Indonesian batik: An emblem of the BRICS cultural exchanges

In the diverse cultural landscape of the BRICS countries, each nation's culture shines like a brilliant star, illuminating and enhancing the others. Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage craft of batik printing stands out as a remarkable symbol of cultural exchange with its unique charm.

Batik is an integral part of Indonesian life and has a long and rich history dating back to the 5th century AD. Initially reserved for the Javanese royal family and nobility, its popularity gradually spread to the wider public. On October 2, 2009, UNESCO inscribed Indonesian batik on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which Indonesia later designated as National Batik Day.

The batik production process is extremely elaborate and is divided into two categories: hand-painting and machine printing. In the hand-painting method, artisans use a special wooden-handled copper pen to draw patterns meticulously on cloth with liquid wax. Once the wax has cooled, the cloth is dyed. The wax-coated parts retain their original color, and if multiple colors are required, the process is repeated several times. A skilled artisan may take more than 10 days to complete a hand-painted batik piece.

Batik patterns are rich in symbolic meanings and cultural connotations. There are over 5,800 patterns in total, some of which draw from traditional Indonesian songs, dances, and myths. Others incorporate diverse cultural elements, such as Arabic calligraphy and symbols like the Chinese phoenix and Japanese cherry blossoms. These elements reflect Indonesia's historical integration and exchanges with other world civilizations.