From Indonesianmusic.com
The motifs of Batik, especially with old pattern, as in other field of Javanese tradition are symbolizing something. Might be, this is one of the reasons, why people still adore batik up to present date. Some of the motifs are :
From Indonesianmusic.com
Women's traditional dress, especially in Yogya and Solo court families, consisting of :
Is a very long jarit to cover the lower body. It is worn only on a very special occasion such as the king coronation by the king himself. The wearing of dodot or kampuhan is very complicated. It may take two hours to wear a dodot with the help of specialist-dressers!
Depending on the quality of the art work, dyes, and fabric, the finest batik tulis halus cloth can fetch several thousand dollars, reflecting the fact that it probably took several months to make. Batik tulis has both sides of the cloth ornamented.
In Indonesia, traditionally, batik was sold in 2.25-meter lengths used for kain panjang or sarong for kebaya dress. It can also be worn by wrapping it around the body, or made into a hat known as blangkon. Infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck. Certain batik designs are reserved for brides and bridegrooms, as well as their families. The dead are shrouded in funerary batik.[1] Other designs are reserved for the Sultan and his family or their attendants. A person's rank could be determined by the pattern of the batik he or she wore.
For special occasions, batik was formerly decorated with gold leaf or dust. This cloth is known as prada (a Javanese word for gold) cloth. Gold decorated cloth is still made today; however, gold paint has replaced gold dust and leaf.
Batik garments play a central role in certain rituals, such as the ceremonial casting of royal batik into a volcano. In the Javanese naloni mitoni "first pregnancy" ceremony, the mother-to-be is wrapped in seven layers of batik, wishing her good things. Batik is also prominent in the tedak siten ceremony when a child touches the earth for the first time. Batik is also part of the labuhan ceremony when people gather at a beach to throw their problems away into the sea.[8]
Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics. The wide diversity of patterns reflects a variety of influences, ranging from Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks.[1].
In Indonesia, batik popularity has its up and downs. Historically it was essential for ceremonial costumes and it was worn as part of a kebaya dress, which was commonly worn every day. According to Professor Michael Hitchcock of the University of Chichester (UK), batik "has a strong political dimension. The batik shirt was invented as a formal non-Western shirt for men in Indonesia in the 1960s.[9] It waned from the 1960s onwards, because more and more women chose western clothes. However, batik clothing has revived somewhat in the 21st century, due to the effort of Indonesian fashion designers to innovate the kebaya by incorporating new colors, fabrics, and patterns. Batik is a fashion item for many young people in Indonesia, such as a shirt, dress, or scarf for casual wear. For a formal occasion, a kebaya is standard for women. It is also acceptable for men to wear batik in the office or as a replacement for jacket-and-tie at certain receptions.
In one form or another, batik has worldwide popularity. Nelson Mandela wears a batik shirt on formal occasions, the South Africans call it a Madiba shirt. The Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza wore an Indonesian kebaya and batik on her wedding day. The late mother of United States president Barack Obama, Ann Dunham was an avid collector of Batik. In 2009, an exhibition of Dunham's textile batik art collection (A Lady Found a Culture in its Cloth: Barack Obama's Mother and Indonesian Batiks) toured six museums in the United States, finishing the tour at the Textile Museum.[10].
Batik is often worn in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and southern Thailand, brought there by Indonesian immigrants or merchants in the 19th century. The flight attendants of Indonesian, Singaporean, and Malaysian national airlines all wear batik in their uniform. Batik sarongs are also designed as wraps for casual beachwear.
Now, not only is batik used as a material to clothe the human body, its uses also include furnishing fabrics, heavy canvas wall hangings, tablecloths and household accessories. Batik techniques are used by famous artists to create batik paintings which grace many homes and offices.
Javanese keraton (court) Batik is the oldest batik tradition known in Java. Also known as Batik Pedalaman (inland batik) in contrast with Batik Pesisiran (coastal batik). This type of batik has earthy color tones such as black, brown, and dark yellow (sogan), sometimes against a white background. The motifs of traditional court batik have symbolic meanings. Some designs are restricted: larger motifs can only be worn by royalty; and certain motifs are not suitable for women, or for specific occasions (e.g., weddings).
The palace courts (keratonan) in two cities in central Java are known for preserving and fostering batik traditions:
Pesisir batik is created and produced by several areas on the northern coast of Java and on Madura. As a consequence of maritime trading, the Pesisir batik tradition was more open to foreign influences in textile design, coloring, and motifs, in contrast to inland batik which was relatively independent of outside influences. For example, Pesisir batik utilizes vivid colors and Chinese motifs such as clouds, phoenix, dragon, qilin, lotus, peony, and floral patterns.
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By Lorain Blanken, About.com Guide
There are a two kinds of wax traditionally used:
Most professional batik artists would agree that a mix of beeswax and paraffin is best to get a slight crackling in the design without losing the smooth image that beeswax provides.
Users have cited that the soy wax is great for both crackled and smooth designs without the fumes produced. Learn more about using soy wax for batik.
