy machinery at the upstream area around “the dam Kali Gending” and Karangpoh village were adding a heavy burden of River Luk Ulo. Plus and plus a laying off the soil erosion at South region for  making  the bricks, certainly increases the potential damaging  the nature of this river. It does not include the damage due to the using poison for illegal fishing activities usually was going on mid-dry season.