Happy new year guys!!
New year brings up the new resolution, to have better everything in our life.
Well, something certainly getting better and better all the time. One community i supported, Komunitas Pembatik Podhek Pamekasan under tutelage of Bang Rusydi Bawazir is exploring the Pamekasan's possibility to nearing/equal the batik quality produced by the legendary Oey SOe Tjoen of Kedungwuni .
Of course this is no simple matter , as for so long the skill that had once there , had gradually dissappeared due to the low demand of fine-quality Pamekasan Batik production. Batik Pamekasan, well, Madura in general, always suffer with "cheap & garish" stigma, something hold true fact until today. But once in the past there were tradition to produce high-quality batik for local & outside Madurese-community.
And this legacy that Bang Rusydi wants to put into reality. again.
Look at this my latest acquisition.
Produced by Udin , 28 year (and friends , automatically, since batiking isn't solo creation) with reference of famous buketan motif from Peranakan-Dutch origin.
The technique was superb,all in hand-drawn process, and faithfull to the old tradition of deep-dipping-only coloring process (note : this process is time-consuming and costly, since every colors appears in the batik means that they have to be created from dipping process, not some much cheaper-over-brush process popular today)
A couple of weeks ago me and my friends had a 'semi' business trip to Madura. Usually this means that we headed straight to Pamekasan. But i didnt know why im headed to different direction. Yes, i was heading to Bangkalan , Madura.
Years a go when i was mere collectors i had contacts in Tanjungbumi. They were (and still) the producer of the famous Tanjunngbumi-style Madurese Batik, hat have distinct characeristic from more-vibrant variety of Pamekasan's. And i'd longed to see how they're doing.
Headed to this direction means we're about to see lots of 'beach-line' at the left-side of the road, lots of traditional market in Sepulu, and nostalgic off-beaten roads ahead (Bangkalan-Pamekasan ruthe via Tanjungbumi's in the north-side of this island, and since it has less quality in the road condition and relatively narrow, usually it was quieter and less "big-boy" trucks along the way.
As familiar as it is, Tanjungbumi with its single-road in the middle of this market-town, was exactly as i was imagined before. Nothing major changes and i hadn't difficulty to find my way to Hajjah Waty, my supplier and personal friend.
Might not familiar with practice, buying batik (a least in this region) was social affair. It means we spent considerable amount of time chatting , catching up old gossip about mutual friends, lots of locally-brewed coffee and sweet teas, and of course, lunch ( it is consideredly rude to refuse such offering, beside, it was perfect timing for your stomach-condition LOL)
Yu can see it yourself the result of our hunting, here. No fancy-quality batik since i'd focused on 'ready-to-wear kind of batik, the one ready to be made into shirts and coats.
And since i was having good bargain, i posted several pieces of sarongs to my FB accounts with 'good' pricing, and gladly my friends also enjoyed too (they were snapped quickly....)
Actually it was a while a go, this visit to Banyuwangi, and i dont want to write this as a strict journal, rather than a (distant) sketch of my memory of the actual visit.
All of my friends (a bus-load of friends that is) couldnt be agreed that the highlight of this trip was a visit to Kampung Wisata Osing owned by Pak Iwan, Coffee Maker (and automatically the owner of coffee industry based in Banyuwangi). This artistically-arranged desa wisata was only a couple of km away from central Banyuwangi, the closed-gate compound with several teak-wood antique houses surrounded by lush greenery and great ambience.
No doubt that the night's mood was settled in more relaxed atmosphere when we went into the front small courtyard welcomed by strange but familiar sound : the nature sound of ladies playing lesung, a traditional rice-processing device that now serves as musical instruments. It was magical experience to see these old ladies creating rythm and beautiful music from such a simple everyday objects. My ever enthusiast friends didnt hesitate to join the ladies to merry the night.
After sumptuous dinner with brief local culinary lecture, the night was held to its height by a couple of Jejer dancer, the seducing dance of old Blambangan Kingdom welcoming dignitaries and demand participation from each of our bus' members.
Little did we know that the highlight of the night wasnt the Jejer dance, it wasnt also the brief explanation of the dance, the outfits, cultural significance of the dance and discussion afterward, but a batik parade. Yes, it was batik parade , held by senior ladies with black kebaya that previously being musicians.With obvious pride, each ladies held wide the heirloom of each families, piece of old Banyuwangi Batik that has been in family, many-many years. With each ladies assumed their place in front of us, we couldnt held ourselves more, ransacking front to see up-close and took lots of pictures and make a buzzling sound of admirations. Shortly : it was chaotic. In a rather fun and beautiful way.
Each ladies was telling stories of the batik they held, helped by translator since many of the ladies couldnt express their thoughts in bahasa indonesia. We were formed many circles around each ladies, enjoying their personal stories and hearing explanation from Banyuwangi Expertise. After this, we drank some specially-brewed coffee and tea, and it was simply heaven.
A good story, merry dance, beautiful batik, delicious cofee, lots of friends.
Couldnt asked more.
