B

atik Day is celebrated on Oct. 2 throughout Indonesia with a great sense of pride and honor. Batik is regarded as a cultural icon of the nation due to its unique style of conveying the philosophy of man`s life cycle through its symbols. Batik is part of the lives of Indonesian people from beginning to end: Infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring luck and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik.

The word batik is thought to have been derived from the word ambatik which means '€œa cloth with little dots'€. The suffix '€œtik'€ means little dots, drops, point or to make dots. Natural materials like cotton and silk are used for the cloth so that they can absorb the wax applied in the dye-resisting process. The oldest color that was used in traditional batik making was blue. The color was made from the leaves of the indigo plant.

The process of decorating the cloth through the process of batik is prevalent in several regions of Africa, India and some Southeast Asian countries but the batik of Indonesia is unique and unmatched. The center of batik art in the country is mainly in the cities of Yogyakarta, Solo, Cirebon, Pekalongan and Indramayu. The vivid colors and designs easily win over hearts and grab the attention of the natives as well as tourists.

In September 2009, Indonesia'€™s batik made its place among the 76 elements inscribed in UNESCO'€™S  Representative  List Of Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity. After this honor, batik became more often worn by students, hotel employees, government workers and private company employees, especially on Fridays. The government has played a positive role in promoting batik by providing special discounts to the people who wear batik a day before and after Batik day. Everyone who comes to Indonesia falls in love with this pride of the nation.

The beauty of batik is a tribute to the creativity, patience and uniqueness of the Indonesian people.

Indu Nandal
Purwakarta, West Jawa