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Community
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Stories of Vendors
Batik's colourful history of fame Could Tutankhamun, Nefertiti, Rameses and the people of ancient Egypt have worn batik? Could Cleopatra have strolled along the banks of the Nile with the breezes billowing her exotic batik robes? It's an intriguing conjecture without a doubt, but hardly surprising when you consider that archeologists have discovered fragments of batik fabric in excavations of ancient Egypt. Exactly how far back batik goes in history is anyone's guess, but it is nonetheless regarded that batik painting is the oldest cloth dyeing technique in the world. Thousands of years later in modern-day Hollywood, Dorothy Lamour wrapped a batik sarong around her body in the 1936 Paramount movie The Jungle Princess and the humble outfit catapulted into the glare of international publicity and recognition. For the record, Dorothy went on to wear batik sarongs four more times in other movies, eventually earning her the title The Sarong Girl. In 1965, Penang-based batik artist Chuan Thean Teng was bestowed the honour of being the first Malaysian to have one of his creations grace the cover of a UNICEF greeting card. The painting chosen was entitled Two of a Kind (bottom left). The same honour was repeated in 1988 with another painting called Tell You A Secret (bottom right).
A
quick gallop through the history and origins of batik Dorothy may have been the first Hollywood starlet to don a batik sarong, but the craft and art of batik painting stretches back many years. It is in fact a craft that is at least 2,000 years old. According to the very informative Batik Guild, the earliest examples of batik were found in the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia and India, where it slowly spread to the islands of the Malay Archipelago and west to the Middle East through the caravan route. Finely made items of silk batik depicting trees, animals, musicians and hunting scenes have been found in ancient China and Japan. The word batik originates from the Javanese tik, which means to dot. Incidentally, 'batik' is used in both Indonesia and Malaysia, the two major producers in the world today, to describe the same method of printing although designs vary. Although centuries of influence and evolution have resulted in innumerable pattern variations, batik patterns can still be broadly classified under two categories, those which incorporate geometric patterns and those which feature more elaborate designs with bold and sweeping embellishments. Malaysian batik, for example, does not usually feature animals or human shapes, preferring instead to focus on floral designs. Indonesian batik, on the other hand, incorporates the various elements connected with different religions, such as the mythical garuda and Tree of Life from Hinduism, and flowers and geometric designs from Islam. This is of course, a general observation. The reality is that there are really no hard and fast rules when it comes to batik design, and the limits are usually set by how far and wide the imagination can reach.
When we say 'batik', we are actually referring to a technique of printing fabric using wax and colourful dyes. Traditionally, batik patterns were hand-painted with a copper pen (called the tjanting) filled with molten wax. This slow and time-consuming method was eventually complemented by the use of copper stampers that allowed for more rapid pattern stampings due to industralisation. The digital revolution of the present-day has seen the computer play a vital role in yet another method of designing batiks, producing more colour combinations and patterns.
After the wax is removed, another pattern is drawn over it, and the dyeing process repeated. This process is then repeated until the entire cloth is covered with patterns of different colours. 'Cracks' are deliberately made in the pattern to create the unique texture which batik is identified with.
After the final dyeing the wax is removed. Special chemicals are added to fix the colours and ensure that they remain vibrant for a long time. The printed cloth is now ready to be made into various items. Batik
in Malaysia
As a fashion item, batik will not look out-of-place in any casual, formal or high fashion wear. In fact, most official functions in Malaysia allow the wearing of batik in place of the more somber coat and tie. The cabin-crew staff of Malaysia's national carrier have always worn batik as their uniforms, even from the days when it was known as MSA (Malaysia-Singapore Airlines).
