Patria 1

Aditya Nur Patria 120912133

Lecturer: Nur Wulan, Ph. D.

South-East Asian Studies (FIB-211)

22 November 2010

Batik as a National Culture and Identity to Strengthen Indonesian Nation-Building

As a multicultural or even a plural national state, Indonesia consists of many

religions, ethnics, and cultures that are widespread in provinces from Sabang to Merauke.

There are so many kinds of culture that differentiate each ethnic as well as the regions since

Indonesia is known as archipelago state that the most of the society are separated thus far.

Although they never meet each other face-to-face, e.g. people in Ambon never meet face to

face or have a face to face contact with the people in Sumatra, they have communal

consciousness. Despite the diversity and differences, all citizens in Indonesia admit that they

are part of Indonesia. In addition, they admit that other people within Sabang to Merauke as

part of Indonesia and recognize them as members of one community. This situation in

Indonesia clearly proves that a nation such as Indonesia is an imagined political community

(Anderson 6).

The dissemination of national cultures is necessary in order to unify all people within

the boundaries from Sabang to Merauke. Hofstede defines national culture as the shared

mental programming of most members of nation to encompass a group of nation (11-12).

Some ways has been done in order to legitimize the Indonesia-ness of its citizens. The most

important way used is the ideological system in Indonesia, that is Pancasila. Other way which

is taken by the government is by propagating national culture to Indonesian people. Recently,

the case of Batik that was claimed by other country, Malaysia, mentioned could strengthen
 Patria 2

the solidarity of whole Indonesian citizens. Eventually, now batik has been acknowledged as

one of Indonesian heritage and even registered in UNESCO as well as become national

culture. Nevertheless, some questions emerge regarding this circumstance; how come batik

acknowledged as Indonesian national cultures although there are many other cultures in

Indonesia? How can batik strengthen Indonesian nation-building? These questions will be

answered on the analysis part of this paper.

 Patria 3

Analysis

As imagined communities, the presence of national culture is necessary in order to

legitimize the culture as a part of each individual’s culture in Indonesia. Besides, nation is a

territorial and political unit with an inherent need to divide others into insiders and outsiders

on the basis of citizenship (Eriksen 116). A culture that is stated as a national culture must be

able to encompass all over the nation dwellers, regardless what ethnic they are and what

social class they are (Sutardi 20). National culture is demanded to unify all elements within

the nation for its diversity. Nonetheless, national culture is not intended to remove the

existing-diversity. In Indonesia there are thousands of cultures which spread from Sabang to

Merauke, then, it is questionable for Batik decided as a symbol or, in other word, as national

culture and even has acquired admission as the intangible cultural heritage from UNESCO.

The other enquiry emerges is the ability of batik as national culture does also strengthen the

sense of nationalism in Indonesian society.

1. Batik as National Culture and Identity

Batik has officially been acknowledged as one of Indonesian cultural heritage by

UNESCO after wayang in 2003 and keris in 2005. Besides, Indonesia now has batik day

which has been celebrated on every November 2nd since 2009 (Prihadiyoko). The nomination

of Indonesian batik itself was conducted on September 28th to October 2nd 2009 in Abu

Dhabi, United Arab Emirates at “Convention for the Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural

Heritage”. Batik is actually not about the fabric, otherwise, batik is a method of dyeing

textiles, principally cottons, in which patterned areas are covered with wax so that they will

not receive colour (“Batik”). Batik has clung in Indonesian society since mid 18th century,

particularly Javanese, for it was inherited culturally. The proposal of Indonesian batik as

cultural heritage to UNESCO is one of actions taken by Indonesian people regarding the
 Patria 4

claim of Indonesian batik by Malaysia. It aimed to retain and preserve Indonesia cultural

heritage itself. We can see that batik has been able to create a sort of solidarity among

Indonesian people in order to retain their culture upon Malaysian acknowledgement.

Batik has spread out over Indonesia territory which is shown by the presence of

Indonesian batik communities in 18 provinces in Indonesia. Despite the presence of

Indonesian batik communities only in 18 provinces, the culture of wearing batik as daily

dress, batik production, as well as local batik patterns has encompassed most of Indonesian

provinces, more than 23 provinces (“Nomination for inscription on the Representative List in

2009 (Reference No. 00170)”). Hereby, we can see that batik is a part of social custom in

most of Indonesian society. In addition, Indonesian batik is a traditional handcraft that

requires all steps in the making of batik are carried out by hand. Moreover, the tools used to

make batik are also made by hand (Tirta 89). The spread of Indonesian batik is also one of

the reasons why it is chosen as national culture. Furthermore, Eriksen wrote explanation

concerning the effect of cultural similarity, “Cultural similarity among citizens becomes a

political programme vested in the state. In this way, national identities may, generally

speaking, be more comprehensive and may place greater demands on the individual than

ethnic identities in a polyethnic society” (116). For this circumstance, Indonesian people have

sense of belonging to Indonesian batik itself and legitimate their Indonesia-ness. In addition

Indonesian batik can bring identity or symbol which differs to other nations upon Indonesian

people; so that it is inevitable for Indonesian batik to be recognized as Indonesian national

culture (Sutardi 20).

Beside the spread of batik over Indonesia territory, most Indonesian people also

supported the admission of batik as Indonesian cultural heritage. According to the data from

Nomination for inscription on the Representative List in 2009 (Reference No. 00170), there

are 23 of 33 provinces noted to support batik to be acknowledged internationally (3).

