One Day Nationalism

Lama tak berjumpa. Gw mau memesan Yamin Polos (menu favorit klo lagi bokek. heheh). Baiklah, kali ini sekali-sekali gw mau posting dalam bahasa inggris. Yah, itung2 latihan english gitu lahh. Okay, let's get it on!

Back in October 2, 2009, we might find a very significant difference from our usual day. We could see most of people wore Batik that day. While on the other day, we rarely see people wearing Batik for they daily activity like going to work or campus, only on this day we hardly find people wearing casual outfit.

That day was the day where Batik was inaugurated as Indonesia’s national culture.

It has been years since the first conflict with Malaysia about the patent of Batik, and now Batik has been accepted as Indonesia’s national culture by international world. People of Indonesia together wore Batik for celebrating the most historical day in the history of Indonesian culture.

Nationalism by Wearing Batik in One Day

Several weeks before the D-Day of the inauguration, people started to spread the request of using Batik for the ceremonial day. We can see the request to wear Batik from Facebook, Twitter, Mailing List, Text Message or any other possible media. Even in my campus at University of Indonesia, there is a huge banner demanding the student to wear Batik for the D-Day.

One of the issues that has been surfaced to entice people to wear Batik for that day is the issues of nationalism. People started to spread the issue that to show our nationalism towards our country, we must wear Batik to celebrate the ceremonial day.

It was a good and positive idea, but there is one worrying problem arisen at the same time. People started to think that someone who did not wear Batik on that day as someone who are non-chalant for Indonesian culture, that they are considered as not celebrating the event. Those who did not wear Batik that day are considered as not having the sense of nationalism.

Does nationalism really that simple?

Nationalism cannot be judged by that very small matters. Does the people who wear Batik for that day can be acknowledged as the people who have a good sense of nationalism?

Obviously, they cannot.

There are a lot of ways to show our nationalism and wearing Batik for one day is just a small portion from a greater one. Those who did not wear Batik for that day must not be judged one-sidedly like that. They might have their own way to show their love for the country. They might have a greater nationalism than those who wore Batik that day. Moreover, those who only wear Batik for the sake of that ceremonial and forget about it later are the people who lack of nationalism. Because, their nationalism is limited as just a ceremony.

Nationalism is not merely wearing Batik for just one day.

Before The Conflict with Malaysia

This Batik issue has only been an intriguing issue in Indonesia since the conflict with Malaysia to decide the nationality of Batik. Before the conflict, people did not care whether other people wore Batik or not, even when they attending a wedding. People did not say that those who did not wear Batik as the one who lacks of nationalism.

This nationalism issue has only arisen right after the conflict where Batik was one-sidedly announced by Malaysia as its national culture. Where are we, who spread the issue of nationalism in wearing Batik, before Malaysia took it from us.

Maybe, it was not purely Malaysia’s fault that Batik were once announced as its culture. It was because we did not cherish it well that it was almost taken from us. We were rarely use Batik as our daily outfit, considering it as an old-fashioned outfit. Only after the conflict we begin to care with this national outfit.

And, now we one-sidedly judge people who did not wear Batik as lack of nationalism. We value other people without valuing our past fault that this pride of Indonesia almost fall into the hand of other nation. We might be the one who lacks of nationalism, yet judging others as one.

Showing Our Nationalism

The past is the past. Our non-chalant attitude almost give Indonesia a big loss in culture. Now that we can defend it, we must cherish it together. But, it cannot be cherished if we only use it for wedding attire like we used to be. We have to start to use it more frequently.

People in India and Pakistan wear their traditional outfit, saree and shalwar kameez, as their daily outfit or even when they are going to work. While in Indonesia, we only wear it once in a week at Friday for work.

We have to start to accept it as our daily outfit. But, it is not that easy since Batik has been considered as an old-fashioned outfit which only appropriate for wedding attire.

There is one possible answer for this problem: creative industry. Creative Industry. By promoting creative industry, it is possible to produce Batik outfits that are appropriate for casual attire and formal attire. If the people cannot adapt easily, then it is the product that needs to adapt with the people.

The present creative industry has started to produce Batik which can be used for every event. Now is our turn to use the product of creative industry, especially Batik, as our form of appreciation to Indonesian culture. Once we get used to it, Batik will become our daily outfit, and therefore, Batik as our traditional culture can be cherished.

That’s how we show our nationalism.