Six-year-old Yoko Maghfirah learns to make batik at the Textile Museum, Central Jakarta. (JP/P.J. Leo)

It was almost noon on a laid-back Saturday, but Sukrismini Kussudiarsono, 50, had been busy all day. If she was not walking around the workshop area at the Textile Museum in Jakarta then she was helping students to produce their very own piece of hand-made batik.

Batik artist and tutor Kris, as she is usually called, wasn’t at a steady position near her students, as most people might expect of a batik tutor. Instead, she, sporting a tangerine blouse and pants plus headscarf, was behind the reception desk one minute and giving tutorials to the workshop’s guests the next.

“The batik lesson is very casual and light. It’s a fun thing, no one will be pushed to finish their work if they don’t feel like it,” Kris, who joined the museum as batik demonstrator in 1987, told The Jakarta Post recently.

“We have those who come once a month but we also have students who may come to finish their piece after two years of absence,” Kris says with a little laugh. “No matter how long they do it for, we’re fine and will keep tutoring them.”

Slim Kris looked upbeat and dexterous, hopping between handling her guests and welcoming visitors — both local and international — who were interested in learning her skills. Her blackened nails — probably from batik wax and synthetic dyes — gave assurance about her capability.

Learning how to produce hand-made batik in the museum’s workshop was indeed simple and adventurous, it challenges you to be be patient and meticulous. All materials and equipment is provided by the workshop, including white mori cotton fabric, various pattern examples, dedicated desks to copy patterns, canting (pen-like tool) for soft patterns, wax and various synthetic colors.

“We have two kinds of batik classes here. The first is priced at Rp 35,000 [US$3] per person or Rp 75,000 for foreigners, and the second is an intensive course, which comprises of three levels for Rp 200,000 per person or Rp 275,000 for foreigners,” explained Kris.

The first course provides a 30x30cm piece of mori fabric, which allows students to make their own one-color handkerchief that can be taken home.

“The package was originally for school children, who usually come for a field trip and have a limited amount of time. If we gave them a bigger piece of fabric, I wonder how long it would take to finish it?” she said.

“But nowadays, some adult participants ask for the small size fabric because they don’t have the luxury of time, so we provide the two courses to cater for their needs,” said Kris, who, thanks to sponsorship from the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, has demonstrated her skill in the US, the Netherlands as well as some Asian countries.

The intensive course allows students to use a 50 cm by 1 meter piece of mori fabric, and gives participants more time to finish this larger piece of batik fabric.

“The time schedule is up to participants. For the intensive course, participants have the option to color the waxed fabric with one, two or multiple colors,” said Kris, a Surakarta-born lady who specializes in the Surakarta-Yogyakarta batik style.

Born from parents who were not familiar with batik making, Kris said that at first she was “forced to pick batik making major during high school as other majors, such as ceramics, bamboo weaving, leather craft or carving, were too hard”.

A workshop participant, Yuni, came in with her friend and after walking around the workshop hall she decided to try the ancient clothing art.

As a first timer of this hand-produced batik skill, Yuni listened to the simple instructions given by a tutor at the workshop. She explored drawers full of various batik patterns, copied her selected pattern onto the mori fabric and started painting the fabric with hot wax, remembering that the wax painting is actually done on both sides of the fabric. Once her wax design was dry, Yuni followed the tutor to color her handkerchief with red synthetic dye.

“The tutor did the coloring and I watched, he dipped the fabric onto a vessel of red dye, took it out and dipped in again three more times. Once my handkerchief is dry I will take it home as a souvenir,” said the Cilacap-born woman, who lives in Bogor. Drawing hobbyist Yuni said that the whole process of making batik was fun, although the wax painting was a little demanding.

Unlike most kids of her age, six-year-old Yoko Maghfirah looked calm while painting her mori fabric with her own butterfly design. It was her second time after trying the same activity some weeks ago in Bentara Budaya, Jakarta.

“I like batik craft. I can bring this piece home. It’s so fun, although I often splash the hot wax accidentally,” she said, adding that she would take her relatives to the class in the future.

Tisa, 31, a junior high school teacher, said she was interested in the intensive batik class. “We have batik making in our curriculum, so I have to at least know the process before instructing my students,” shared Tisa. She admitted that it was likely she would become bored because of the time it takes to complete the bigger size fabric.

“My hand gets a little stiff. But it’s OK. I’m determined to finish this piece, no matter what,” she said, adding that she would go home as soon as she finishes her piece, or at least when the workshop closed.

Sixty-year-old Retno began batik craft as part of her curative treatment after a terrible accident in the late 1990s. Retno, who had the chance to study and work in Canada in late 1980s, said that she acknowledged the importance of batik craft even before her life in Canada.

“The accident injured my brain so badly, even one of the good doctors I knew back in Canada said that it would take at least two years for me to be cured,” she shared. The need for patience and persistence in the drawing of patterns and painting the wax was excellent for her recovery. After around 10 years as a participant at the workshop, she earned the chance to give mentoring to visitors and had produced tens of big size batik.

“I sent those works to my family in Surakarta and my daughter in Canada. If anyone is interested in my crafts, I’m willing to sell them,” said the white-haired Retno while finishing her work on a piece of 250x105cm mori fabric.

Established on June 28, 1976 by the then first lady Tien Soeharto, the textile museum’s oldest piece is a replica of a batik war umbul-umbul (banner) from Cirebon Palace, which is believed to be from the 19th century.

“The majority of our collection is above 50 years old. We have an advanced technique to preserve priceless items,” said Mis Ari, a member of staff in the collection and treatment department of the museum. The museum has a total of 2,500 items of which batik numbers around 1,000 pieces.

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