Batik Workshop
Towards the end of last term, Indonesian Language classes, some of our international students, and 3 teachers took part in the Batik Workshop with Pak Rafael with the support of an NT Government International Education Innovation Grant.
By creating their wax-resist dyeing cloth, students had the opportunity to learn about the process of creating Batik cloth as well as some traditional Indonesian culture. During this workshop, students were introduced to many kinds of Batik designs and types (Batik tulis / hand-printed Batik and Batik cap/block printed Batik). The instructions were given to the group in both Indonesian and then English.
Within the 90-minute workshop, students had a chance to design their own Batik, starting with putting their design ideas on paper and then transferring their Batik pattern the cloth by carefully applying hot wax with a spouted tool called a canting. Finally, they put their designed fabric in the dye bath and dried it out before Pak Rafael boiled the clothes to remove all the wax from the fabric.
At the end of this unforgettable experience, students produced a very fascinating Batik which they are very proud of.
Some students’ reflections:
Today we engaged in an exciting activity- making Batik. This captivating experience really immersed me into Indonesian culture. I found creating designs for the Batik interesting and exhilarating. My experience would be exponentially enhanced if I had the opportunity to participate again. This was really fun! (Vy)
We took part in a Batik workshop today. This was a new experience for me, and I found it interesting to learn new things about Indonesian culture. Pak Rafael and Ibu Christie really helped in completing today’s task. Although creating Batik was a challenging task, I still found it very enjoyable. I am very excited to take my final Batik product. I hope I can participate more in Indonesian hands-on activities. (Ayisha)
I found making Batik was fairly easy but messy. I designed number 67 as it holds a special meaning behind it. I enjoyed this activity because it’s interesting to learn about Indonesian culture. (Jethro)
