PDT Assignment

A TRADITION
BATIKCOMES OF AGE
Rather than in any particular style or design,
perhaps such an identity lies in its popularity
as the fabric of choice in national attire, with
Malaysians from all walks of life turning out
in batik on informal and formal occasions, at
home and abroad.
This book offers a comprehensive narration
of the growth of the Malaysian batik industry
from its early beginnings as a scattered group
of small personal holdings in the East Coast
states of Malaya in the 1930s to the wellsupported
national hub that it is today.
Under the auspices of Yayasan Budi
Penyayang, the writer, Noor Azlina Yunus,
has produced a well-illustrated account
of the journey of Malaysian batik and the
myriad phases and faces it represents – from
its initial borrowings of the sober hues and
repetitive patterns of the Indonesian batik
Lasem, Pekalongan and Cirebon prototypes
to the brilliant metamorphosis of colours and
designs now crafted for high fashion.
In every chapter the writer’s batik story
is accompanied by an impressive collection
of photographs and sketches to illustrate
each design, pattern, colour and technique
described. The expert layout of the text and
illustrations enhances the coffee table appeal
of the book and facilitates the reading and
comprehension of what are some rather
complex descriptions of design and batikmaking
techniques.
In Chapters 1 and 2, the writer points to an
outstanding difference in the development of
batik in Malaysia and Indonesia, where batik
making is a centuries-old tradition. It was the
customary use of the sarong in Javanese court
wear and among men and women of the upper
class that helped to preserve the identity of
Indonesian batik. The skilled
batik artisans consistently
used the stiffer designs,
schematic patterns and
more staid colour schemes
established in traditional
Javanese batik. In Malaysia,
batik sarongs were worn by the
common folk, many of whom
were farmers and fishermen.
The self-taught batik makers
of Kelantan and Terengganu
were thus more free to develop
bolder new designs and colour
combinations reflecting the
fauna and flora in the natural environment.
The less restrictive cultural environment
in Malaysia also allowed for innovations in the
techniques and mechanics of batik production.
Quite significantly, the transition from the
use of the canting (a traditional hand-held
tool) in Indonesia for the precise but slow
release of the wax in batik tulis, to the use in
Malaysia of metal-block wax stamping over
broader areas of fabric to produce yardage
batik cap, followed by the more versatile use
of the canting technique to produce stylus
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