Name : Fransiska Wahyu Oktavia

NPM : 2106645393
Class : B
ENGLISH EXPLORATORY TEXT

BATIK CULTURE IN INDONESIA

Batik is a craft with a high artistic value and has been part of Indonesian culture for a
long time, especially on the island of Java. In ancient times, Javanese women used their skills
in batik as work. So, at that time batik work was an exclusive job for women. Until the
discovery of "Batik Cap" which allows men to enter into this work. Each batik motif has its
own story. For example, the “Mega Overcast” batik motif which comes from coastal areas
and where batik work is common for men. Various other colors and patterns of batik are also
influenced by foreigners. At first, batik had limited colors and patterns, even some patterns
were only allowed to be used by certain circles.
Bright batik colors such as red were introduced by the Chinese, who also popularized
the phoenix motif. Europeans were also interested in this culture, as a result they made floral
patterns or from objects carried such as horse-drawn carriages. Their favorite color, such as
blue, also plays a role. Meanwhile, traditional batik still maintains its motif. In traditional
ceremonies, traditional batik is still often used because of its respective symbols.Batik is a
picture cloth made specifically by drawing it directly on the cloth. Then, the processing is
also carried out in a certain way that is very distinctive.All techniques, technology, and the
development of Indonesian batik motifs and culture have been applied as Humanitarian
Heritage for Oral and Non-material Culture (Masterpieces of The Oral and Intangible
Heritage of Humanity) by UNESCO since October 2, 2009.
But, in the end batik absorbs influences from outside such as foreign invaders and
traders. That way, batik can be made the pride of the Indonesian people, because batik has a
variety of patterns and colors that can attract foreign tourists to have it. So, batik can be a
source of livelihood that can improve the Indonesian economy.
Not only using batik as clothing, but on this batik day, various interesting activities
are usually held which are of course related to batik. Starting from fashion shows and batik
carnivals, batik design competitions, and other batik creation events. This will certainly make
batik sustainable. Batik-patterned clothes are now easier to find on the market. Starting from
the various patterns, you can find even more prestigious clothing models everywhere. In fact,
the price is quite varied from the cheapest to the most expensive though. The use of batik is
also very flexible. We can wear it for formal to casual events. Even though we have batik
clothes, have we understood the meaning and uniqueness of this noble heritage? The meaning
of batik as a noble heritage is a sacred thing and we can implement it like the activities above.
We also need to preserve batik in various ways.
 One way to preserve good is by wearing batik-patterned clothes from various regions
on certain days. We can also use it in both formal and informal events. We can preserve batik
by learning directly. Try visiting places of local and foreign batik crafts. You will certainly
get new insights about batik crafts from production to finishing. We can use batik patterns on
various objects such as designs for flower vases, walls, or others. This will give the
impression that batik is not only painted on cloth but also on other objects.