In general, the final design must be conceived before the picture is begun. The batik artist works intimately with color. If he wishes parts of his design to be light yellow, then all these parts must be waxed at the same time before any subsequent dyeing. One part of the design can not be isolate and complete it before moving on to the others as an artist in oils or watercolor may, then he must create his design in stages, each of which encompasses the whole picture.
The basic process of batik is simple, because it consists of permeating an area of fabric with hot wax so that the wax resists the penetration of dye. If the cloth is white in the beginning, such as bleached cotton, linen, or silk, then wherever the hot wax is applied that area will remain white in the final design. After the first waxing, the fabric is dipped into a dye bath whose color is the lightest tone of those to be used. When the piece has dried, there will be an area of white and an area of cloth that is the color of the first dyeing.
Next, wax is applied to those parts, which are to retain the first color, then the entire fabric is immersed in the second dye bath whose color is darker in tone than the first. This process is repeated until the darkest tone required in the final design has been achieved. When the fabric has dried it is placed between sheets of absorbent paper and a hot iron applied. As the sheets of paper absorb the wax they are replaced by fresh sheets until the wax is removed. At this point the final design is seen clearly for the first time.
The tools and materials used in batik are simple and readily available. Any tool that can efficiently transfer hot wax from a container to the fabric will serve to produce a design on cloth when it is dyed. A lighted candle can be used to distribute drops of melted wax on the fabric. A variety of objects, such as bent wire or the rim of a tin can, can be dipped in melted wax and pressed onto the cloth to make a design. However, the serious artist uses the brush, but the best thing to use is a number twelve water color brush. The brush needs to have a large enough tip to retain a good quantity of wax. A larger brush for waxing out large areas of cloth is very useful as is a small brush, a number six is about as small as one can use-for delicate work.
The selection of waxes is important to the quality of the finished batik. Paraffin and beeswax are the two waxes most commonly used in batik and are usually combined in different proportions. Due to its ready availability, the best fabric is cotton. The weave of the cloth should not be too close, and the fabric should be translucent when held in front of a light. For the best results, the fabric should be stretched on a frame in a taut manner to prevent wrinkles which may cause the wax to run in an unpredictable way.
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The word is Malay sarong to cover. The lovely patterns of many batik sarongs come from melting the wax on the fabric before dying it. Traditionally, sarongs are worn by men and women. In the West, are used primarily by women as a beach cover. While wrapped, a sarong can be used outside of the beach and .
Wrap pareo SkirtHold back at the waist and extend the ends forward, arms out. Make sure the sides are even. Wrap one hand around her pulling snugly against your body. Now wrap the other way around it so it passes through the first part, how do you wrap a towel around yourself. Tuck the end in. If you wish, you can put a pin in large part to keep safe. You can also bring the ends of the tie sarong front and the top corners, near the front of the waist or to the side next to the hip rather than choose to Pareo Wrap
in DressHold behind you just below your armpits to spread to the ends. Wrap a towel around it as, choose the ends in. If desired, secure with a pin. You can also tie the top corners of the two ends together just above your breasts DressHold the .
Halter sarong behind you, just below their armpits to spread to the ends. Make sure you're even. Bring the top corners of the ends forward and cross over each other. Bring them up and tie them together behind your neck.
This article is written by Online Writing.The above article can be found in my site Using a Batik Sarong
.Everything about Society.
An art brought forth from Indonesia, with decades worth of refining it to suit the culture and likings of Sri Lanka, it has safely been established as a way of life and a loved craft of the island. This art, which is derived by the Indonesian word 'Ambatik" that means to say "dotted clothes", is a wax-resist textile dyeing technique that utilises an artisans' skills to arrive at a masterpiece on clothing.
This cottage industry however, has evolved to suit the changing times, and has come a long way from its migration into Sri Lanka from the other Asian subcontinents as well as a cultural country that is as far away as Egypt. The craft of Batik includes paintings made on cloth utilising dyes and dye resistant wax substances in order for these exquisite artworks come to life without colours seeping into one another. These hand drawn marvels are exquisitely manufactured to ensure the finest quality.
Many of Sri Lanka Batik works are seen in wall paintings, but with increasing demands, this craft has hit the retail market with the onset of popular fashion designer utilising this ancient art to finesse their skills. The rise of fame of Buddhi Batiks, this designer brand has brought new light into the retail industry of Batiks, with popular designs moving towards more cloth types such as silk, georgette, chiffon and more.
The art of Batik can be found all over the paradise isle of Sri Lanka, with many of the Colombo boutiques catering to the cultural clientele. Make sure explore this brilliant art craft when discovering the beauty of Sri Lanka. Travel the island by gaining insight from the likes of Truly Sri Lanka, a Sri Lanka travel portal that showcases many of the country's beauty and elegance.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
By the time of Dong Han Dynasty, the batik skill was rather mature. By Xi Jin Dynasty, a dozen of color batik products could be produced. In Tang Dynasty, batik prevailed. The batik skill has been passed on generation after generation in the minority regions of Guizhou province and it has been spread widely across different regions.
