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A visitor poses with batik cloth at an Indonesian batik exhibition. (ANTARA/HO-Embassy of Republic Indonesia in Moskow/uyu) - 

Knowledge on batik needs to be included in school curriculum, Director General of Culture Hilmar Farid at the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry, has said.

“Actually, people are still lacking the understanding of the meaning and significance of the symbols in batik patterns. If it can be taught again in schools, it will revive our great traditions," he remarked when contacted by ANTARA here on Friday.

Although there is a lot of information about batik in the media, it will be more systematic if batik becomes a part of the lessons given in schools—at least on the areas of origin of the batik patterns, he explained.

It will help children in the areas to recognize the symbols and meanings of batik patterns, which are native to the region, he said.

Furthermore, the attempt will provide further information on batik, thus the public can wear the cloth on different occasions according to the patterns’ meaning, he added.

“For instance, a certain kind of batik cloth pattern is suitable for weddings, while others are not,” the director general said.

People cannot wear batik cloth with slobog pattern while attending a wedding as the pattern represents the act of grieving, he explained.

On the contrary, someone cannot attend a funeral wearing trutum or sidoluhur batik patterns, which symbolize happiness and good hope, respectively, he said.

By understanding and wearing batik properly, people can express their feelings and convey their messages to others through Indonesia’s own priceless cultural heritage, Farid remarked.

“Studying and grasping this kind of knowledge will be interesting. People can tell non-verbally that they are in a grieving state or being joyful -- and so on,” he added.

Indonesia commemorates National Batik Day every October 2 to mark the date when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) acknowledged batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2009//ANT