masks from Indonesia

Mask is the object that is used on the face. Usually the mask used to accompany local art music. Mask on local arts generally to respect god or clarify the nature of the accompanying art. Various forms of masks exist that describe the nature of anger, there is depicting soft, and those that describe the policy.

Mask entered Indonesia in around the 17th century. It is widely used in dance that are part of traditional ceremonies, or re-telling of ancient stories of the ancestors. It is believed that the mask is closely related to ancestral spirits are regarded as the interpretation of the gods. In some tribes, the mask is still decorate various art activities and everyday customs.

Classic story of Ramayana has been growing since hundreds of years ago became the main inspiration in the creation of masks in Java. Java masks made ​​for sendra-dance performances that tell the stories of these classics. One of the characters from the Ramayana is the story of Rama and Sinta. Rama is the husband who fought desperately to save Sinta from Ravana. While Sprott is a faithful wife who fought against Ravana temptation to maintain the sanctity of love.

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golok

Machete is a large, heavy knife used as a gardening tool as well as the plural of weapons found in Southeast Asia. Until now, we can also see the machete used as a weapon in the martial arts.

The size, weight, and shape vary according to the blacksmith who made ​​it. Dagger has a shape similar to a machete Machete but tend to be shorter and heavier, and is often used for cutting shrubs and tree branches. Machete usually made ​​of carbon steel softer than other large knives in the world. This makes it easy to be sharpened but it requires more frequent sharpening.

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History of Silver Kotagede

In addition to buildings and places of historic heritage Matram Islamic Kingdom which you can visit, can also be seen other historical relics which is still preserved the art of making handicrafts such as silver.
Actually, this silver has been handed down from earlier times and started from the fulfillment of the need for jewelry or other equipment for the King and the Sultan and relatives-relatives. Location silversmiths is on almost every corner of the market Kotagede Kotagede to the former Palace of the Great Mosque and Islamic Mataram. And almost all the way there are dozens of shops Kotagede, artisans and crafts cooperatives silver.
Kotagede silver art coincided with the founding of the Islamic Mataram kingdom in the 16th century. In Senopati Panembahan reign, he ordered the servants in the palace craft to make jewelry from gold and silver. Especially during the reign of Sultan Hamenku Lane VIII, he was captivated by the beauty of this metal craft and then ordered the servants to continue and mengmbangkan craft craft metal.
The beauty of this metal craft, especially silver Kotagede, tersbar up to foreign countries, until one day a trader from Holland came to Kotagede to order goods made of silver. The goods in the form of objects of European domestic purposes such as chandeliers, furniture and jewelry to eat and drink European style with traditional motifs Kotagede.
Since then silver goods orders continued to increase, so the Dutch East Indies government established a special institution in order to maintain and improve the quality of silver manufacturing techniques and marketing development. The institute is named "Stichting van het Yogyakarta Beverding ambacht Kent."


In 1930-1940s many companies popping up silver. Each company tried to improve the quality of its products and create new motives. During this period the silver Kotagede actually experienced better period. In addition to its historical elements that have proved the existence and superiority, the silver Kotagede more varied with the highlight a very high artistic value with a characteristic soft yarn.
Most silver ornaments Kotagede patterned motifs of plants, such as lotus leaves and flowers motif. Typical retained is working handicrafts manually, because since ancient times until today still rely on hand skills. Both silver plate or silver filigree (a piece of thin silver wire is selected one by one and arranged in such a way as to obtain the desired shape) done with great accuracy. Some longer requires a different process, for example through the process of burning fuel utntuk obtain silver are also widely popular.

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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.

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keris history

Keris is a weapon dagger stabbing group (pointed and sharp on both sides) with many cultural functions are known in the area of ​​western and central archipelago. The shape is distinctive and easily distinguished from other sharp weapons because it is not symmetrical at the base of the dilated, often tortuous blade, and many of them have the prestige (damascene), which strokes the strands of bright metal blade. Type of stabbing weapon that has similarities with the dagger is badik.