Design of traditional Guizhou batik is based on realism. The artistic language is simple, pure, straightforward and powerful. Especially, its design pattern is free from confinement of details. Bold variation and exaggeration are employed. Such variation and exaggeration are out of the simple but wide imagination and it is full of charms. Batik designs are quite rich and colorful. Most of them are taken from actual life or stories, typical of the traditional culture.
Thin blade of bronze knife, dipped in heated wax, freely draws designs on white cloth, which prevents from dyeing. Then colors needed are dyed on the cloth. Later, the cloth is put in hot water to boil and clear designs would appear on the cloth.
The traditional batik designs are often evenly and harmoniously distributed on four sides. There are various patterns but in good order. The overall effect is stressed instead of paying too much attention to the details. The design patterns are of rhythmical beauty since the lines and points are orderly arranged. The peculiar batik ice line adds more charm to it. Apart from the traditional blue, there are many other colorful batik. The ice line is characteristic of batik. The formation of ice lines is that wax lines are destroyed in constant rolling and dyeing of the cloth, which soaks into the lines of the cloth, leaving natural patterns on the cloth. The natural patterns are enchantingly beautiful. Like fingerprints of human beings, they are different from each other, which further augments the depth of its beauty.
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The cloth used for Batik is initially washed and boiled in plain water for a number of times before the wax is applied. It is done so to remove all the traces of starch, lime, chalk or other chemicals are completed washed away from the cloth. The traditional method of creating Batik was that the cloth was crushed with wooden mallet or ironed so that it becomes smooth and flexible and this helped to make best designs and Batik patterns. But now, the machine made cloth is smooth and supple enough to omit the pounding or the ironing process. Generally this system was adopted in the Batik making process.
The best quality of cloth used to make Batik designs include Primissima and Prima, and the quality of the cloth is also mentioned on the edge of the pattern. Blaco is often used for Batik which is a lesser quality cloth.
Design equipments
Though Batik designs and patterns may be intricate, but the Batik design tools are quite simple. Canting, the wax pen is a pure Javanese invention, is a thin walled small copper container with a spout having a short handle made of bamboo. Its length is about 11 cm and is filled with melted wax and with the help of canting artisans creates beautiful designs on the cloth. The spouts are of various sizes which help to create different design effects. For a fine and detailed art, a spout with diameter 1mm is used and to fill in the larger designs wider spouts are used. A canting with 9 spouts is used to draw dots or parallel lines. A clump of cotton is tied over the mouth of the canting or may attach it to a stick and this acts as a brush to fill up very large sections.
Once a pattern or a design is drawn on the cloth, it is ready to be waxed. To maintain the original color (white or cream) of the cloth, the artisans apply wax with the help of the canting. The fabric is wrapped over bamboo frames for the wax to cool which later on becomes hard. The wax is melted to attain the desired consistency in the wajan in which the artisan dip the chanting and fill it with melted wax. For a well defined batik, wax is applied on both sides of the fabric.
After the application of the wax, the fabric needs to be dyed for the first time. Initially, earthenware tubs were used for dying but now large concrete vats are used. The fabric is draped on the ropes with pulleys and immersed in a dye tub. For a darker color the cloth must remain in the dye for a longer period after which it is put in cold water to make the wax harder. After the cloth is dyed properly for the first time, the artisans apply wax to the areas where the first dye color is to be maintained. Now the area that was waxed initially needs to be cleaned by removing the wax with a small knife, dabbed with hot water and then resized, so that it can be dyed in similar manner with a subsequent dye tub. You can even give a marble effect by cracking the wax so that the dye enters into the cracks before it is put for dye bath.
Lastly, you need to wash the traditionally dyed Batiks with soap and water or lerak fruit which is available in traditional markets. Always dry the Batiks in shade and not under direct sunlight.
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Wax is painted on to the fabric and the color is filled into the fabric between the wax. The instrument stated as used for this particular art form in Javanese cultures was called a canting. This is an item in design similar to a pen that was used to apply the design with the wax directly to the cloth. The wax is placed to stop the color running through to the next color of the design.
The wax is then later washed from the cloth leaving only the color hence the white lines you will always see on batik. There are then of course a variety of designs that are sold as batik but are actually made using more traditional methods and while the look may be similar they are not in fact original or true batik.
Batik is considered a traditional art in many Asian countries. In Javanese the definition of the word Batik is writing with wax. In Indonesia for example there are traditional batik colors mostly darker shades of indigo, dark brown, white and violet, which are used in representation of four main Hindu Gods. Other countries in Asia, as stated, are also traditionally using batik techniques, such as India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma etc. There are also some West African countries such as Ghana, Cameroon and Uganda among others which also use batik all of which will be in varying degrees of the same original historical form of batik.
