Post Earthquake: the Future of a Batik Crafters' Village

Imogiri is the location of the Sultan cemetery, is also part of Bantul District, in Yogyakarta (Google Earth Yogyakarta and you'll know how far is the district from the City). Imogiri is also the center of Bantulan batik, which was the folk-batik genre, that has distinct characteristics compare to the royal Batik in Jogjakarta or the pesisir (coastline) areas in Northern Central Java. Batik crafters have been living in this area for years. Batik painting is a skill inherited from their parents, and parents of parents.There were about 900 groups of batik crafters in Imogiri, consist of both old and young people organized in groups of crafters; overall there were 4,500 crafters in Imogiri. Photo: courtesy of Jogjaheritage.org. The May 27 earthquake had shaken Bantul district as well as Bantulan batik crafters’ life. Imogiri was among the hardest hit region where the city literally lost its capacity to function. Most of the residents are still mourning from losing their family members, or their house, and their life. But Jogja Heritage Society, with “Sekar Jagad”, Friends of Indonesian Batik, Yayasan Losari (Losari Foundation), Mayasari Indonesia, LPM, Yogyakarta Agricultural Institute, and individual donators, are preparing “Revitalization of Imogiri Batik Craft” program to help rebuild the city and the residents based on their most potential intangible heritage. This activity is part of the program called “Give Back Jogja Heritage”, an integrated conservation effort of tangible and intangible heritage by rebuilding the economy through utilizing their potential assets. This program is aimed to assist the crafters to be independent in the future. Several programs are: batik training and workshop to employ local crafters, daily batik market, and forming group batik painting. The overall Imogiri batik craft revitalization activities will be held in Pajimatan village, Girirejo, Imogiri District in Bantul, Yogyakarta. The key of these activities are to get the local community as involved as possible by utilizing “what they can do” or their most potential assets to help them to get back on their feet while simultaneously revitalizing the culture and the economy. This story is taken from Jogja Heritage Society, a coalition of friends of Jogja Heritage. If interested in helping, please contact Jogja Heritage Society: www.jogjaheritage.org