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Minangkabau Batik : the living art rooted in memory.



Between the shadows of the bustling streets of Padang, capital of the island and province of West Sumatra, echoes the identity of the Indonesian Archipelago : batik.

In the Batik Tanah Liek workshop-boutique, we are welcomed into the main gallery to learn and discover the artisanal processes behind this ancestral technique.
Founded in 1995, Hj. Wirda Hanim Sajak pays tribute to the Minangkabau ethnic group through batik, which extends and grows beyond culture and history, breathing life into every corner of Indonesia.

A dyeing technique that unfolds in detail : colors and pigments.
Originally from Java, batik is the very body of a vibrant heritage. Meticulously drawn and crafted, the fabric typically made of cotton or silk, is unique. It embodies the consciousness of each person who gifted their time to it.
For « Tulis Batik », it is the hands that narrate the story of the textile. Guided by a tool called canting : a small wooden brush with a metal spout, which traces the fabric with hot and melted wax.
« Cap Batik », on the other hand, creates patterns using stamps, usually made of copper or wood.


The handwritten or stamped motifs are protected during multiple dye baths, in several stages. Layer by layer, the complexity of the symbols is revealed, adorning the still-preserved culture of this rich tradition. Each color requires its own dye bath with a fresh application of hot and melted wax, enhancing and illuminating the timelessness of traditional cloth. It is boiling water, after rinsing and wringing, that lifts the wax from the fibers and reveals its hidden writing.

While the progressive use of chemical dyes is increasingly common, the Batik Tanah Liek workshop favors natural and local dyes for its plant-based coloring process.
These include rambutan (Nephelium Lappacetum), gambier (Uncaria Gambir), tunjung (a natural iron-based mordant) and betel leaves (Daun Sirih).

Batik is worn as an expression of nature, culture, community and social status. For major occasions, rituals, official ceremonies, political events and the rhythm of the present moment ; these garments are passed down from generation to generation. In resonance with Indonesian heritage, batik has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO since 2009.



Batik is a technique that honors the truths of each ethnic group and the wealth of their philosophical and spiritual beliefs. Even though each piece is unique in its colors, patterns, the complexity of the fabric, or even the process of the textile : the history remains intact. It is the transmission of a complex craftsmanship, carried out with care and precision. 



In a moment suspended in time, I was able to see, learn and feel the pride of the artisans.
Of those who create and share with such humility : the legacy of their roots.
To preserve culture is to open oneself to abundance, a gift that I was warmly granted. 



To those tinted hands who allowed mine to be stained in return, to understand and learn.
To the wax and to the tools, which sometimes awkwardly warmed my palms.

Thank you for this offering to the art of craft.






Contact :
Batik Tanah Liek Khas Minangkabau
Hj. Wirda Hanim Sajak - Galeri Utama
norabasrida@gmail.com
+62 823 8860 7713
Padang - West Sumatra, Indonesia.