Tradition for Sale: Batik, Local Heritage, and Capital Investment
- Keywords
- Batik, Trusmi, Indonesia, Cultural Expression, Economic Commodity, Marketing, Retail Store
- Abstract
In the age of information and communication technology today, the batik production and distribution have also changed accordingly. From an artisanal productsto home industry, batik is now manufactured and distributed in boutique, show rooms, groceries, and by online. Our findings derived from two months ethnographic observation in Trusmi, Cirebon, West Java showed that the nature of batik production and distribution has significantly changed compared to our previous observation (Purwanto 2002). As a center of traditional hand made batik, Trusmi was famous for its local motives and patterns composed by local batik artisants. However, when the observation took place in 2016, we found that manufactured-batik has been the main commodity in dozens of batik boutiques and showrooms. They were sold as shirts, dresses, and other ready-to-wear apparels. Batik in form of textille and fabric is only found in small amount.Using ‘Batik Trusmi’ wholesale as a case study, we would like to describe and analyze how cultural commodity, such as batik, is marketed in this modern and globalized time. We emphasize the role cultural expressions and use of alllocal sentiments regarding batikand other rural and traditional life by the shop owner to increase sales. In the age of information and communication technology today, the batik production and distribution have also changed accordingly. From an artisanal productsto home industry, batik is now manufactured and distributed in boutique, show rooms, groceries, and by online. Our findings derived from two months ethnographic observation in Trusmi, Cirebon, West Java showed that the nature of batik production and distribution has significantly changed compared to our previous observation (Purwanto 2002). As a center of traditional hand made batik, Trusmi was famous for its local motives and patterns composed by local batik artisants. However, when the observation took place in 2016, we found that manufactured-batik has been the main commodity in dozens of batik boutiques and showrooms. They were sold as shirts, dresses, and other ready-to-wear apparels. Batik in form of textille and fabric is only found in small amount.Using ‘Batik Trusmi’ wholesale as a case study, we would like to describe and analyze how cultural commodity, such as batik, is marketed in this modern and globalized time. We emphasize the role cultural expressions and use of alllocal sentiments regarding batikand other rural and traditional life by the shop owner to increase sales.
- Copyright
- © 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
- Open Access
- This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
Cite this article
TY - CONF AU - A. Semiarto Purwanto AU - Anggun Yulia PY - 2018/12 DA - 2018/12 TI - Tradition for Sale: Batik, Local Heritage, and Capital Investment BT - Proceedings of International Conference on Issues in Social and Education Research (ICISER 2017) PB - Atlantis Press SP - 52 EP - 56 SN - 2352-5398 UR - https://www.atlantis-press.com/article/55910564 ID - Purwanto2018/12 ER -