Batik Day 2024: Embracing Indonesia’s Heritage
By Kimi Mackenzie Wibowo (BM ‘22)
Jakarta, 2nd October 2024 – Did you know, Batik Day is celebrated every year on October 2nd after the award-winning pattern was dubbed a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity? Originating mostly from Java, batik’s rich history expands to the European continent, predominantly during the colonial era. Known for its complex dyeing technique, batik has continuously surprised the world with its beauty, proof that patience rewards with the most beautiful piece of art. To this day, batik has its many variations across the world, widely found in other countries such as China and India. Although having different names, they are batik-inspired as the dyeing technique is adopted from batik’s.
On the 2nd of October, 2024, the i3L lobby was busy even in the early hours of the morning, celebrating Batik Day, a day dedicated to the beauty and diversity of the Indonesian-based pattern of clothing. The lobby was filled with students opening their booth, selling Indonesian traditional snacks ranging from mouth-watering, bite-sized foods such as cente manis, bakso goreng, pastel, kue putu to drinks as iconic as soda gembira. In front of the selling booths was a small, hand-made photo booth backdrop with the words “Batik Day, 2 Oct 2024” and batik cloths decorated its surroundings, made for people to take their pictures as they pose with their friends, flaunting the batik they’re wearing. A social media challenge was held through Instagram, allowing i3L students to express their creativity when showing off their batik as the winner takes home a prize. The anticipation rose as the hours passed by, as many students and faculty members gathered to buy what it seems one of the rarest items sold in i3L selling booth history. It’s not every day you get to see these types of snacks, perhaps they thought, as the high demand for a restock was evident. Many people also took their time as they explored the creative poses when posing in front of the photo booth backdrop along with their friends. Thanks to the endless support of i3L students and the faculties, Batik Day was a success! Cheers to more celebrations and sweet desserts.
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Samhain, which is pronounced sow-in, is of Gaelic origin which means “summer’s end”. It was a pagan celebration marking the end of the summer and welcoming the harvest of the new year. The Celts believed that during Samhain, the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, and spirits are able to roam about the land of the living. That is why people would often light bonfires and wear costumes to disguise themselves as harmful spirits and in turn avoid harm.
As Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, it merged with Christian traditions during the 9th century. Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, and the night before became All Hallows’ Eve, later known as Halloween. Over time, especially in North America, Halloween shifted from a formal occasion to a festive occasion. Traditions like carving pumpkins, dressing up in costumes, and trick-or-treating became popular, making it a widely celebrated cultural event focused on fun, creativity, and all things spooky.
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