'Blangkon' has lost its relevance among Javanese

'Blangkon' has lost its relevance among Javanese

By R. Fadjri

YOGYAKARTA (JP): For the Javanese, blangkon -- the headdress
worn by Javanese men -- is more than a hat to cover the head. It
is an accessory that is supposed to add respectability to the
wearer. This is why, unlike Westerners, Javanese men never take
the headdress off upon entering a room.

However, this sort of respectability is no longer relevant in
Javanese society. Blangkon is worn only by the employees of a
Javanese kraton (palace). Those outside the kraton do not wear
blangkon and surjan (the traditional shirt) in daily life. Its
use has been reduced to an accessory for occasional use, such as
at wedding receptions. But again, only the old men wear it, while
the young ones prefer modern clothing.

The word "blangkon" has its roots in traditional Javanese
language, "balingka", or "balangka", meaning a small headdress.

There are two designs of blangkon: blangkon mondolan, which is
made in Yogyakarta, and blangkon kepekan, made in Surakarta
(Solo). This is in accordance with the history of the Javanese
kingdom. In 1755, the Mataram Kraton (Palace) broke up into
Kraton Yogyakarta and Kraton Surakarta. Sultan Hamengkubuwono I
from Yogyakarta then designed blangkon mondolan, whose back part
is completed with an egg-like adornment. The Surakarta headdress,
known as blangkon kepekan, is entirely devoid of any adornments.
These two models were worn by everybody, from the king down to
ordinary men on the street.

Raden Mas Suryanto Sastroatmojo, an expert on Javanese
culture, said blangkon has evolved from a head scarf called
"matapen" or "jejamang" in Javanese.

The habit of wearing a head scarf was a Javanese tradition
adopted from people of India. Sastroatmojo said further the
blangkon developed among Javanese people into its current shape
in the 1800s.

Governor General Deandles, who ruled the island from 1808 to
1810, was also mentioned as the first person who popularized the
use of blangkon as we know it today, according to Sastroatmojo.
Deandles had ordered all local colonial officials to wear a
blangkon and a modified version of the western shirt. At that
time, the blangkon was a lengthy cloth piece wrapped around the
wearer's head. Upon Deandles' order, the blangkon was designed in
such a way so that it could be worn as a hat instead of a head
scarf. It was practical, and the men could save time getting
dressed. Hence, the blangkon was created and worn as it is today.

Since that time, Deandles' blangkon became an important part
of traditional Javanese wear. The making of blangkon also started
at that time among the people.

Atmo Suyoso, 80, is one of the blangkon handicrafters who
still survives to this day. A father of five, he started his
profession in 1936 in his home in the hamlet of Turi, Bantul
district in Yogyakarta. When the Japanese occupied the country in
1942, Suyoso stopped the business until 1945. It was a time when
cloth to make blangkon was in short supply.

Suyoso looks upon his profession as a calling, a vocation. "I
only want to preserve the tradition," he said. It should not come
as a surprise then that at a time when the blangkon seems on its
way out, Suyoso would not want to give up his work.

Making blangkon is a skill. The person should be at least
familiar with the sewing business. Suyoso said a blangkon maker
should know about facial compositions. This is necessary because
this head accessory should not only fit the user's head
perfectly, it has to be in harmony with the face.

"This is the hardest part of blangkon making," he said.

Suyoso's blangkon are handmade by himself. He seams the cloth
pieces on a manual sewing machine one by one. This is the reason
why he can complete only one blangkon a day.

"I don't accept large orders," he said. Blangkon of fine batik
jumputan are totally done by hand. He uses his sewing machine
only if the material is of rather inferior quality, like batik
cap (printing batik). Suyoso sells blangkon made of batik cap for
Rp 20,000 each. Those made of batik jumputan cost more, Rp 45,000
each.

Two other blangkon makers' companies, also located in Bantul,
have many workers and produce the items on a large scale. Most of
their blangkon are ordered by shops renting traditional wear in
Yogyakarta or souvenir kiosks, which sell the blangkon to
tourists around Malioboro.

In the 1970s, there were many blangkon makers in the district
of Bantul. Now there are only two left because of the shrinking
market in blangkon and traditional Javanese wear.

"Most of the blangkon makers closed their businesses or
switched to more lucrative ones," said Suyoso.

As for him, although he does not receive as many orders as in
the past, no day passes without an order. Suyoso has a permanent
clientele, including some employees of the Kraton Yogyakarta and
a number of traditional art groups such as ketoprak and wayang
orang from Central and East Java.

"As long as the sultan is here, I will always receive orders
for blangkon," he said convincingly.