1500 years ago you could also find the wax style batik cloth in Egypt and the Middle East. Today you will find that Batik is a more commercial form of artwork often on sale in tourism rich countries for purchase by travelers. Almost all Asian countries will be offering up modern and traditional designs of batik and you will be amazed at what there is available however whether they are creating original historical forms of batik or not can only be known by requesting to visit with the artist while they are in fact creating. Of course if they are carrying out the traditional form of batik you, having been made more aware of what the art actually is, will be able to immediately tell for yourself if they are original batik designs or just a very good impression of this ancient art form.
Many Javanese temples also have beautiful stone statues sculptured on their walls however confirmed historical proof of these designs being batik is as yet to be determined. They could in fact have been created using a weaving technique rather than the traditional batik. No doubt in the future there will be proof of these facts and it will be clear which traditional and historical art form was used in the creation of these amazing designs.
It is also said that there were specific Batik designs that were created for Javanese royalty and these particular patterns can only be worn by royalty whilst other regions in Indonesia offer their own patterns unique to their region. There are others however who deny that batik was meant for royalty alone and that it was a form of art created for all people.
Thanks to modernization you are easily able to purchase batik. Whether it is traditional or not you now have the tools to check for yourself. If the artist is not willing to show you how they are creating the designs then it is in all likelihood that they are using a modernized form of batik and therefore while still beautiful you will not be purchasing a traditional batik. Therefore just because the cost of a particular batik is perhaps more than another it does not also mean that it is original.
Ask the artist to show you their work space and see for yourself whether you are getting the real thing. If you find you are not do not despair you will come away with a wonderful piece of art work either way to add style and flair to your home just don't go passing it off as an original batik!
Michiel Van Kets writes a variety of articles for abso-bloody-lutely, a DIRECTORY. As well as writing he runs his own Search Engine Optimization business specializing in directory submissions and article submission services. Writing is not just a favorite pastime for Michiel he also enjoys the results he can obtain for himself.
Anissa S. Febrina , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 10/02/2009 1:57 PM | Culture
High fashion: Annisa Pohan models designer batik at “The Allure of Modern Batik”. Since appearing on catwalks and in high fashion spreads, batik, once viewed by some as staid and stuffy, has enjoyed a popular revival. JP/Ricky Yudhistira
From the cradle to the grave, batik is part of Indonesian life. Today the nation celebrates as batik is officially added to the Unesco list of the world's intangible cultural heritage.
It is something of a human failing - not appreciating what we have until it has almost slipped through our fingers, especially those things that are intangible by nature.
For centuries, Indonesians have been blessed with a rich ethnic diversity and a wealth of cultural heritage, but in the drive for modernization, it has often been overlooked.
Not until this century have real efforts been made to protect and promote aspects of traditional culture.
For all those who dedicate their time and effort to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage - and for all those who take pride, if belatedly, in what is theirs - having something characteristically Indonesian included on the Unesco world list is a major milestone.
Today, Indonesia receives what could be considered a gift to celebrate its 64th anniversary of independence, with batik - a traditional wax-resist dyeing technique used on textiles - being officially added to the Representative List of Unesco's World Intangible Cultural Heritage.
"Our nomination proposal ranked first among some 111 others submitted last year," said Gaura Mancacaritadipura, who helped draft the batik proposal.
The official announcement is part of Unesco's fourth session in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.
So does this mean that Indonesia is indeed the rightful owner of the textile-making technique that a neighbor has recently laid claim to?
Not necessarily. And perhaps that's not the most important aspect of the ongoing effort to protect and promote batik.
"This is not about a patent war," said Tjetjep Suparman, the Cultural Affairs Ministry's director general for cultural value, art and films.
For the future: The Surakarta administration, in Central Java, is planning to include batik making on school curriculums. JP/Ken Mahesa
"It [batik] has been in the public domain for so long, but efforts to put it on the Unesco list could have a great impact on its development."
The inclusion of batik on the Unesco heritage list is a baby step in the nation's ongoing task of striving to keep the tradition alive.
Indeed, it is only the latest step in the revival batik has experienced just this century, with many crediting designer Edward "Edo" Hutabarat with popularizing batik. His 2006 collection kicked off the trend of expanding batik into more than just the de rigeur - and often staid - formal wear, making it a must-have fashion item.
As noted by Adiati Arifin Siregar, chairwoman of traditional textile enthusiasts group Himpunan Wastaprema, the addition to the list is an official acknowledgement that hand-drawn batik is integral to Indonesian culture.
Integral it may be, but the art of batik making - by whatever name it is known - does not have its earliest origins here. Yet over time the Indonesian variety has endured, developing its own distinctive features.
"The technique of using the canting [a pen-like device to draw the batik pattern in wax] and malam [beeswax] only exists in Indonesia," Gaura pointed out, adding that the motifs that developed in Java were another strong individual point for Indonesian batik.
The use of the canting evolved from the need for a brush-like device to produce finer lines on the finer cotton fabric brought by the Dutch during the colonial era. Later, in the 19th century, the canting technique developed into a larger printing device made of brass or copper.
