Untitled-16Batik derived from a Javanese compound noun, ‘amba’ or writing and “titik” or dot.

Nia S. Amira
[email protected]

Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called canting which lat­er produced and named as Batik Tulis. Other is Batik made by painting and Ba­tik Cap or Batik made by printing the resist with a copper stamp called cap. The applied wax resists dyes and there­fore allows Batik maker to color selec­tively by soaking the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water, then repeating according to the desired colors we need.

Although batik is originally from Java, but along its history, we can eas­ily find a tradition of making batik in various countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Nigeria. However, the best-known is Indonesian batik as it has a long story with diverse influenced by variety of cultures and is known as most devel­oped in terms of pattern, technique, and the quality of workmanship. It was on October, 2009 UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Maseterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Human­ity and since then, Indonesian people tend to wear batik on every occasion, especially on Fridays where the society feel proud to wear their own heritage becomes well-known internationally.

Wax dyeing on fabric is an ancient art form. It already existed in Egypt in the 4th century BC, when the Egyptian used to wrap mummies; the linen was soaked in wax, and scratched using a stylus. The existence of batik is be­lieved since the Majapahit period, and becomes more popular since the end of 18th century or at the beginning of 19th century. All batik produced in that time were batik painting until the beginning of 20th century, while batik printng was only known after the World War 1st or around 1920th.

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Batik is a high artistic craft and has become part of Indonesian cul­ture since long time, especially for the Javanese. In the past time, java­nese women made their skills in batik as livelihood, at that time batik work is exclusively women’s work until the invention of “Batik Cap” or Batik Print­ing which allows men entering into this field. There are some exceptions to this phenomene like the coastal batik hav­ing masculin line that can be seen on “Mega Mendung” motif, where in that area batik work is common for men.

Batik tradition was originally a he­reditary tradition, occasionally one motif can be recognized from certain family. Several motifs can show the sta­tus of a person. Even nowadays, several traditional motif can only be wore by a Royal family member of Yogyakarta and Surakarta.

Batik has been growing very rapidly at this time, not only applied to the fab­ric, but has been applied to a cake, like what Shinta Novanan does, a 40 year mother of 2 children who turns as Batik cake maker from her previous work as an Electrical Engineer.

Always wants to do new things in her life, this tough woman from Tangerang has decided to quit her job with good position in a big foreign com­pany and enjoys her daily life busy with all the cake ingredients.

Not always get the good result when making her batik roll cakes, but Shinta uses only natural coloring in her masterpieces and still learns in food grade. She also has technical problem for delivery when getting the order from her clients outside the capital. Avoiding to spoil the form of her cake, she has to refuse the order.

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She still studies how to man­age special request from particular vegetarian and clients with special disease.

One day, Shinta wanted to make a special snack for her youngest child’s birthday. As a good mother, she has made variety of food for her family, except the roll cakes. She had the idea to make special roll cake after seeing the Japanese Swiss Roll Cake with funny pictures, she then thought why not making batik drawing on the birthday roll cake and especially batik is typical In­donesia.

Finally, she decided to make a batik roll cake, and the result was amazing. All mothers were happy to see the motifs and taste the cake and not long from that day, she got lot of orders of batik roll cake with various motifs and cartoon pic­tures. This is very special moment for her. Her batik roll cake can last in open space for 2 days long while in refrigerator for 7 days.

Her batik roll cake sales is done using social media and online transport and now she has custom­ers not only from local but outside the country. Shinta also gives train­ing to make batik roll cakes. She al­ready finds her “passion” of mak­ing batik roll cake and she wants to continue working in this delicacies area and widely known so that she can share her knowledge not only to local but other community in the world. Experiences as trainer locally and internationally, because batik is national identity and world heritage.

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