CHANDI 2025, World Delegation Enthusiastically Learns Mencanting

The atmosphere of learning is reversing at CHANDI 2025 (Doc. Kemenbud)

JAKARTA A different atmosphere was present on the sidelines of the international cultural event CHANDI 2025 at The Meru Sanur, Denpasar, Baki, Thursday, September 4. Not just discussion or exhibition, the delegates and invited guests were invited to experience firsthand batik experiences, complete with canting, hot wax, and coloring processes.

This workshop was hosted by Muhammad Taufan Wicaksono and Muhammad Rizqi Darmawan, batik craftsmen from Laweyan, Surakarta. Since the beginning of the session, participants were introduced to batik as Indonesian original wastra which was recognized by UNESCO. "We always celebrate the October 2nd as Batik Day. That is proof that batik is not just a cloth, but the identity of the nation," said Taufan, owner of the Crown Batik Laweyan.

Prior to practice, Taufan showed the main tool for batik: canting. If you write using a pencil, batik using a canting. This heat candle is what we break in the cloth. After that, it is only entered the coloring stage with a remasol, "he explained. He reminded, the slightest error when swerving will affect the final result.

A total of 38 participants also tried to make candles on a white cloth with a simple pattern, then gave colors with colet techniques. Enthusiasm is clearly visible. Fine, a participant from Maluku, admitted that he was amazed and challenged. Initially I thought it was easy, it turned out to be difficult. But this experience is extraordinary. I appreciate the work of the batik," he said.

Batik itself is a hereditary legacy that is the responsibility of the current generation to be preserved. The theme Culture for the Future carried by CHANDI 2025 emphasized that the message: maintaining batik means protecting the nation's identity.