Those with only a cursory understanding of the technique might believe it to be mostly about the painting process. Rather, it is a long, detailed process involving soaking and boiling the cotton mori, lightly drawing the pattern, retracing the pattern with melted wax and then dyeing the cloth several times to achieve the desired shades.
All natural: Traditional batik uses natural fabrics, beeswax and natural materials for dyes. JP/Anissa S. Febrina
The traditional practice of batik making has long been quite natural as it uses either beeswax or wood sap from certain kinds of plants for the dye-resistant ink and natural materials for dyes such as indigo.
But quite apart from the technical details, batik has been recognized as an aspect of intangible cultural heritage, which is a recognition of the part the textile plays in Indonesian cultural life.
As Adiati notes, batik has long been part of the Indonesian people's life cycle, with motifs, particularly Javanese ones, embracing "deep philosophical meanings of life".
"From before one's birth until death, batik is used in various rituals," she said. "From the seventh-month ritual when the mother-to-be is wrapped in seven layers of different batik cloths, each denoting a particular meaning, during the delivery of a newborn, the tedak siten ceremony when a child touches the earth for the first time, [to] batik at weddings, batik as part of the labuhan ceremony when people throw their problems away at sea, [and finally] to batik as a shroud."
And, she added, although Yogyakarta and Central Java are considered the heartland of the traditional art form, it is characteristic of the entire nation.
"Research has shown that hand-drawn batik is found in 19 provinces [in Indonesia], each with the region's own motifs and meanings," she said.
In Javanese culture, noted Dipo Alam, one of the founders of the Indonesian Batik Foundation, traditional batik "has special meanings rooted in the Javanese conceptualization of the universe".
As he pointed out, no other country had requested anything like batik to be added to the Unesco list.
The importance of batik in people's everyday lives was a significant factor in the proposal for its inclusion on the list.
"One of the requirements to be listed as world heritage is not only support from batik researchers and practitioners, but also from various batik associations and communities around the country," Adiati said.
Most important was the grassroots support, she added, "a strong fundamental source of ordinary people".
And "ordinary people" are among those celebrating the news.
Batik fever has swept many parts of the country this week, particularly Yogyakarta and Central Java. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged Indonesians "wherever they are" to wear batik on Friday, and many started early, with employees at companies across Jakarta - from restaurants to gyms - wearing batik instead of uniforms.
Civil servants of the Yogyakarta Provincial Office are wearing batik for three days, starting Thursday.
"Batik is literally part of our life," said Winarti Agustin, a provincial employee. "From our birth we were carried using batik cloth, and when we die, our body is covered by a piece of batik on top of us."
Technique: Indonesian batik developed its own distinctive features. JP/Anissa S. Febrina
The Yogyakarta administration has also called on residents and schoolchildren to wear batik for a whole week starting Friday. Buildings in the city are also being decorated in batik.
Separately East Java Governor Soekarwo is issuing a decree that all provincial employees wear batik on certain days of the week.
"It will create a certain sense of pride to wear something that is internationally recognized," he said as quoted by Antara from Surabaya.
He noted that East Java has its own styles: "Madura, Sidoarjo, Jombang all have unique potential."
In Surakarta, Central Java, the local administration plans to include batik in the school curriculum.
"From elementary school to high school, starting in 2010," said Rakhmat Sutomo, the head of the Surakarta Education, Youth and Sports Office, as quoted by Antara.
At elementary school, children will be taught basic patterns of batik; high school students will learn about the production process.
All this could be what Iman Sucipto Umar from the Kadin Foundation described as "something we do out of pure concern for the preservation of culture."
Working with several batik observers, Iman initiated and helped complete the 18-month-long effort to compile all the necessary information for Unesco.
"It's only a way of making people more concerned," he added. "What's more important is to build a community that will keep on preserving the culture."
Or in the words of designer Edward Hutabarat, as quoted in The Jakarta Post WEEKENDER in January: "Let the batik talk."
"This is its era now. It's our hope," he said. "It's something that can help make Indonesia rise up."
Nana Rukmana , The Jakarta Post , Cirebon | Mon, 11/23/2009 1:38 PM | The Archipelago
Batik makers and artists in Cirebon have warmly greeted Cirebon regency administration's initiative in making batik art a compulsory field of study for all elementary and high school students in the regency.
They hailed it as a strategic move to develop batik art techniques and appreciation in the face of modernization, and to preserve national cultural heritage.
"As a form of a traditional heritage which still exists, the art of batik deserves to receive serious attention from the government and academics. Dedicating batik as a field of study for elementary and high school students in Cirebon is part of a strategic move that should be encouraged," said head of the Cirebon Arts Council (DKC) Ahmad Syubhanuddin Alwy on Wednesday.
Cirebon Regent Dedi Supardi said the subject of batik art taught in elementary and high schools would be put in to effect at the start of the 2010 school term.
"Actually, several schools have already implemented batik art as a field of study. We will use the schools as role models for other schools. We will implement *the course in* every school by 2010," he said.
Cirebon regency is home to 1,045 state and private elementary schools, 196 junior high schools and 121 senior high schools.
