Batik Storytelling: Decoding the Motifs of Javanese Textile Art

Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Month through Indonesian Batik Artistry

May 13, 2024

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Month! I have been waiting for the perfect time to examine complex motifs in my Javanese Batik collection. This May, I’d love to share what I have learned about the meanings behind highlighted motifs imbued in Batik textiles made in Central Java, especially those from Pekalongan (at the north coast of Java), and central court cities of Solo and Yogyakarta.

Unlike any other month this year, I will publish three newsletter issues - on May 13 (rescheduled from May 11), May 18, and May 25. The first two issues will be free, while the last one on May 25 will be for paid subscribers only. I hope you'll enjoy my exploration of Javanese batik motifs, showcasing how textile art and culture are deeply interwoven.

Javanese Batik piece with butterfly and fern motifs, draped on a dress form.

I started planning this newsletter when Kimberly Kuniko of Lacelit entrusted me with a bundle of vintage Javanese batik textiles and a pair of wayang golek (wooden puppets), previously belonging to her family member who passed away. I was delighted to receive such gifts, but more importantly I was very grateful for her generous gesture of friendship.

The wayang golek couple I received from Kimberly. They are in good condition, however their clothes were a bit tattered.

By that time in November 2023, I had accumulated a small selection of Javanese batik textiles, most of them gifts from family. The urge to look up meanings behind their symbolism have bubbled up for a while, so that experience was the necessary catalyst to put the gears in motion.

My internalized meaning of BATIK

For you, the word “batik” may refer to the dye resist technique of decorating a piece of cloth using wax. Using batik technique allows you to layer many colors, exhibiting complex designs and colors as the end result. For me however, that word means something completely different, it goes beyond a specific technique.

As a Chinese Indonesian growing up in Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia, BATIK represents facets of culture from various ethnic groups, senses of identity that’s rich with philosophical beliefs, traditions, hopes and dreams, all communicated through complex textile art that include thousands of design motifs. With both parents born and raised in Central Java, the prevalence of Javanese batik in our lives is strong. Garments of Javanese batik designs are typically worn in formal office wear and formal social occasions.

However, I did not understand or take serious notice of Javanese batik designs and their rich symbolism until after I left Indonesia. I had little knowledge about what certain motifs mean, let alone take any interest in them. What’s important for me was purely aesthetic impressions, and what kind of motifs are appropriate for which occasions.

Sometimes, I either got intimidated by people who chose to wear certain Batik motifs in lavish finishes for certain formal occasions (especially government officials), or got bored encountering the same three-four motifs over and over again. Forget about finding meanings underneath each motif choice. I wouldn’t even think the person wearing it cares, either! I took this rich heritage for granted.

Map of Indonesia made using Batik methods by Pare Anom Yogyakarta.

The turning point

Roughly a decade or so ago, I started to see Javanese batik in a new light shortly after I started to learn how to sew. There’s much we can communicate through color and design choices, yet Javanese batik textiles take this concept to the highest art form.

In 2009, UNESCO inscribed Indonesian Batik on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Since then, Indonesia celebrates a National Batik Day on October 2nd.

“Indonesian Batik has a rich symbolism related to social status, local community, nature, history and cultural heritage; provides Indonesian people with a sense of identity and continuity as an essential component of their life from birth to death, and continues to evolve without losing its traditional meaning.”
- UNESCO

My entryway is decorated with these Javanese Batik artworks. The wayang golek bride and groom adorn new attires, and the wall frames showcase two Javanese Batik textiles. All Batik textiles re from Kimberly’s generous gifts.

Note: I first wrote about the meaning behind these Batik motifs at the beginning of 2024. They are part of my well wishes for 2024. My interpretations have evolved since then.

A (Very) Brief History of Indonesian Batik

While it’s believed that Batik textiles originated in Java, there are arguments that it originated from India, Sri Lanka or ancient Egypt from the 5th and 6th century AD.

Influences of Hindu and Buddhist cultures from India entered the Indonesian Archipelago at the end of the 7th century. Early traces of Indonesian Batik development are attributed to the dominance of Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit Empire (1292 - 1527).

The second highly attributed period of Javanese Batik development is during the Mataram Kingdom in the 16th century. During this time, the majority of Javanese people adopted Islamic faith. This in turn influenced Javanese textile designs greatly, as Islam forbids depiction of humans and animals. To get around this prohibition, animal and plant motifs on Batik are done in a highly stylized manner, a practice that’s still the case until now. There are human depictions as well in Batik, but they are not as commonly seen in my experience.

