Gabay Lokal: Batik from Indonesia to the Philippines

Batik. This century old way of decorating cloth with dye and wax is called batik. The word batik is derived from the Javanese word tik, meaning "to dot," "to write," or "to point" which describes how a batik is made. The traditional batik-making is a very delicate process practiced in Java, Indonesia.

Photo (c) Faith Marzan, Traveler

More than anything, traditional batik making in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, Indonesia is very meaningful to the natives because it signifies the Javanese interpretation of the Universe in the spiritual context. There are only three traditional colors, which represent the three major Gods of Hinduism. These colors are indigo, dark brown and white. Nobility is represented by certain patterns, so it is easy to tell the royal lineage by the cloth that is worn.

This technique is ancient art. First, the cloth is applied with melted wax that the Javanese call malam. There are two types of wax mixed together: beeswax and paraffin wax. The purpose of this mixture is to keep the beeswax on the fabric while the paraffin wax cracks. This is a very important process because it is what characterizes the batik. The wax seeps through the cloth and forms patterns when dipped in dye. The process is completed when the cloth is hang to dry. So, there are three steps in this process: waxing, dyeing, and drying. The process is repeated when using different colors.

In Zamboanga, they found other use for batik than just for clothing purposes. They are making these bags from batik cloths and sell them for souvenir. Funds from the sales are used for meaningful projects.