Spirit And Figure of Ratu Kalinyamat in
Contemporary Batik
Muh Fakhrihun Na’am¹, Deni Setiawan², Wulansari Prasetyaningtyas³
{fakhri.artworker@mail.unnes.ac.id
1
, deni.setiawan@mail.unnes.ac.id
2
, wulan_sari@mail.unnes.ac.id
3
}
Department of Family Welfare, Faculty of Engineering, UNNES, Semarang, Indonesia
13
Department of Primary Education, Faculty of Education, UNNES, Semarang, Indonesia
2
Abstract. Creativity in creating and producing the contemporary batik originated from
traditional arts, either its form, ideas for creation, or historical reference of the local
figuration of Ratu Kalinyamat, is an effort to promote and to popularize batik by making
innovation on the decorative designs, to the common people and to the industrial
community of Nusantara batik. The batik artists are the main character in the promotion
of traditional batik publicly. The community is a group of artists who play the role to
create the trend of decorative motifs in order that the popularity of the traditional batiks
wrapped in contemporary crafts can be meaningful things to the batik fanatics. The
personal and social interaction within the artists cycles when creating batik originated
from the traditional artworks and the values of traditional arts on the contemporary batik
works, it is interesting to be scrutinized as sociological analysis or arts. In addition to
viewing the social correlation between batik artists and the artworks lovers, it also is
aimed at understanding the meaning of the traditional arts ideas originated from Ratu
Kalinyamat created through the form of contemporary batik. Thus, we find out that the
ideas coming from the traditional arts are the main foundation of the contemporary batik
creation.
Keywords: Ratu Kalinyamat; Batik; traditional arts
1 Introduction
Ratu Kalinyamat has track record that is very important to Jepara people, figure of
maritime city pioneer and the history of her popularity in the past as part of the Nusantara
wealth, that is properly made motivation. The phenomenal female figure that can be role
model and has positive impact on local and national interests. Viewing the potential, the artists
have special space and functions in terms of artworks creation inspiration searching and
innovation. The artists as the arts creator should prioritize the ability of creavity actualized
into the innovative fine artworks, so they create esthetical experience on their lovers.
Actions and rites are the integral parts of the figures and the authorities’ cultural activities
in terms of governing. In addition to the invasion to Malaka against the Portuguese
imperialism, Ratu Kalinyamat in advance conducted meditation and soaking ritual that leaves
the trace that still is existing, i.e. in Donorojo Jepara. Rituals are the activity that become the
heart of the batik works creation. Ritual is interpreted as a journey in which there is an
illustration of the activities during the rites connoted as a traditional ceremony. So are the
daily activities that inspire the creation of batik works.
ICEHHA 2021, June 03-05, Flores, Indonesia
Copyright © 2021 EAI
DOI 10.4108/eai.3-6-2021.2310921