Pekalongan’s Batik

Born from a family that has a genuine pedigree Javanese batik making me tied to a very young age. Father came from Ngawi being mother was born and raised in Pekalongan. The second city is city representation batik long ago. Therefore, I was never in short supply of batik to be used up to now because the parents always took time to add to the collection of batik when there is a chance. One was when our family to return home during Lebaran.

In everyday life, I am more than happy to use batik shirt. I was lucky enough company where I work freeing employees to wear underwear everyday. Of course this makes me more flexibility to use batik to the office almost every day. Not necessarily on Thursday as most regulations in other companies. 

Prior to joining the company where I work now, I am grateful to be given the opportunity to teach elementary school children in remote South Halmahera, North Maluku province for one year. Any limitations make life there is arguably too simple.

Their everyday clothes like most people, just a T-shirt and cotton pants. People there do not have the typical clothes commonly used in everyday life such as the sheath is often used by the people in the Papua region.

Not a lot of migrants who live in the Halmahera Sea coastal village. Most immigrants did not come away from the area around the island of Halmahera. Javanese people who live in the village can be counted on the fingers. Most of them do not settle for work as a traveling salesman. In other words, I was the only one native Javanese descent who live there.

Every time teaching, I often wear batik. Because no civil official clothes like other teachers, I have a bit of freedom in wearing formal attire in teaching. Since I took quite a lot of stock batik as stock, would not be a problem to keep changing clothes every day teaching.

On the other hand, I would like to introduce batik to all audiences village. I'm sure they've heard what it was but to invite their loved batik batik is certainly not easy and it took a gradual process.

One way to introduce batik I did was to put on batik material in the class. One time, I took the topic of Indonesian batik in teaching cultural themes for their own country. The children were enthusiastic to find out what it is batik with batik clothing pointing me at that time.

Incidentally a few years ago, where I teach elementary school never got batik uniforms for the students with the help of the government. But the amount is not sufficient all students. Until now, a small portion of students are berbatik every Thursday. But most of the others do not get that uniform. Moreover, many children batik uniforms that have been worn and torn up to be unsuitable for use again.

Then, I suggested to the principal to take advantage of the school's budget in facilitating children's batik uniforms. With no batik shop around town in South Halmahera district, we must order direct to fabric printing from the Javanese batik. At that moment, there is no online batik shop which facilitate ordering and shopping to the manufacture and delivery of uniforms batik children require a long time.

For teachers, I took the initiative to make their own uniforms with asking for help Mom. Mother does have a batik boutique business in a small house. When I expressed the intention to assist the teachers in the village, she immediately made welcome and chic batik designs.

After waiting for about a month, batik uniforms awaited finally came. Docked boat carrying a large cardboard shipment of Java.

When finally batik uniforms to school, the whole school community excited to try. Enthusiastic kids get their new uniforms batik. So are the teachers who praised batik designs created by Mother. Batik for teachers is not made with a canting, but it certainly does not diminish the beauty of batik patterns themselves.

There is also, I bought a batik for the care of my family in the village. One package of batik uniform for all members of the family and some batik special night for my foster mother. For them, given batik may be the best clothes they have.

Same with batik patterns, they become the only family that has a batik uniform at our village. How nice to see them as expressions of happiness together berbatik when Eid arrives.

Batik has now become an integral part of school life in our village. All school members routinely wear batik on Thursday. Uniformity is not only beautiful in the eye, but also gives its own spirit to live a conducive learning and fun. 

Some residents have also slowly started using batik as the official clothing during traditional ceremonies or official events arrive. This is certainly a very good start to teach you how to recognize, use, and love batik. Underneath it all, there is a significance that should be grasped. That batik is not only owned by Javanese culture per se, but actually belong to the nation Indonesian batik.

Sumber:

http://sosbud.kompasiana.com/2013/01/09/mengenalkan-batik-ke-pelosok-negeri-522774.html