looms then weavers will be easier and faster in the 
weaving process. 
It is proved by the result felt by weavers that is 
only able to produce one songket in two weeks. The 
slow weaving process was caused by the songket 
weavers who still used okik as loom. Moreover, the 
other thing that caused the slow process of weaving 
was the weavers tend put this job as a side or part-
time job so that they don’t put this as their main job 
or priority. This fact is also caused by the low wages 
obtained by the craftsmen so the weavers are not able 
to fulfill their needs hence the weavers only wave in 
their spare time or half day.
 
This is a very serious issue where the weavers 
who are one of the elements that maintain the 
weaving culture do not get the economic impact 
directly due to the low income they receive from 
weaving songket activity. 
In average, each craftsman could only earn Rp 
500.000.,- wages every month. This is far from 
worthy if we consider from the time they ought to 
spend to weave songket, and then the energy that they 
waste is not adequate with the wages they receive. 
Hence, the weaving culture is no longer an interesting 
thing for public. 
Generally, the songket craftsmen consist of 40-
year-old housewives, while the teenagers both boys 
and girls prefer other jobs such as being self-
employed and work in neighboring country, 
Malaysia. 
6.3  Batubara Songket Craftsmen 
Craftsman is one of the essential elements in the 
process of preserving songket culture. They have big 
role in the process of songket production and they are 
human’s songket resources who are willing to give 
energy and time to create a beautiful cultural work, 
has ideological, aesthetical, cultural and economical 
value. 
Their role is sine qua non and fundamental in the 
process of conserving the weaving songket culture 
but the dedication they give is not in line with the 
wages they receive so that economically, they do not 
feel a significant impact. This becomes a very 
miserable reality amidst the necessities of life is quite 
large. It could be concluded that songket  craftsmen 
are far from welfare community. 
Sibarani (2012:193) explained that there are 
several things needed to be considered and done to 
increase the welfare, such as:   
1.  Empirical problem or Empirical fact which is 
faced by public should be known and analyzed 
to get a solution as answer to overcome welfare 
problems. 
2.  Legal Basis or Legal Rule is an important thing 
because it could be made as legality to build 
connection with several institutions that can give 
benefit and improve welfare, the creation of  
legal basis such as laws or particular rules which 
could be the basis for deciding, conducting, and 
helping in improving the welfare. Additionally, 
the construction of connection or relation could 
be done by several institutions such as 
government institutions, private agencies as well 
as individuals after the legal basis already exists. 
3.  The socio-cultural research. This is one thing 
that could measure and explain factually about 
the conditions, developments, and issues that 
are new or old which becomes the challenge of 
realizing the welfare of songket weavers.  The 
result of this study will be used as reference to 
develop a new empowerment model to achieve 
prosperity. 
4.  Organizing. It is to make the concept of welfare 
improvement based on the finding of research 
and planning the cooperation among 
institutions. 
5.  Planning.  It is the preparation of plans and 
schedule activities systematically started from 
the beginning to ending, anyone who will 
involve, person in charge, and targets to be 
achieved. 
6.  Implementation  is an empowerment activity in 
the field that should pay attention properly to the 
target of welfare improvement and in the right 
target. 
The six points above should be considered, 
thought, and realized effectively and efficiently so 
that the implementation of empowerment activity of 
songket craftsmen could be achieved. 
The welfare issue of songket weavers is a problem 
to solve. For that reason, according to previous 
illustration, researcher used local wisdom theory in 
solving this problem. 
Local wisdom for welfare by Robert Sibarani 
(2012) has been divided into some points, those are: 
hard work, discipline, education, health, mutual 
cooperation, gender management, cultural 
preservation and creativity, and environmental care. 
Those are expected to produce prosperity which later 
by Robert Sibarani (2012) is divided into several parts 
as well. The purposes and functions of local wisdom 
for welfare are: Prosperity, source of creativity, 
cultural industry deposit, motivation of success, and 
poverty alleviation. If this is made into diagram, then 
it will be understood easier. This is the diagram of