For Indonesians, it is a point scored in a long-running rivalry with their neighbor Malaysia: The United Nations has decided to recognize Indonesian batik as one of the world’s important cultural traditions.
After a run of what Indonesian nationalists view as Malaysia’s poaching of its culture, the announcement of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization from the 2009 saying that Indonesians can add batik to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, was more than welcoming.
Moreover, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked all Indonesians to wear batik on Oct. 2. That is why this date is now celebrated as National Batik Day in Indonesia.
“It is so important that the world finally recognize and acknowledge batik as an Indonesian heritage,” said Obin, one of the country’s leading fashion designers. “It is a part of our soul.”
Protecting batik, whether from cheaper printed imitations from China or efforts in Malaysia to copyright designs, became a national obsession.
The Indonesian government stepped up its promotion of the fabric significantly in 2007, calling on civil servants and the public to wear it more often and enlisting fashion designers to find more appealing uses for it. Batik is now a staple in upscale malls and galleries in Jakarta.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has become known for her elegant batik dresses. Many offices in Indonesia now observe “Batik Fridays.” Applications to copyright batik motifs have intensified; currently about 300 designs have been copyrighted in Indonesia. Most of those claims were made since 2007, according to industry figures.
“There is no question, really,” said Ari Safitri, 22, gesturing to the centuries-old batik patterns inside the Danar Hadi Museum in Solo, a Central Javanese city famed for its batik, where she is a guide. “Everyone always asks about Malaysia,” she said. “But I tell them that we are sure batik comes from Indonesia.”
Do you want to know more about what Indonesians think about batik? Read this article.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/world/asia/15iht-batik.html
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