“Tracing Tradition: Discovering the Heart of Indonesian Batik”
—- Batik, a wax-resist dyeing technique, has a rich history in Indonesia, dating back to the 5th century. The oldest batik textiles in the Indonesian archipelago were found in Toraja Regency, Sulawesi. The technique was used along the trade route between Egypt and India for centuries, and its use spread to other parts of Asia, including China and Japan. In Java, the designation of "batik" emerged in the 8th century, potentially derived from the Javanese words "amba" (wide) and "titik" (dots), or from the phrase "mbatik manah" (to paint with the whole heart). On the 18th of April, we were given the opportunity to experience making batik. We were provided with pieces of cloth that already had drawings on them. I chose a flower design because I love flowers. The exciting part was tracing the design using a chanting, a pen used to apply hot wax for creating patterns on the cloth. After finishing the tracing, we were allowed to create our own d...