History of batik

Batik is a craft that has high artistic value and has become part of the culture of Indonesia (especially Java) since long. Javanese women in the past made their skills in batik for a living, so in the past, batik work is exclusively women's work until the discovery of "Batik Cap" which allows the entry of men into the field. There are some exceptions to this phenomenon, namely the coastal batik masculine lines as can be seen in shades of "Mega Clouds", which in some coastal areas batik work is common for men.

The tradition of batik was originally a hereditary tradition, so that occasionally a recognizable motif batik originated from a particular family. Some batik may indicate the status of a person. Even today, some traditional 'batik motif is only used by the family palace of Yogyakarta and Surakarta.
Batik is the ancestral heritage of Indonesia (Java) that until now still exist. Batik is also first introduced to the world by President Suharto, who was then wearing batik at the UN Conference.

Unesco’s recognition of Indonesian batik

Unesco’s recognition of Indonesian batik as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage seems to have reignited passion for the designs, with more and more people donning it to show the pride they feel in the country.

But then again, how well do we really know batik? Last Thursday to Saturday, PT Batik Danar Hadi, a leading producer of batik clothing in Indonesia, tried to help improve that knowledge.

On Thursday, a high tea fashion show was organized at the Grand Sahid Jaya, Jakarta. Along with the fashion show, 200 pieces from the batik collection of H Santosa Doellah, the founder of Danar Hadi, were also showcased in an exhibition at the Solo Lounge of the hotel.

The rest of the collection, which contains nearly 10,000 pieces of rare batik, is currently stored at the House of Danar Hadi museum in Surakarta, Central Java.

“The exhibition titled ‘The History of Indonesian Batik,’ aims to introduce and educate Indonesian people about the various motifs and patterns influenced by the Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and other foreign cultures that came to Indonesia,” said Diana Santosa, the managing director of Danar Hadi.

Before high tea, guests were offered guided tours of the collection to learn about the historical conditions and cultural exchanges that influenced particular motifs and patterns.

One style that was influenced by Chinese traders, for example, incorporates Chinese mythological creatures, such as dragons, phoenixes and quilin , a type of Chinese unicorn, in its designs.

The Djawa Hokokai batik, produced between 1942 and 1945 during the Japanese occupation, depicts Japanese flowers combined with the traditional pattern of parang (long knife) and kawung (geometrical circular pattern).

Dutch women in the early 19th century preferred bright floral patterns with bird and butterflies.

“Usually, people just follow the trends without really understanding the meaning or history behind it,” said Ayu Tresna, who attended the event. “With this exhibition, we can begin to understand the history of batik and the intricate process involved in making batik.”

Shanti Setyaningrum, the public relations manager of Grand Sahid Jaya, said that “in the old days, batik was only used for uniforms or traditional clothing.

“But now, we can see batik in cocktail dresses and formal jackets. I hope this program can help to spread the popularity of batik in today’s fashions,” she added.

The first day of the show featured 18 women’s hand-painted and hand-stamped batik pieces designed by Ainun Nisyah, Priyo Octaviano and Denny Wirawan.

Ainun Nisyah, Danar Hadi’s in-house fashion designer, showcased modified kebaya (an Indonesian traditional blouse) with knee-length sarongs. Using hand-woven batik of brilliant colors, typical of the Cirebon area Central Java, Ainun’s dresses had a feminine yet casual flair that does not look out of place in formal occasions.

“Cirebon’s batik is usually more bright and colorful,” Diana said. “The water in the coastal area is salty, which brings out the color in each cloth.”

Priyo Octaviano, a young Indonesian fashion designer, presented hand-woven and chiffon blouses with bold, intricate patterns of Parang Sarpo, a batik motif created by artists of the Mangkunegaran palace in Solo, Central Java, which were combined with miniskirts or fitted trousers.

“He uses a deconstructive method to design his clothes,” Diana said. “He puts the fabric onto a mannequin and starts cutting and sewing right away. That way, there will never be two designs the same.”

Glamor seemed to be the keynote of Denny Wirawan’s fashion style. He transformed silk and chiffon with patterns of Djawa Hokokai and Lokcan, a Chinese influenced motif, into flowing blouses accentuated with oversized bows, and elegant empire-cut dresses. Gemstone and bead appliques on the neckline give a luxurious feel to the pieces.

Actress Christine Hakim, who also attended the high tea, said she was impressed with the fashion show.

“Batik lovers like me are being presented with many more choices. We can now see that batik is not only for traditional kebaya. Fashion shows like this one help to convey the fact that batik has now taken various styles and designs that are more casual and comfortable for daily wear,” she said.

Young Indonesians Get Back to Batik

For a long time most young Indonesians thought wearing batik was only for government employees and old people. They considered the traditional designs too old-fashioned to be trendy.

But about three years ago, triggered by cultural conflict with Malaysia, this nation’s youth started to embrace batik.

More recently, batik expert Indra Tjahjani, concerned that people lacked a proper understanding of their cultural heritage, started a campaign called Mbatik Yuuuk (Let’s Make Batik) in October 2008.

Indra said she has been passionately involved in batik research for nine years and that she is happy that young people have come to view batik differently over time.

“Now we have many different kinds of batik, which is good news. But it’s sad that most people don’t really appreciate the story behind the making of batik,” she said.

Through Mbatik Yuuuk, Indra runs workshops on how to create batik patterns. She always opens her sessions with a short discussion of the history and philosophy of batik, different types of batik, materials and processes. She also gives participants tips on choosing suitable patterns for different occasions.

“Most people don’t know that there’s actually a philosophy behind each batik pattern,” Indra said.

She explained that in the past batik makers were required to fast before they began their work, which was once considered to be a sacred activity.

Mbatik Yuuuk workshops are conducted regularly, including once every month at Museum Bank Mandiri. Participants are usually between 20- and 40-years-old and come from a diverse range of backgrounds, Indra said.

In the workshops each participant chooses which kind of fabric they want for their batik designs — handkerchief, scarf or tee-shirt. Participants pay fees to cover the cost of equipment: Rp 70,000 for a handkerchief, Rp 140,000 for a scarf and Rp 145,000 for a tee-shirt.

Each workshop consists of at least 20 people and usually lasts between two and three hours “depending on the enthusiasm of the trainees.”

One recent participant, Mudin Em, said he was excited about what he learned in the workshop because he had never realized how much there was to know about batik. “It never occurred to me that making batik was so difficult. It was also very interesting to learn about the philosophies that batik incorporates.”

Mudin added that the workshop was a great place to form friendships with other batik lovers.

Although Indra said she was pleased with Unesco’s recent recognition of batik as Indonesia’s unique cultural heritage, she added that it was “only a start.”

She said the while government might be proud of Unesco’s declaration, but it was also important for the government to work to improve the quality of the country’s batik industry so it could compete in the international market. Indra said the state also needed to look after the welfare of the batik artisans and, most importantly, to copyright thousands of batik patterns to prevent them being copied overseas.

Indra said she had never asked the government for assistance because “the government doesn’t give enough support to batik and the batik industry,” but she welcomes any private companies or individuals who want to back her campaign.

As Mbatik Yuuuk is a nonprofit initiative, Indra said she used inexpensive methods such as Facebook and blogs to spread the word.

At the moment Indra works at a government institution and teaches part-time at several universities. She plans to work to promote Mbatik Yuuuk to schools all around Jakarta once she retires.

“My dream is to see young Indonesians wearing batik as proudly as they wear their ugly-looking jeans,” Indra said.