The history of Blitar batik began in 1902 with the development of the creativity of the Javanese people, especially the Blitar area or formerly called Balitar which is an extension of Bali Dadi Latar (an absorption word in Javanese). At that time, batik art activities gained flexibility in being creative because the Dutch at that time were very concerned about the ndoro class in Balitar Java, supported by the presence of traders of Chinese descent by providing raw materials for batik in their grocery stores.
Detailed information about the history of Blitar batik can be found in the Leiden-Dutch museum but under the name Batik Afkomstig Uit Blitar Year 1902. Afkomstig Uit (meaning: comes from) means that batik is handmade by the people using plant and animal motifs as the main symbols. . The symbol formed at that time depicts a satire for the rulers and ndoro engineered by the Dutch colonialists. Blitar batik that developed at that time was still limited to the Beber puppet story and its use to decorate the walls of the room.
Blitar Batik Pictures
The picture above shows the shift in the form of batik art from the past which was just a room decoration into a work of art in the form of advice or in Javanese it is termed pitutur or can be abbreviated as speech (words). This is one of the efforts to make Blitar batik as an ancestral heritage and one of the elements of national identity that we must preserve. The speech batik motif is the result of the development of the Afkomstig Uit batik which refers to the various elements contained in the Blitar batik, namely images of plants and animals that seem to be connected to each other to form a pattern like a storyline containing advice.
Tutur orPitutur or advice contained in Blitar batik is an expression rooted in an expression of the philosophy of life in Javanese culture which is represented in the form of symbols. Each Blitar batik motif that is formed has a different advice, with different sasmita or cues and different pitutur or story or advice.
Some of the motifs of batik tutur include Cinde Gading batik, Gambir Sepuh batik, Simo Samaran batik, Winih Semi batik, Jalu Watu batik, Celeret Dubang batik, Tanjung Manila batik, Mupus Pupus batik, Galih Dempo batik, Mirong Kampuh Jinggo batik, Gunung Menyan batik. and others.
The Blitar batik center is located in two places, namely the Djojokoesomo batik center located in Talok hamlet, Pojok village, Garum sub-district and the Wonokusumo batik center located in Jaten village, Wonodadi district. Some of the typical motifs of Djojokoesomo batik, such as the tarasan sedono and sekar arum pandan aram motifs specifically describe a natural condition that is typical in the area, such as the drum motif, upgrading koi fish, star fruit, lumbu (taro), water spinach, singobarong, cloves, coffee, and catfish. As for the Wonokusumo batik motifs, namely the Gledah Rusak motif and the Soklat Background motif.
If you want to know more about the history and philosophy of Blitar batik, then take a moment to visit the secretariat of the DKKB (Blitar Regency Arts Council) on Jalan Ahmad Yani 17 Blitar which is located in front of SMPN 1 Blitar.
Blitar Batik History Bibliography and Explanations
- Anonymous, Blitar History, website: http://www.blitarkab.go.id/ , accessed at9 April 2015.
- Wahyu Y. A., et al., Implementation of Legal Protection against Folklore of Blitar Batik Motifs, website: download.portalgaruda.org/article.php?article=188368, accessed at April 9, 2015.
- Rahmanto Adi, Batik Tutur Photo Album, website: http://goo.gl/E62JuR, accessed at9 April 2015.
- Chusna Yunita, Study on the Typical Motifs of Balitar Batik in Bendogerit Village, Sananwetan District, Blitar City, website: http://goo.gl/LgFKV2, accessed at 9 April 2015.
- Leiden University Museum, Batik afkomstig uit Blitar, website: http://goo.gl/z15Q70, accessed at 9 April 2015.
