History of Semarang Batik Motifs and Explanations – If we look back at the photos of the ancient Johar Market, we will know better that there as well as in Laweyan and Klewer. Ssemarang had batik villages, namely Bugangan, Rejosari, and Kulitan villages during the Dutch rule era at that time.
However, during the Japanese occupation, the economic center of the city of Semarang was grounded bu the Dutch to weaken Japan in building its economy, In the end, the batik induustry was even more devastated when the Five-day Battle in SEmarang occured between Semarang youths againts the Japanese army until the Japanese Army burned down people’s houses which resulted in the Batik Village being burned.
History of Semarang Batik Motifs
“Batikkerij Tan Kong Tin”
Historical fact tracing shows that there are still batik companies that survive and continue the business. The batik company is also proof that Semarang batik was once successful. The batik producer is batik “Batikkerij Tan Kong Tin” which operates in Bugangan, reffering to the literature, this factory was founded around the beginning of the twentieth century and operated until the 1970s.
Tan Kong Tin is the son of Tan Siauw Liem, a landlord with a major title in Semarang. She is married to one of the descendants of Hamengku Buwono III, namely Raden Ayu DInartiningsih. Of course, he is good at batik because he comes from the palace environment. Then the latest batik motifs were born that combine Jogja batik motifs with coastal batik motifs.
The trademark “Batikkerij Tan Kong Tin” was then continued by the second generation, namely Raden Nganten Sri Murdijanti. With the cold hands of Tang Kong Tin’s daughter, the batik tulis company was able to survive until the 1970’s. In the batik has been formed. As in the makers of batik motif designs commonly referred to as Carik, then the batik maker dyer through the highlighting process to produce the perfect color. Batik workers generally come from the villages of Rejosari, Kampung Darat, Kintelan, Karang Doro, Mlaten Trenggulun, and even Layur.
Tan Kong Tin batik is a type of premium batik for the upper class, both from the Dutch and indigenous people, besides that, it is foreign tourists, and traders. In addition to batik producer Batikkerij Tan Kong Tin, there is still another batik factory, namely Sri Retno batik. Both were the largest and most popular bati companies of their time.
According to the history of luiterature, during the Verslag Colonial period, around 1919 to 1925, the number of batik entrepreneurs in Semarang was 107 people with the number of craftsmen around 800 people.
Now batik tulis is starting to be in demand again, by the people of Indonesia, because of the main role of the government as the main pillar of preserving our culture by holding batik training everywhere and carried out by various elements of community institutions shaded by the local government, including in the city of Semarang. Semarang batik entrepreneurs began to reappear, although the number was not as significant as before and was not comparable to that in Surakarta or Pekalongan.
KampungBatik has also begun to be revived by the local government, even the Semarang Batik Hall was also built in this region as a form of revival of the people’s economy to repeat the glory of the past, also used to develop new cultural tourism areas. It is not easy indeed to rediscover the original batik motifs of Semarangan. Batik craftsmen who have just started the batik writing business then dig back into references to the history of batik through books about batik. From there they found classic photos of Semarangan batik owned by the ancient Dutch people, then reproduced them.
Semarang batik, just like other coastal batiks that do not follow the batik package like those in the Solo or Jogja area. Since ancient times, the character of the residents of Kampung Batik Semarang in making batik has always prioritized the concept of being free by making batik motifs that are their creations or desires. This is also the case with today’s Semarang batik makers, armed with existing batik motifs, other batik motifs are developed that are inspired by icons in the city of Semarang. Thus producing a new batik motif typical of Semarang with a ceplok model taken from the Layur mosque, Lawang Sewu, asem arang, and Tugu Muda.
If you are interested in coming to Kampung Batik Semarang, especially for you fashion lovers, will feel the fashion paradise here. And, make sure before going to the batik village of Semarang, you first thicken your pockets to make it more comfortable in shopping. The most interesting thing, in the batik village of Semarang, you don’t just go shopping and buy Semarang batik. However, you can also learn to make batik by only spending 20,000 rupiahs, you can already make your own written batik cloth and you can take it home as a memento or by2 close relatives.
Semarang Batik Motif Picture
In addition, you will also learn to know the complicated process of making a piece of written batik cloth. Starting from creating batik motifs, pouring pictures into a piece of cloth, melting the night, batik, to the process of dyeing and washing the night aka highlighting, so that it will make you better understand and understand the value of a piece of written batik cloth with a certain motif that is priced up to hundreds of thousands or even millions of rupiah.
If you want to visit the batik village of Semarang, it is not difficult to find this location. Starting from the Johar Market area, please take the direction to the Bubakan Roundabout. next, choose the direction that goes to Patimura Street. Before entering this street, you will see Hotel Djelita on the left. On the left of the hotel, there is an archway, which says Jalan Batik zip code 50122. Yes! That’s where Kampung Batik Semarang is located. And, Happy batik shopping! write!
Bibliography of the History of Semarang Batik Motifs and Explanations
· Kampung Batik Semarang, Batiksemarang.com. Online: http://goo.gl/uYULbl accessed on August 26, 2016
· Warak Motif Khas Batik Semarangan, KOMPAS. Online:http://goo.gl/1zm5rS accessed on 26 August 2016
· Rearranging Semarang Batik, KOMPAS. Online: http://goo.gl/dgfIcx accessed on August 26, 2016
· Batik Semarangan, FITINLINE. Online: http://goo.gl/3bBVJG accessed on August 26, 2016