Bali has always been well known for woodcarving, but only among a small number of families who, for generations, have specialized in carving statues of Garuda—a winged dragon-bird from Hindu mythology. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Garuda statues, as well as other Bali-Hindu carvings proved to be popular souvenirs among tourists who passed through the Bali. Today as demand increased, these artisans began training novices  to create a cottage industry that supports entire economically challenged communities.