National Batik Day is a day of national celebration in Indonesia to commemorate the designation of the batik as a Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on October 2, 2009, by UNESCO. UNESCO's determination to make batik an intangible cultural heritage, not only sees batik as a patterned cloth but also because batik is passed down from generation to generation.
History of Batik in Indonesia
Batik is a technique of drawing motifs on cloth using canting and wax. The word 'batik' comes from the Javanese 'amba' (to write) and 'dot'.
The decision to designate batik as a Humanitarian Heritage for Oral and Intangible Culture was issued by UNESCO at the 4th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This moment inspired the sixth president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), to make October 2 as National Batik Day. However, this national commemoration is slightly different from other commemoration days, because National Batik Day is not a national holiday.
This provision is contained in Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 33 of 2009 which was issued on November 17, 2009, concerning National Batik Day. In accordance with the Presidential Decree, National Batik Day needs to be commemorated because batik has received international recognition as a world cultural heritage originating from Indonesia.
Furthermore, through the Presidential Decree, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Circular No. 003.3/10132/SJ regarding the Use of Batik Shirts in the framework of National Batik Day which is commemorated every 2 October. Based on the letter, the Ministry of Home Affairs urges all central, state, and district/city government officials and employees to wear batik every National Batik Day.
With the commemoration of National Batik Day, it is hoped that this can foster community pride and love for local culture, including batik. Let's preserve the culture inherited from our ancestors and always love local culture and products by wearing batik today.
