What Makes Batik So Special in Stece?

Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. This technique originates from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a stamp. 

Batik Day is celebrated every October 2. Likewise with SMP Stella Duce 1, my school. SMP Stella Duce 1 joined in celebrating batik day by wearing batik clothes made by the students themselves. Yup, because at SMP Stella Duce 1 there is a batik lesson. 

According to my experience, in 7th grade we made jumputan batik. Meanwhile, in 8th grade we made hand-drawn batik. I will discuss jumputan batik first. Jumputan batik is a batik made by tie-dyeing, which is tied with rope/rubber dipped in color. This batik does not use wax, but the cloth is tied or sewn and creased using a rope/rubber. Meanwhile, written batik is a type of batik where the manufacturing process is done manually using hands. This batik is done by incising wax on the cloth. 

Of course, this process takes quite a long time. But it feels short because the process is exciting. Also because they are accompanied by expert batik teachers. By the way, it's not just students who wear homemade batik clothes. Teacher at SMP Stella Duce 1 also wore homemade batik clothes. 

Not only that. SMP Stella Duce 1 Yogyakarta succeeded in breaking the record of the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) as a pioneer school that uses its own batik. Where the batik tradition at Stella Duce 1 started in 1985 and continues to be preserved until now it is part of education in schools. Our school is really cool, right? I am proud to be a student at SMP Stella Duce 1.

JEMIMA FELICIA VIDHIANTO

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