It’s getting on for 10 years since  UNESCO recognized batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 2 October 2009. Today, on National Batik Day, the kids in Bali’s schools are wearing batik to celebrate.

Batik forms a large, eye-dazzling part of modern Indonesian fashion. It’s great that you can wear your culture on your shoulders! Talented fashion designers are creating amazing new patterns.

A very popular traditional style is from north coastal Java, called the Pasisir style. The main centres are Cirebon, Pekalongan and Lasem, all heavily influenced by the Chinese. They are port towns and therefore absorbed outside influences. Pasisir means ‘beach’ – they are beach people and their batiks are free, colourful and flamboyant.

Cirebon is unusual. It is one of the few places where men, and not women, practise batik. The textiles have a masculine feel. Bold forms, open spaces and lack of detail. Chinese influence is clear in the best-known textiles made in Cirebon called mega mendung. These batiks of curving, undulating rain clouds are reminiscent of Chinese paintings and were originally used to decorate the royal bedchamber.

Rain clouds suggest fertility and life. The better ones have many, at least four, and maybe even seven, shades of the same colour. Colours merge from dark blue to blue to light blue to white. It can take several months to make one of these textiles since the clouds must be waxed and dyed many times to achieve the variations in colour. It is an extremely popular style.

If you would like to know more about batik, have a look at my book From Tattoos to Textiles, Murni’s Guide to Asian Textiles, All You Need to Know … And More and if you would to see or buy some, please email me: murni at murnis.com.

Happy Batik Day!

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