History of Batik in Indonesia

Traditional Crafts

The history of batik in Indonesia is closely linked with the development and dissemination of the Majapahit empire of Islam in Java. In some records, the development of batik is mostly done in times of Mataram kingdom, then in the work of Solo and Yogyakarta.

        So the art of batik in Indonesia has been known since the time of Majapahit jobs and growing the kingdom and the kings of the next. The start spreading this batik art belongs to the people of Indonesia and Java in particular tribe is after the end of the eighteenth century or early nineteenth century. Produced batik batik is all to the early twentieth century and printed batik is known only after world war unity out or around 1920. The connection with the spread of Islamic teachings. Many areas of batik centers on Java are regions Batik students and later became a tool of economic perjaungan by figures pedangan Muslims against the Dutch economy.

        Batik art is art images on the fabric for clothing that was one of the kings of culture keluaga Indonesia bygone era. Batik initially worked in the palace alone are limited and the results for the king's clothes and family and his followers. Because many of the followers of the king who lived outside the palace, the art of batik was brought by them out palace and place of each work.

        Long batik art was imitated by the people nearest and subsequently expanded into the work of women in the household to fill his spare time. Furthermore, batik clothes that used only the royal family, then became a popular folk clothes, both women and men. White fabric that is used when it is the result of homespun.

        Medium dye materials used consist of plants native to Indonesia who made himself among others of: noni tree, tall, soga, indigo, and the material is made from soda ash soda, as well as salts made from tanahlumpur.

        MajapahitBatik era which has become a culture in the kingdom Majahit, could be traced in the area of ​​Mojokerto and Tulung Court. Mojoketo are areas closely related to the Majapahit kingdom during the first and the origin of the name Majokerto nothing to do with Majapahit. Relation to the development of batik Majapahit Agung is grown in Tulung batik developmental history of this area, can be extracted from the legacy in the days of the Majapahit kingdom. At that time the area is partly Tulungagung consists of a swamp in the history of the area known as Bonorowo, which at the time of Majapahit bekembangnya area controlled by a Duke benama Kalang, and would not submit to the kingdom of Majapahit.

        Told that the police action launched by Majapahati, Duke Kalang supposedly killed in the fighting around the village which is now reportedly called Kalangbret. Thus, the officers and soldiers of the Majapahit kingdom keluara settled and lived in the territory Bonorowo or what is now the Tulungagung among others also bring original art to make batik.

    * History of Batik Pekalongan

       Although no official records began to be known when the batik in Pekalongan, but according to estimates existing in Pekalongan batik around the year 1800. Even according to data recorded at the Ministry, batik was made 1802, like a small tree motif in the form of clothes.

       But significant progress is expected to occur after a major war in 1825-1830 in the kingdom of Mataram which is often referred to as Java Diponegoro war or war. With the onset of this battle royal family and urged his followers were many who left the kingdom. They then spread towards the East and West. Later in the area - a new area that the family and followers develop batik.

       To the east of Solo and Yogyakarta Batik batik patterns that have been perfected in Mojokerto and Tulungagung to spread to Gresik, Surabaya and Madura. Medium westward batik developed in Banyumas, Kebumen, Tegal, Cirebon and Pekalongan. With this migration, the batik Pekalongan that have been there before growing.

       Over time, Batik Pekalongan experiencing rapid development compared to other regions. In this region batik evolved around the coastal areas, namely in Pekalongan city and regional areas Buaran, Pekajangan and Wonopringgo.

    * Batik Pekalongan, between the Past and Present

       BATIK pekalongan become very unique in that it relies entirely on hundreds of small entrepreneurs, rather than on a handful of large employers have capital. Since many decades ago until now, most of the production process of batik pekalongan done in homes.

       As a result, batik pekalongan integrates closely with the community life of Pekalongan is now divided into two administrative regions, namely the City and County Pekalongan Pekalongan, Central Java. Batik pekalongan is the breath daily life resident of Pekalongan. He lived citizens live and Pekalongan.

       Nevertheless, similar to other small and medium enterprises in Indonesia, batik business pekalongan now facing a transition period. The development of an increasingly complex world and the emergence of new competitors, such as Vietnam, challenged the batik industry pekalongan to quickly transform itself into a more modern direction.

       Failed to pass through this transitional period, batik pekalongan may only be remembered for future generations through the history books.

       At that time, work patterns are still strongly influenced batik artisans agricultural cycle. At last the rice planting or harvest time, they were fully employed in farming. However, in between planting and harvest time, they work entirely as a handyman batik.

       AGE has changed. Workers in Pekalongan batik is now no longer dominated by farmers. They are mostly from local young people who want to make a living. Their lives may be entirely dependent on batik work.

       What pekalongan batik industry faces today is probably the same as the problems faced by other industries in Indonesia, mainly based on small and medium entrepreneurs.

       The issue was, among other things, a decline in competitiveness as indicated by the product selling price is higher than the selling price of similar products produced in other countries. In fact, quality products that dihasikan country better than any competitor product Indonesian businessmen.

       The cause of this problem varies, ranging from low productivity and skills of workers, lack of initiative of entrepreneurs to innovate products, to support machine tools usangnya production process.