The word “Batik” is a combination of “amba” (to write) and “nitik” (to create pictures by making dots). Its highest art form is Batik Tulis. Artists use cotton and silk fabrics as their plain canvases. First, they draw an overall pattern. Then, they paint on the fabrics using canting, a pen-like tool used to apply liquid hot wax. Colors and designs are applied and revealed layer by layer by repeated process of dye baths and wax removal / reapplying.

Plant dyes were typically used until the 1800s, however now it’s almost exclusively done with synthetic dyes for colorfastness. This whole process can take anywhere from one month to two years or more..

The 19th century brought a more expedited method of producing Batik, using stamps made out of copper plates. Textiles made using this method are called Batik Cap. As Batik Tulis are highly labor-extensive and traditionally reserved only for royalty, Batik Cap are more accessible to own for common folks.

Nowadays, most Javanese Batik you’d see in the market are Batik Cetak, printed textiles that are highly affordable, albeit with more varied qualities.

The Javanese Batik textiles from Kimberly. They are now part of my Javanese textile collection.

My current Javanese Batik collection consists of both modern Batik Cetak variety, a couple Batik Cap, and a few Batik Tulis / Batik Cap combination varieties (i.e. the designs are stamped first, and then resurfaced with wax-resist method).

Thank you for reading Fafafoom Studio Newsletter. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Batik Motifs: the Melting Pot of Visual Communication

University of Oslo’s Historical Museum says it best:

“Traditional batik cloths were charged with a profusion of visual messages. They were the visual expressions of the philosophical and spiritual concepts of the Javanese people. These motifs may often seem enigmatic and their message cryptic to the uninitiated, but most of the people who wore them understood their underlying meaning. What one wore was not arbitrary. One can marvel at the patterns of certain batiks and be content with the visual experience, but more often closer study will reveal a second level of experience.”

Throughout history, the Java island has been a fertile crossroads of many cultures. As a result, Javanese Batik textiles record the meeting of cultures across many communities - from early Hindu and Buddhist influencers from India and Sri Lanka, Chinese immigrants, Arab and Middle Eastern merchants, European colonizers (most notably Dutch), the Japanese, to the African continent.

Therefore, the motifs and visual messages in Javanese Batik textiles are incredibly rich and nuanced. It’s a melting pot of ideas, and they converse with each other through visual communication unlike nothing else I’ve seen before.

Case in point: I went to UCLA’s African Print Fashion Now! Exhibition. There’s one popular African print that is highly popular, lovingly called a bunch of bananas. In the picture below, it’s shown on the hanging textile on the right. Made by DKM (Deventer Katoen Maatschappij voorheen Ankersmit & Co) in the Netherlands, the Bunch of Bananas was designed in 1924 and produced circa 1950s.

Picture taken from UCLA’s African Print Fashion Now! In 2017. These textiles are courtesy of Vlisco Museum, the Netherlands.

This Bunch of Bananas are apparently a result of gradual interpretation of Lar, a single Garuda Wing motif that’s prominent in Javanese Batik. The leftmost textile showcased Lar motif (albeit in upside down orientation), made in 1866.

The label accompanying this piece states, “Dutch manufacturers in the late 19th century devised mechanized methods of imitation in hopes of appealing to Indonesian markets by undercutting locally hand-produced cloth. Indonesians were unimpressed, however, and the Dutch and English sought other markets, specifically West African, for their commercial prints.”

The Garuda Wing design shown on the center is made by DKM, designed in 1922 and produced in the 1950s. The label states, “the earliest Dutch manufacturers of African-print cloth created copies of Indonesian designs, here an interpretation of Garuda wing.”

Isn’t it interesting how one beloved pattern in one country can morph into something totally different and become beloved in another? Examining these three textiles during that exhibition was so memorable; an exciting experience.

As I mentioned, the orientation of the Garuda wing was upside down at this exhibition. Maybe it was intentional, or maybe it was not. In any case, I don’t know any Indonesian who would be wearing an upside down Lar! So here’s what Lar is supposed to look like in its proper orientation.

It will take a while to absorb the symbols behind every motif depicted in a single Javanese fabric. So in this series of May newsletter, I’m going to cherry pick several things to focus on. I will point out the categories of geometric v. non-geometric patterns, pictorial styles, and/or distinct characteristics of how designs are laid out in a piece of Javanese Batik textile.

