'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.