Jakarta - Students from different universities in Jakarta joined forces Monday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Youth Pledge with an exhibition showcasing the finest of Indonesian batik.
Having decked out Atmajaya University in South Jakarta as a big kampung, the Kampoeng 80, the students presented 80 pieces of fine batik from various parts of the country.
"We chose to observe the historical Youth Pledge with batik because Indonesia has many kinds of batik from all across the country. It represents the diversity of Indonesia," said Indah, a member of the event`s organizing committee.
The Youth Pledge marks a milestone in Indonesian history. On Oct. 28, 1928, youths from various cultures and areas gathered together to pledge their allegiance to "one country, one nation, one language: Indonesia".
Under the theme of Reborn Indonesia, students from Atmajaya University, the University of Indonesia and Al Azhar University will showcase Indonesian music, cuisine and batik, from Oct. 24 to 28.
The highlight of the celebrations will be the unfurling Tuesday of a giant batik banner with the Youth Pledge printed on it, over the tallest building on the Atmajaya campus.
Most of the batik displayed Monday originated in Surakarta, Central Java, and are said to be very old and steeped in legend. Their owners, mostly descendants of the Javanese nobility, lent them out for the occasion.
Rumini, 64, the owner of one old batik cloth displaying a Sekar Jagad motif, said her father wore that piece at his 1948 inauguration as district head of Pacitan, East Java.
"The handmade motif belongs to our family... My father was so handsome in it," she recalled with a smile.
Rumini is also the keeper of a 108-year-old piece inherited from her parents.
"I am the fourth generation (entrusted with the batik) and I will give it to my daughter who deserves to have it," said Rumini, who runs a batik home industry.
She said a Malaysian national had asked her to sell him the batik for his private collection, but she refused, despite the high price offered.
"I will keep it because it belongs to my family; also I do not want outsiders stealing the motifs," she said.
Monday`s exhibition also featured a workshop on making batik using canting (a small brass receptacle for pouring liquid wax onto cloth) and wax.
"It`s exciting," one visitor said. "I tried making batik with the canting and it was quite difficult."
Besides small-scale batik traders from outside Jakarta, major batik producers such as Danar Hadi and Batik Semar also took part in the exhibition. (naf)
Source: http://old.thejakartapost.com (October 29, 2008)