"Every school is obliged to intergrate batik art into their curriculum in stages. We will prepare teachers according to their levels of education. Batik makers and artists in Cirebon will also be involved in the program," he said.
According to Dedi, batik art will serve as part of the local content in the elementary and high school curriculum.
"Currently, only the Cirebon dialect has been included as a subject with local content. We will later enrich the local contents with batik arts and various other Cirebon traditional arts," said Dedi.
Dedi added the inclusion of batik as a subject for students was intended as a follow up to the recognition of batik as world cultural heritage by UNESCO on Oct. 2.
"We will take advantage of the recognition by UNESCO *of batik as world cultural heritage* as momentum to further appreciate batik as a national cultural heritage," he said.
Batik preservation will also be retained by requiring school students to wear batik every Thursday.
The 16,000 civil servants in Cirebon regency will also be required to wear batik on the 15th of every month.
"We will also require them to wear batik on every Cirebon regency anniversary which falls on April 2," said Dedi.
According to batik artist and leader of Cirebon batik makers' association, Katura, his group will help promote batik art in schools by providing instructors who will train art teachers.
"We are ready to train school art teachers in the skills of batik making. We appreciate *the initiative* and will help to make the program a success," he said.
According to Katura, Cirebon batik is more widely recognized under the name Trusmi batik because the production center is found in Trusmi village, Plered district in Cirebon regency. The Trusmi batik handicraft center is the biggest batik production center in West Java, where around 700 batik artists and makers have been engaged in the activity for generations.
Katura explained that the craft of batik making in Trusmi dates back to the 13th century, around the time of the establishment of the Cirebon Kasepuhan Sultanate. The batik craft initially developed within the sultanate circle and eventually spread to the wider public along coastal areas.
"The *history of the craft* saw Trusmi batik diverge into two main motifs - the keratonan *palace* motif and coastal motif," said Katura who is an eighth generation Trusmi batik maker.
Hasyim Widhiarto , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 09/29/2009 1:15 PM | Headlines
Jakarta is set to become an ocean of batik this Friday, with the city administration officially calling upon all residents to wear batik in recognition of UNESCO's decision to add the traditional dyeing technique to its list of elements of intangible cultural heritage.
The administration sent a formal request to all government offices and private companies in the city to ask their employees to wear batik on Oct. 2, the date when UNESCO will officially announce the listing, deputy governor for culture and tourism affairs, Aurora Frida Tambunan, said Monday.
"We hope this will inspire many city residents to join in and show their support for the listing," she told reporters.
Aurora said she also expected to see many students and those working in service and tourism sectors wearing batik.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has also asked Indonesians to wear batik on Friday.
The listing, which will give the age-old tradition of batik technology some degree of protection under a UNESCO charter, will be made official at an event in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, between Sep. 28 and Oct. 2.
To celebrate the listing, the Jakarta Culture and Tourism Agency has also arranged a number of special offers for city residents.
Head of the agency, Arie Budhiman, said all residents could enter any city-run museums between Oct. 3 and Oct. 7 free of charge, provided they were wearing batik outfits.
"This is our way of appreciating them," Arie said.
Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta is also ready to give free admission to visitors wearing batik on Oct. 5.
Meanwhile, Ancol recreational complex in North Jakarta will give visitors wearing batik a 40 or 50 percent discount on admission to selected facilities.
The government's call to wear batik has gained significant support from the Internet community and business people.
As of Monday evening, for example, more than 3,000 people had joined a Facebook group "Mari Bersama Pakai Batik Tgl. 2 Okt 2009" (Let's wear batik on Oct. 2, 2009).
Indonesian Shopping Center Association chairman Stefanus Ridwan welcomed the call and said he would forward it on to members so they could ask their employees and tenants to wear batik on Friday.
Batik is a wax-resistant dyeing technique used on textiles.
Due to modern advances in the textile industry, the term "batik" is also used to refer to fabrics incorporating traditional batik patterns that are not necessarily produced using traditional batik techniques.
Historically, Indonesians, wore batik on formal occasions.
Nowadays batik has become increasingly popular even among younger generations, with batik factories producing more wearer-friendly and fashionable batik clothing.
In Indonesia, batik is said to have originated from Javanese courts, but several other regions have their own styles of batik.
Batik is widely worn in neighboring countries Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and has also been discovered in archeological remains from ancient Egypt dating back to the fourth century BCE.
Erwida Maulia , The Jakarta Post , Bogor, West Java | Tue, 09/08/2009 9:19 AM | National
Indonesians have been asked to wear batik on Oct. 2, following UNESCO’s decision to add the traditional dyeing technique to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The listing, which will give the age-old batik tradition some degree of protection under the UNESCO charter, will be made official at an event in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, between Sep. 28 and
Oct. 2.
To acknowledge the listing, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked all Indonesians to wear batik.
“Batik is regarded as a cultural icon with its own uniqueness. It contains symbols and a deep philosophy of the human life cycle — and it was submitted by Indonesia as a non-material element of cultural heritage,” Coordinating Minister for the People’s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie told a press conference at Bogor Presidential Palace on Monday.