Batik's durability and comfort also makes it a popular fabric for beach-wear. Most batik items are usually not prohibitively expensive, although a one-of-a-kind painting by a famous Malaysian artist can set you back several thousand Ringgit. International
acclaim Although batik has never gone out of fashion in Malaysia, it has seen a recent upswing in popularity, due largely to the efforts of the country's First Lady, Datin Seri Endon Mahmood. Her passion for all things batik took shape in a campaign called "Batik, Crafted for the World" which aims to spotlight Malaysian produced batik products via promotions and activities. "Our ultimate aim is to bring Malaysian batik to the world stage, where it will get the prominence, acclaim and sales that it deserves," said Endon of the campaign to boost batik manufacturing standards, nurture new designers and tailor the products to foreign tastes.
Elsewhere,
fashion shows are also being staged in countries like the Netherlands,
Venice and Lebanon. In
December, the mammoth Kuala Lumpur International Batik (KLIB) Convention
and Exhibition 2005 will take place with 500 participants and key players
in the genre. Then there is the finals of the Piala Seri Endon (Seri
Endon Trophy), Malaysis's most coveted award for batik designing. The
2005 competition has been expanded to three categories - Fashion, Soft
Furnishings, and Craft and Gift Items. The contest will culminate in
a Grand Final Gala dinner on 10 December.
What better complement to sun-drenched sandy beaches and swaying palm trees than locally made batik, you might ask. So it's only natural and inevitable that Penang island, being a world-famous tourist destination, has a thriving batik industry in manufacturing, exporting and retailing. Shops and stalls carrying batik items are too numerous to mention but they can be found along the Batu Ferringhi tourist belt, Penang Road, Campbell Street and KOMTAR to name a few. Most souvenir and clothing shops will stock at least several batik items. One of the most popular batik retailers in George Town is Sam's Batik House, located on Penang Road. Founded in 1982 by Shamdas Bhaktani, the business has since been taken over by his two sons Monohar and Prem. Monohar's wife Rachel manages the store and is a source of information on batik items. Although the name of the shop implies that batik is sold exclusively, this is no longer true today as the business has expended.
Price ranges from about RM20 for an unframed painting to about RM300 for silk shirts. Needless to say, there's something in Sam's that will suit everyone's budget. Sam's
Batek House is located at No. 159, Jalan Penang, 10000 Georgetown.
__________________________________ Written
by Raja Abdul Razak |
Fascinating
and versatile batik
.
In
1994, a wax figure of a SIA stewardess, replete in her batik sarong
kebaya uniform designed by Pierre Balmain, became the first commercial
figure to be displayed at the famed Madame Tussaud's Museum in London.
The
batik printing process
.
.
.
.
.
The
stem of the banana plant is also used in batik making, according to
Craft Batik, a Penang-based producer company. The stem is first spread
on a flat table and the cloth to be printed on is place on top. The
cloth is then painted on using the usual materials. Apparently, the
'coolness' of the banana stem quickens the cooling effects of the molten
wax and also helps to set it.
It
goes without saying that batik has long been part of the Malaysian national
culture. Its versatile nature and esthetically pleasing designs make
it the ideal material for a variety of things, men's shirts, sarongs,
women's kaftans, aprons, slippers, picture frames, gift boxes, paintings,
bed spreads and even wall and furniture coverings.
As
a Malaysian souvenir item, batik rates as a highly favourite item among
tourists. Visitors to the batik factories or the souvenir shops in Penang,
for example, snap up unique items like tablecloths, pareos, t-shirts,
blouses, sarongs, hats, slippers, housecoats, cushion covers, stuffed
toys and many other things. 
Activities
so far have included a fashion show by Italian and Malaysian designers
at the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur in January 2005, and international
showings by batik designers. During the KL show, Italian designer Roberta
di Camerino was reportedly so impressed by the designs of award-winner
Masrina Abdullah that she quickly ordered items for her boutiques. Another
local designer, Mohd. Azizi Hj. Hassan recently paraded his collection
on the international catwalks of Italy and Croatia.
Penang
batik 
The
shop is chock full of imported and locally made items, and about 30
to 40 percent of the merchandise comprise batik items.They include scarves,
kaftans, sarongs, shirts, blouses, paintings and kebayas. Rachel said
that the local batik products come from Kelantan and Terengganu, while
the imports are from India and Indonesia.