We will examine five Javanese Batik textiles this time. All of them are around 100 cm long (40”) with varying widths - 220 to 254 cm (90”- 100”) long. Next time, we will examine 6 more, and the last issue of the month will be about using Javanese Batik motifs in garments in my wardrobe.

Please keep in mind that what I share here is my amateur interpretation, and it may evolve over time. There are thousands and thousands of Batik motifs available, and the art keeps evolving with new designers. That said, I sincerely hope that you enjoy exploring the symbolic meanings and cultural significance behind Javanese batik motifs with me!

Share Fafafoom Studio Newsletter

Phoenix lung-lungan

This piece of gorgeous Javanese Batik most likely comes from Solo, the capital city of the court of Surakarta. The muted yellow and brown base gives away its origin identity, as well as its intricate design qualities. This cotton textile was purchased in the mid 1990s at a Batik Keris store, and it seems like it’s made using a combination of Batik Tulis and Batik Cap methods.

The overall composition is dense, yet each design element is cleanly defined. Lung-lungan refers to the interconnecting curling tendrils and buds. They provide an interlocking background, which signifies interdependence and the need to help each other. Lung-lungan motifs are based on Hindu, Buddhist, or Javanese origins, as well as Europe and China.

This design focuses on birds (most likely phoenix or birds of paradise) as well as vining flowers (perhaps lotus or chrysanthemums). In between all the birds, flowers, buds, leaves, and vines, you can see white dot fillers that make the complex scene more alive. Lotus flowers symbolize pursuit of perfection and strong spirituality - the strength to persevere in tough times.

The Chinese symbolism refers to phoenix as a female symbol. In Java, the mythical bird (also known as burung hong) is a male emblem. Phoenix is associated with peace, prosperity, and a ward against bad luck. They are also symbols of fortune, fame, health and longevity.

When they are shown as a pair, they also symbolize a happy marriage. On this textile, it looks like the male phoenix (with long curling plumes) is shown on the left side, looking right. The female one (depicted with serrated tail feathers) is shown on the right side, looking left.

Last but not least, this design depicts natural elements of flora and fauna. When those two are shown together, we are reminded to acknowledge the power of nature. That it can bring powerful changes - both positives and negatives. The warm overtones and clean contrasts of chosen motifs makes me believe that this Javanese Batik piece would be a lovely gift to a newlywed or a married couple.

Butterflies, Flowers, and Ferns

This Javanese Batik piece showcasing butterflies, flowers, and ferns is a gift from my Mom in late 2000s or early 2010s. While she bought it in Yogyakarta, it’s likely made in Pekalongan, the largest Javanese Batik producer on the north coast of Java. The biggest telltale is the use of colors. Pekalongan Batik pieces tend to be bright and colorful, often using up to 8 contrasting colors.

You can also see the lung-lungan interlocking ferns and vines in the background. The separation of background and foreground seems clearer here than on the previous Batik.

Here, the butterflies take center stage, most likely a nod to the Hokokai style, an assimilation of Javanese and Japanese cultural aesthetics. I couldn’t identify the flower species clearly, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them depict cherry blossoms or lilies.

That said, the butterfly designs are on the plumper side, and that’s more associated with the Chinese style. The Chinese butterflies symbolize a happy marriage. Knowing that my Mom gave it to me before I got married, I think it makes perfect sense!

This Javanese Batik is one of my favorites. It’s bright yet a bit mellow, and the use of pink color is fresh and unexpected. It’s also the only piece I have that has butterflies on them. I had plans of making something with it, however I couldn’t make myself cut this lovely piece.

I might just reserve this to wear as a wrap skirt just as-is. There’s no indication about how it’s made, however it’s likely to be made through a combination of Batik Cap and Batik Tulis methods, judging from its color fastness and vibrancy.

Thank you for reading Fafafoom Studio Newsletter. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Like the Phoenix lung-lungan piece, this textile was purchased at a Batik Keris store in the mid-1990s. Notice the golden brown overall base background. It’s a characteristic of Batik Sogan, a classical Javanese Batik category from the courts of Yogyakarta and Solo. Batik Sogan is colored with Soga tree bark, giving way to that unique golden brown hue. The prominence of the golden brown color indicates Solo as its origin, and it signifies humility, calmness, warmth, and friendly personality.

Javanese Batik include many stylized depictions of natural elements due to the Islamic prohibition. Therefore, sometimes it’s hard to identify exact plant or animal species drawn on Batik textiles. I can’t figure this one out.