“We’ve been told that batik has been recognized as an element of global cultural heritage produced by Indonesians. The President has called on all Indonesians to wear batik on Oct. 2, to celebrate batik.”
Batik is a wax-resistant dyeing technique used on textiles. Due to modern advances in the textile industry, the term is also used for fabrics incorporating traditional batik patterns that are not necessarily produced using traditional batik techniques.
In the past, Indonesians, mostly adults, wear batik only at formal events. Nowadays it has become increasingly popular even among the younger generation with batik factories starting to manufacture more wearer-friendly and fashionable batik outfits.
Many office workers now wear batik on a daily basis, while local designers compete to produce more attractive designs.
While batik originated in Javanese courts, several other regions in Indonesia also have their own styles of batik. The fabric is also widely worn in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Aburizal explained that the jury team from UNESCO, before declaring batik an element of global cultural heritage, had inquired about the origins of Indonesian batik, on the government’s protection of it and to what extent batik was a part of local community life.
Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said batik was therefore Indonesia’s third tradition to secure UNESCO’s recognition as an element of non-material global cultural heritage.
In 2003, the UN body named wayang (Indonesia’s traditional shadow puppets) and keris (traditional wavy blades) as elements of non-material cultural heritage.
“And now we are submitting angklung (traditional musical instrument made of bamboo) as an element of global cultural heritage from Indonesia,” Jero said.
“We will keep fighting for our heritage one tradition at a time.”The batik fabric involved women making elaborate designs on a fabric which was then covered with wax with the help of special copper caps. Once the whole fabric would be covered, it would be inserted into dye, or painted - as the situation required. After getting satisfied that all the places where dye was supposed to be applied have been applied, the wax is taken out by boiling the fabric several times. The result has always been simply stunning.
You Want Perfect Results - Check Out These Tips
1. Always have the batik fabric for quilting pre-washed; this will ensure that its absorbing power is maximized and hence it will catch the dye better
2. Use the thinnest possible batting when you use batik cloth; it will make it easier for you to handle he material, and the result will be elegant
3. The best way to bring out the best in the batik fabric for quilting is to alternate it with other fabrics, preferably different colors, lights and even textures. This would ensure that the batik fabric outshines the rest by comparison
4. Keep the batik fabric for quilting at the top of the quilt always. This fabric is not known to stretch well and hence its placement elsewhere would result in a skewed look, and risk of tearing
5. Never use the batik fabric as a quilt backing fabric. Despite its beauty, the batik is terrible against the skin, and your quilt will loose its practical value.
6. If you have to choose between batik fabric for quilting and other fabric, by all means use he batik fabric. It costs the same as other fabrics, but its impact and looks far surpasses the best of best materials.
7. When purchasing batik fabric for quilting, always visualize the possible combinations and buy as many as you can gather in a pattern. This will stand you in good stead when you need some exceptional material for a rush job in quilting. Batik material will instantly brighten up any type of quilt you are working on.
Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. This article How to Use Batik Fabric for Quilting - A Few Tips, is just one of a host of useful articles about Quilting listed on our site map at Quilting Fun.
Different Types of Bali Quilting Fabric
There are two popular types of Bali quilting fabric and they are batik and polo. Batik is a fabric whose design is created through a unique process, which consists of applying wax to form different patterns. It is always recommended that you wash a batik Bali quilting fabric at least couple of times with hot water before you start stitching in order for the wax to completely wash away.
The other Bali quilting fabric is called 'polo' which also means in Balinese 'without a background.' These are created through hand dying and no wax therefore, no design or pattern on it. All Bali quilting fabrics usually come pre-shrunk but you can always wash and dry it before you start the quilting process so you don't take any chances.
The batik material that you get in the market today is produced in Bali. The history of the batik shows that centuries ago this type of dying was extremely popular.
Style, Elegance, and Personality
Bali quilting fabrics don't just offer unique hand designs, quality, and durability. Through its sophisticated patterns you will get elegance and style in a very simple and colorful way.
Bali fabrics are easily marked for their colorful, vivid and unique patterns; they come in a great variety of colors to match the most demanding requirements and decors. Bali fabrics are popular not only because they are made all individually by hand but also because of their unmatched quality.
Where You Can Find Bali Quilting Fabrics
The best place to shop for Bali quilting fabrics is online. Here you will find a large number of virtual stores, which compete with one another on quality and prices. You can even contact these stores by phone if you have any urgent questions or requirements. Huge numbers of designs, patterns and ideas await you in the online stores.
Try to shop around before deciding on a particular design or pattern of Bali quilting fabric so you can profit of the best bargains available. Be sure to ask all questions before you order and pay for the merchandise as sometimes online stores have bargains listed in different sections, which you may not see, or access on the home page.
Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. You can find out more about long arm quilting machine, quilting kit and quilting tables by clicking on the links.
