Yogyakarta palace seeks to preserve rare batik motifs

By Tiwi and Erry

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Batik is an art form inseparable from Javanese Palaces, especially Yogyakarta and Solo (Surakarta). Historically, batik was created by artists living in and around the palace. Palace batiks come in several hundred motifs but many of them have been lost.

Initially, batik making was done by princesses with help form their dayang (female assistants). In olden times, the princesses were kept and educated at the palace, so they had plenty of leisure time. Batikmaking became their hobby.

The activity influenced their daily lives. And batik eventually became the royal family's everyday attire. As a result, demand for batik rose over time.

After Indonesia became independent, more and more people turned to "modern" clothing. This development made batik clothing outdated. Even worse, the disappearance of court batik motifs eroded the role of the palace as the batik center.

This situation worried Queen GKR Hemas, wife of Sri Sultan HB X of Yogyakarta. And she has come to realize that the court batik should be preserved as an indigenous art form of priceless value.

Since December 1999, the Queen has called batikmakers to the palace to copy batik motifs that have become rare and to train young artists in batikmaking. The priority is to revive the Yogyakarta Palace motifs.

"These motifs are very special, intricate and sometimes make the artisans impatient," GKR Hemas once said.

The Yogyakarta palace has been cataloging rare batik motifs and to do this, GKR Hemas is assisted by GBRAy Murdakusuma, a relative of the Sultan.

Over the past eight months, they have rediscovered 15 rare Yogyakarta Palace motifs called Baladewa, Peksi Raja, Picis Cohung, Kladuk Manis, Peksi Kingkin, Sawunggaling, Semen Ngreni, Sekar Asem, Lung Pete, Keteblem, Clekitit, Kuda Sarinjana and Bledak Semen Ragas. All were created before 1920.

GBRAy Murdakusuma said palace artists also produce copies of the old motifs. To promote the rare batik motifs, the palace has opened its door to outside collectors. Murdakusuma said that a piece of court motif costs at least Rp 600,000.

"Actually these motifs belong to the Yogyakarta Palace, but we don't want to be possessive. If people want to own them, they should buy from us. We hope these motives can also be made outside the palace, so that they won't be lost," Murdakusuma said.

According to batik artists, each motif is a reflection of the maker's emotion at the time of creation and each has its own history. Batik also mirrors one's social status in the palace. There are special motifs which were specially designed for the sultan and his relatives.

For instance, the barong motive was created specially for the king. The commoners wore other motives, such as Kawung, Kawung Picis, Parang Rusak, Parang Gurdo and Kesatrian. Truntum and Sido Mukti are motifs worn by the brides and the grooms on their wedding day.

Truntum is one of most the popular motifs. Truntum means spring and its creation is attributed to Kanjeng Ratu Beruk, wife of Sunan Pakoe Boewana VII, King of Surakarta ruling from 1830- 1858. Truntum was created when Kanjeng Ratu Beruk was in exile after she was expelled from the palace. It was during her languish that she made the truntum batik.

When the king visited her, she was working with canting, a small pot used to apply wax to cloth. The king was fascinated by the graceful way she applied the wax. He fell in love with the truntum and forgave his wife and allowed her to return to the palace.

From this story has come the tradition for couples to wear truntum on their wedding day in hopes their love would last forever.