 Patria 5

Although only 23 of 33 provinces, it does not mean that the other 10 provinces do not support

for batik acknowledgement, otherwise, the representatives are not available on the date when

the field research conducted at Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature (TMII). The support for batik

shows that batik can be acknowledged as a symbol or form of solidarity among the people

within Indonesia, the imagined communities. Through batik as the symbol of nationalism,

individuals are united into social groups (Smith 69).

2. Batik Strengthens Indonesian Nation-Building

Batik as Indonesian cultural heritage has evidently been known to have capability in

strengthening nation-building. The phenomenon batik claimed by Malaysia as their national

culture caused reaction from Indonesian people. In climax, there was anti Malaysia

demonstration as an embodiment of Indonesian pique due to the claim done by Malaysia

(“Malaysia Tidak akan Balas Demonstrasi di RI”). Such circumstance shows us that each

society in the imagined communities, although different ethnic, has sense-of-belonging to the

same object, that is batik. As Indonesians together struggling to demand the

acknowledgement of batik as Indonesian culture, we can see that sense of belonging can even

maintain the national security, although in terms of preserving culture.

In addition, the shared symbol such as Indonesian batik can provide a sense of

community which, then, can strengthen the sense of nationalism in each individual (Smith

72-73). By strengthening sense of nationalism, it can improve the unity of Indonesia that

results in improvement in all national aspects. Since Indonesian batik acknowledged as

national culture, its meaning changed. The use of ethnic symbol (batik actually is an ethnic

symbol before announced as national culture as well as acknowledged by UNESCO as

Indonesian cultural heritage) in nationalism is aimed to stimulate the reflection on

Indonesian’s own cultural distinctiveness and to create a feeling of nationhood (Eriksen 103).
 Patria 6

All Indonesian people can blend in one to acknowledge batik as their culture without viewing

ethnical, regional, or religious identity attached on them. Thereby, all Indonesian citizens

have the same feelings, those are sense of proud and sense of belonging, concerning batik as

the national culture that has been acknowledged internationally.

After the acknowledgement of Indonesian batik as national culture as well as

Indonesian cultural heritage by UNESCO, some regions attempt to establish batik

community. In Pamekasan, Madura, East Java, people plan to establish so-called “kampung

batik” and also to patent two batik patterns original from Pamekasan (“Pamekasan Akan

Dirikan Kampung Batik”). Although the reason to establish kampong batik is not solely to

preserve national culture, but also due to the development of batik itself, so that become

flourishing business that is able to maintain economic situation. This is one of the actions

done by Indonesian people in order to preserve their cultural heritage. Moreover, this action

shows that Maduranese, however, feel that batik is part of their culture as well. It means that

Maduranese has been tied with the shared symbol, that is batik, thus Maduranese can

acknowledged themselves as Indonesian. This phenomenon, then, strengthen Indonesian

nation building, not only in aspect of national security but also economical aspect.
 Patria 7

Conclusion

Indonesia as imagined communities according to Anderson theory consists of

thousands cultures. In order to unify all citizens within Indonesia, from Sabang to Merauke, a

form of solidarity is necessary. Batik came to be one of the forms of solidarity that is needed

in Indonesia, in other words, batik came to be Indonesian national culture. There are some

reasons regarding the acknowledgement of batik as national culture. First is the characteristic

of batik which is able to create solidarity among Indonesian people to protect batik itself

regarding to the acknowledgement by Malaysia. Second, batik has spread over Indonesia

territory, up to 18 provinces, and been clung on Indonesian society that become social custom

in society. Besides, batik can bring identity or symbol which differs to other nations so that

Indonesian people supports batik as Indonesian national culture. It is inevitable for batik to be

recognized as Indonesian national culture.

Another issue that brought up in this paper is the capability of batik to strengthen

Indonesian nation-building. Batik, indeed, has strengthened nation-building in Indonesia. We

can see on the protection of batik from the claim done by Malaysia. It shows that batik as

shared symbol, can stimulate sense of nationalism to preserve national symbol itself, that is

batik. Furthermore, sense of pride and belonging more increased within Indonesian people

due to the acknowledgement of batik internationally by UNESCO as Indonesian intangible

cultural heritage. Beside the national security, batik also maintain national economic situation

such as in Pamekasan which establish kampong batik. For these reasons, batik is evidently

able to strengthen nation-building in Indonesia.

 Patria 8

Works Cited

Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of

Nationalism. Rev. ed. London: Verso, 2006. Print.

“Batik.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.

Eriksen, Thomas Hylland. Ethnicity and Nationalism: Anthropological Perspectives. London:

Pluto Press, 1993. Print.

Hofstede, Geert. Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and

Organizations Across Nations. California: Sage Publication, Inc., 2001. Google Book

Search. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.

“Malaysia Tidak akan Balas Demonstrasi di RI.” TVOne. TVOne: news+sports, 9 Sept. 2009.

Web. 21 Nov. 2010.

“Nomination for inscription on the Representative List in 2009 (Reference No. 00170).”

UNESCO. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Sept.

2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.

“Pamekesan Akan Dirikan Kampung Batik”. Kompas.com. Kompas, 28 Sept. 2010. Web. 16

Nov. 2010.

Prihadiyoko, Imam. “Soetrisno Bachir Usulkan 2 Oktober sebagai Hari Batik Nasional.”

Kompas.com. Kompas, 30 Sept. 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.

Smith, Anthony D. Nationalism and Modernism. London: Routledge, 1998. Print.

Sutardi, Tedi. Antropologi: Mengungkap Keragaman Budaya. Bandung: PT Setia Purna

Inves, 2007. Google Book Search. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.

 Patria 9

Tirta, Iwan. Batik, A Play of Light and Shades. Jakarta: PT Gaya Favorit Press, 1996. Google

Book Search. Web. 13 Nov.2010.