Discovering Traditional Batik Spots

in Yogyakarta

Traditional batik lovers sometimes feel incomplete without visiting traditional batik spots in Yogyakarta. There are several places of traditional batik around the city and they can learn and practice batik there. They will meet some practicioners directly who still survive in the midst of competition.

Giriloyo batik village, Wukirsari, Imogiri, Bantul Regency is one of the famous spots for traditional batik, even the oldest one in this area since Sultan Agung, the king of Mataraman kingdom, around the 17th century. Besides local tourists, foreign tourists often visit this village to practice doing batik. Giriloyo, located on a plain area surrounded by rice fields and teak trees offers a comfortable rural atmosphere. Some batik workshops show their craft industry which is supported by local residents as the artisans.

Pajangan village also traditional batik spot in Bantul regency which can be the destination for batik lovers. Various batik fabrics and batik clothes can be found there at reasonable prices. Dozens of houses in this area are used as place to make batik as well as gallery by the residents who work as batik artisans.

There is also Batik Tancep in Sendangrejo, Ngawen, Gunungkidul regency. Batik Tancep has characteristic in its colour with purple, green and brown. Meanwhile, Kulonprogo regency has batik with its distinctive motif, called ‘gebleg renteng’. This motif is taken as symbol of Kulonprogo's local food, 'gebleg'. The local society and government really appreciate this uniqueness.

The emergence of batik industry with modern techniques gives consumers choices to buy batik products. Some people like traditional batik, some others want to buy the modern one. Making batik in its traditional way requires a long process. In addition, the traditional batik requires special treatment such as avoiding direct sunlight for drying and washing without detergent because it will damage the color, but using 'lerak' or ‘sapindus’ instead.

Nowadays, the promotion of batik is carried out to various parts of the world so it pushes batik makers’ spirit to produce batik. But the lack of young people interest to work as batik maker becomes obstacle in filling up demands of buyers. As nation’s next generation to preserve local cultures including traditional batik, it is the responsbility to do it, moreover, batik has been recognized as world cultural heritage. (RPA).