TheJakartaPost
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A zone for disabled batik artisans to shine
In Yogyakarta, a community is paving the way for people with disabilities to become hand-painted batikmakers.
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Survivor: Theresia Aryani, who is paralyzed from the waist down, paints batik. (-/A. Kurniawan Ulung)
In Yogyakarta, a community is paving the way for people with disabilities to become hand-painted batikmakers.
For Theresia Aryani, painting is the most exciting part of the batik-making process. She feels whoops of joy when turning a plain white cloth into something colorful.
Painting patterns is also a lot of fun but she has to be very careful with the canting (spouted tool) she uses because of the hot liquid wax that flows through the spout.
Theresia, who has been a batik artisan for the past four years, said taking part in conserving Indonesia’s best-known traditional fabric gave her deep pleasure and satisfaction despite the special needs she lived with.
“I was not born disabled. In 2002, a motorcycle I was riding on fell into a hole, injuring my thigh. My hand could no longer function normally, probably due to the side effects of the medicine I took,” the 43-year-old said.
Theresia, who is paralyzed from the waist down, is a member of Difabelzone, a community of disabled batikmakers in Pandak district, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta.
The community, which has 24 members, produces hand-painted batik fabrics and clothing, as well as products made of hand-painted batik, such as tote bags, pillowcases and tablecloths, with the brand Zola Indonesia.