I don’t think it’s lotus because there’s a lack of angular curves (compare this image with the Phoenix lung-lungan one). It’s also not plumeria or hibiscus, both are also popular flowers to draw on Javanese Batik fabrics. Rather, they look like peonies, perhaps an influence of Japanese, Chinese, or European countries. Flowers are generally seen as a symbol of feminine beauty.

Unlike the first two textiles, notice the tidy geometric background. These particular tiny flowers (or sometimes stars) arranged in the intersection of diagonal lines are called truntum, one of the most popular ceplok (geometric background) patterns. Made by Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Kencana, wife of Pakubuwono III, it symbolizes reawakening of lost love.

Nowadays, truntum symbolizes everlasting, blossoming love, and it’s a popular choice for events like weddings, engagements, or events that celebrate love. It’s common for parents of the bride to wear it during the wedding. It also signifies hopes for happiness, and sometimes also interpreted that the parents are expected to “guide” the bride and groom into their new married life.

Throughout this month’s newsletters, we will touch upon forbidden motifs for certain occasions. So here’s the first one. Because the truntum motif means blossoming love, it’s not appropriate to wear this motif for funerals.

Semen design with truntum background

This Javanese Batik piece is a gift from my Mom in late 2000s or early 2010s. It has a complex semen composition, showcasing a pictographic, imaginary landscape. Semi refers to small buds and young leaves, which are usually shown as interconnected tendrils of buds and plants. In this sense, the Phoenix lung-lungan above would also be considered a semen design.

This Batik Cap textile has black and brown base color palette, which indicates that it’s a Batik Sogan from Yogyakarta. Black signifies worldly desires, while brown indicates humility and calmness. In a way, the base colors would make the wearer feel grounded while attuned to their worldly desires.

We see the truntum background in this textile as well. They set the stage for the stylized roosters, plants, and stylized temples and mountains usually depicted in wayang puppet shows. This particular composition of landscape is called semen rama. Rama is short for Ramayana, the much beloved Sanskrit epic tale from India, and one of the main sources of wayang story telling.

This semenrama design symbolizes the blossoming of life, and is imbued with messages of how to be a good leader. Those who wear batik adorned with this motif are encouraged to assume leadership roles and shield their followers from malevolent forces. This is why semen rama designs are favored amongst politicians and government officials, especially with Garuda wing motifs.

Semen Rama design with Garuda wings. Source: Batik Danar Hadi

Kain Batu with Semen Design

This Kain Batu piece was gifted by my friend Stephanie several years ago, pre-Covid. Her relative gifted her this piece, she had plans to create something with it. However, she never got around to it. So after several years of holding, she decided to give it to me. The original purchase date is unknown.

A couple of years later, I cut and sewed a pair of pants. The picture above was when I laid them flat on the cutting table, weighed down in places with tile samples. Afterwards, they became one of my favorite pants. I wear them quite often, and people love commenting on these pants whenever they see me wear them.

Wearing my Kain Batu pants during the Fibershed Design Challenge Showcase in Fall 2023.

Compared to the others, this piece is more recently made. Many merchants now sell modern Batik pieces as “Kain Batu Batik” from many emerging brands; it's hard to keep track. The fiber content of this particular piece is cotton and polyester blend, and it’s a little bit stiff. I’m not sure about the origin, but the colors are most consistent with Pekalongan’s signature.

The design is also more modern-looking. I’d still consider this a semen design, albeit it’s a little rigid in composition. Don’t get me wrong, all of the curly, curving motifs are dynamic, showing influences from both Chinese and European cultures. However, the designs are aligned and repeated strictly on the x and y axis, which in turn anchors the excitement.

It reminds me of a late example of the batik nasional project, initiated in the 1950s by President Sukarno. The promotion was based on the development of a truly national style acceptable to all women who considered themselves Indonesian first and foremost rather than Javanese, Sundanese, or Peranakan. For various reasons, the project never took off.

Regardless, I love the intricate motifs of this textile. It has a variety of plant motifs, each cluster contained within their own curvy vessel or background area. For me, they symbolize beauty, femininity, spirit of life, as well as fertility. It’s a happy piece and I’m all here for it!

That’s it for now! What do you think? Please leave feedback or show some love in ways you can. This month, creating Fafafoom Studio newsletter issues takes much more work than usual, and I hope you all enjoy them. Look forward to the next issue, scheduled for May 18!

Thanks for reading; until next time,
Mira Musank

Special Acknowledgements:

Thank you Mary Connors from Textile Arts Council for her excellent reading recommendations:

If you have more Indonesian or Javanese batik reading recommendations, please chime in and I’ll add it to the list!