In the past kris serves as a weapon in duels / battles, as well as object complement offerings. In contemporary usage, a dagger is more of a body accessory (ageman) in dressing, has a number of cultural symbols, or becoming a valued collection of objects in terms of aesthetics.

Use of kris spread on area dwellers who never affected by the Majapahit, such as Java, Madura, Nusa Tenggara, Sumatra, Kalimantan coast, part of Sulawesi, the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand and southern Philippines (Mindanao). Keris Mindanao known as dull. Keris in each region has its own peculiarities in appearance, function, technique filmed, and terminology.

Keris Indonesia has been listed in UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage of Human Non-material since 2005.

The origin and function

The origins of the kris has not been fully explained because there is no source of the descriptive writing about it from before the 15th century, although the mention of the term "dagger" was listed in the inscription from the 9th century AD. Scientific study of keris development based largely on analysis of figures in the reliefs of the temple or statue. Meanwhile, knowledge about the function of the keris is traceable from some of the inscriptions and the reports of foreign explorers to the archipelago.


Beginning: Effect of India-China

Sharp weapon with a form that is believed to be a source of inspiration can be found on the making of keris relics perundagian of Dong Son Culture and southern China. Allegations of influence of Chinese culture in the use of weapons Kuna stab, as the forerunner of the keris, it may enter through the Dong Son culture (Vietnam) which is a "bridge" the influence of Chinese culture to the archipelago. A number of kris offerings today for a human-shaped handle (not distilir like modern kris), together with a dagger Dong Son, and united with the blade.

The attitude of respect for the various metal objects plots can be traced as the influence of India, especially Siwaisme. Inscription Dakuwu (6th century) shows Indian iconography featuring "Wesi aji" like a trident, kudhi, sickle, and kris sombro. Historians generally agree, a dagger from the pre-Singasari known as the "kris Buddha", a short form and not berluk (straight), and is considered as a form of the initial (prototype) kris. Some daggers findings of Dong Son culture has similarities with Buda and kris kris sajen. Keris sajen have the grip of the metal is fused with a keris.

Kris prototypes from pre-Majapahit

The works of sculpture from the first millennium AD calendar showing most forms of stabbing weapons and "Wesi aji" other than India. Nevertheless there is one panel known relief of Borobudur temple (9th century), which shows a person holding a similar object kris.

From the same century, the inscription in 824 AD Karangtengah framed the term "dagger" in a list of equipment. Poh Inscription (904 AD) called the "dagger" as part of the offerings that need to be dedicated. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether the "dagger" that refers to the object as it is known today.
Knaud keris, kris one example of Buda.

In the knowledge of Java keris (padhuwungan), a dagger from the pre-Kadiri-Singasari known as the "kris Buda" or "kris sombro". Kris-kris is not berpamor and simple. Buda kris kris considered a modern form of bodyguards. Examples of forms that are often cited Buda kris is a family owned Knaud obtained from Charles Knaud Batavia, a Dutch enthusiast Javanese mysticism, from Sri Paku Alam V. Keris has epic Ramayana relief figures on the blade surface and lists the number of Saka 1264 (1342 AD), contemporary with the Temple Upgrading, although there are doubts penanggalannya.


Keris Buda has similarity with various picture dagger shape seen in the temples in Java before the 11th century. Dagger of these temples still show the characteristics of weapons India, has not experienced "pemribumian" (indigenization). The existence of various depictions of various "Wesi aji" as a component of the icons of Hindu gods have brought the attitude of respect for the various weapons, including a dagger in the future. Nevertheless, there is no authentic evidence of the evolution of change from India to the keris dagger style of this culture.

Study iconography and style of buildings carved in the Kadiri-Singasari (the 13th century until the 14th) showed a tendency towards India pemribumian from pure Java style, is no exception with a dagger. One of the Shiva statue of Singasari period (early 14th century) held the "Wesi aji" dagger-like, different from the depiction of the past. One of low relief (bas-reliefs) in the temple wall Upgrading also shows the use of similar weapons dagger stab. Upgrading Temple (11 th century until the 13 M) from the end of the kingdom of Kadiri in Blitar, East Java.

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