Batik: Indonesian cultural icon

By EJ Dominic Fernandez
Historically, Indonesia has been sharing close ties with Mindanao. This was way before the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines (BIMP) East Asean Growth Area on March 24, 1994.
On Friday, Indonesia celebrated a special friendship with Mindanao when it showcased one of its most important cultural icon—the batik fabric—and some novel handicraft.
Batik, which means tattoo from the Malay word of Javanese origin batek, is a cloth made through manual wax-resist dyeing. The beautiful colors of batik promote creativity through indigenous designs. It also instills the value of patience among the people who create this craft which involves a very intricate process.
Indonesia consul general Eko Hartono explained the batik as Indonesia’s heritage treasure during a promotional activity at the Atrium of SM Lanang Premier from April 5 to 7 dubbed as “Batik Workshop and Handicraft 2013: The Quality Design of Indonesian Handicrafts.”
The traditional colors of batik are indigo, dark brown, and white representing the three main Hindu Gods who are Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.
In October 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated the Batik of Indonesia as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
“Batik is very important to Indonesians because it is our current cultural achievement and heritage that is why we are exerting great effort to preserve and promote it,” Hartono said.
He said that it helps the economy of Indonesia because in 2011 it accumulated a total of US $500 million in domestic sales. The finest batik silk can be sold up to $1,000 for every 2.2 meters.
He said that there is an exponential growth in export of batik to $72.2 million in 2012 from $14.6 million in 2006. By promoting batik, he expects the export to continue to grow as people will be buying it.
“However, what is more important is that people will not just buy, but understand and appreciate the culture of batik,” Hartono said.
Indonesia vice consul Hermawan Janu Wibowo said that if batik is hand-made and authentic, people are more proud to wear it.
“In Indonesia, civil servants or government employees are mandated to wear Batik clothes to work every Friday to preserve and promote the cultural icon,” Wibowo said.