Cirebon Attempts to Recapture People`s Interest on Batik
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Kamis, 1 Januari 1970 07:00 WIB
Cirebon batik from INDONESIA. TEMPO/Aris Novia Hidayat
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In hopes of capturing people’s enthusiasm towards one of Indonesia’s traditional clothing, batik entrepreneurs of Cirebon, West Java, held a masquerade festival in commemorating the National Batik Day that is celebrated annually on October 2.
“In commemorating the National Batik Day, we held numerous competitions together with a masquerade festival,” said Batik Trusmi entrepreneur in Cirebon, Ibnu Riyanto yesterday. She explained that it is also aimed to combine and merge two Cirebon traditions.
In the midst of a less-enthusiastic climate of the batik industry, she hopes that the festival will spark the area’s tourism. She claims that the batik industry briefly sky-rocketed in 2008-2011 when it was claimed by Malaysia; “But now it has resided.”
Several attempts were done by the local Cirebon government to rejuvenate people’s interest towards the region’s batik and help accommodate the local batik crafters. Among others were the policy for state employees to wear batik for two working days on Thursday and Friday.