What is batik? I can safely make this statement that while many people know or have heard about this word, especially so here in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, but many people do not, or rather, have got a wrong misconception of batik itself.
In my discussions with friends and general public, many people have mistaken batik with batik design/ batik designs or even batik fabric.
History has it that batik is an old craft that dates centuries back. Batik is actually a hand-drawn and hand-painted technique, which uses wax.
The wax is a form of ‘resist’ method, and the purpose of this method is so that when colour is put on a certain spot on the fabric, it does not run to the other part. Let's take an example - an artist is is going to draw a floral motif and he wants the background blue eg. the motif of a flower (a yellow flower with a green stalk).
Now, imagine that the artist will be drawing on a white piece of cloth. The artist will first draw the outline of the motif (ie. the flower & stalk) with wax. And later, he will start to paint, starting with the yellow colour of the flower. What the wax does is to hold the yellow in place, so that it will not run to the green stalk. And when he paints with green next, the same thing applies, that is the green will not flow to the yellow flower. Finally, he paints the blue background.
And of course, the artist will later have to wash the wax off the cloth, hence leaving that part which was originally covered with wax back to its original white fabric colour. Hence, the white outline for the motif. And that is all it is to the meaning of batik.
However as mentioned earlier, a lot of people mistake batik with batik design/ batik designs especially if they see a traditional or floral type motif, or patterns on a cloth that have white outlines. These may or may not necessary come from the ‘batik’ technique, as it could come from modern day print.
In addition, just because these prints have the more traditional motifs/ patterns, don’t mistake them to come from the art form of batik.
In fact, there are modern designs, which actually are made from the batik technique as well. But people do not know it is so because it does not have the traditional look and feel to it.
So my suggestion to you that if you appreciate art, and batik in particular, first be aware whether the fabric you buy really comes from the batik art. And secondly to be open minded to embrace the change in modern times that batik need not necessary relate just to old motif/ patterns.
QuaChee is the author-publisher of the unique batik book, Batik Inspirations (http://www.batikinspirations.com), published under his company, Q.Ce. His company (http://www.quachee.com) specialises in lifestyle & entertainment (publishing, apparels, and productions) - modernising old-age heritage and traditions, and bringing them to a new concept. His dream is for these art forms to appeal to all generations, and at the same time relate to them, thus keeping the heritage and tradition alive.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alvin_Titus
Batik is an artistic technique of dyeing a cloth by using a wax-resist method. Wax-resist method is the most traditional way to dye or color a cloth. This method prevents the dye from spreading on the entire cloth and so as to give a beautiful pattern or design on the cloth. Batik is regarded as the cultural and traditional art in Indonesia. The traditional colors used for Batik are deep shades of indigo, dark brown and white which symbolize the three main Hindu Gods. Javanese Batik, from Jog Jakarta with some particular meaning is found in countries of West Africa like Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Uganda and Mali with the true Javanese idea, and in Asia like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Burma.
Long ago, in the ancient period around 1500 years ago, the dye resist designs on the cloth were found in Egypt and the Middle East along with the two major countries, samples are also found in Turkey, India, China, Japan and West Africa around hundreds of years ago. In the present date, Batik is highly developed form of art found on the island of Java, Indonesia. In the 17th century, the fabrics were highly decorated with Dutch transcripts, by it is often believed that complicated designs in Java were possible when the finely woven imported cloth that was from India to Indonesia in 1800s and then from Europe in 1815. The similar Batik designs that were done on textiles earlier are noticed on stone statues that are beautifully sculptured on the walls of Javanese temples like Prambanan AD 800, but then it is not yet confirmed that the cloth was Batik. These designs could be produced by weaving techniques too. However, by the 19th century became greatly developed form of art in the cultural life of the Javanese.
There were some specific Batik designs worn by the Javanese royalty and thus it was felt that Batik was originally meant to be worn by the monarchs of the royal Sultan's palace. The Princesses and royal women might have encouraged the finest designs of Batik that reflect the traditional patters. Well, the untidy dyeing work with consequent waxing was done by the court artisans who worked under their direction.
Known as the great fans of art, Javanese royalty supported the development of traditional art form like silver embellishment, leather puppets known as wayang kulit in java and gamelan orchestra. The Javanese dalang (puppeteer) was a major source for the Batik patterns too. Wayang puppets are made from goat skin which was treated and colored to build false impression on the puppet, were usually sold to women who could get the necessary idea of batik designs from these puppets. The used charcoal and blew it through the holes that describe the design of puppet clothing, so that they could copy complicated patterns onto the cloth.
However, some scholars deny the fact that Batik was originally meant for royalty as they feel that it is meant for the rakyat, the people too. It was considered as a significant job for young women of the Central Java, revealing the fact that they are capable enough to handle a canting (an instrument shaped like pen to apply wax to the cloth) with enough tact and skill just like skills used in cookery or other household arts.
To know more about Batik and its history, visit batik fabrics [http://www.krafonline.com] Know the traditional art of Javanese culture at batik online store [http://www.krafonline.com] Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Hanson |
