For the love of batik.

I am in love ... sigh ... with these batik table cloths I bought at the beach.

It inspired me to learn how batik cloth is made and its history. Interestingly, batik is practiced primarily in Asia and is most often connected with Java, an island of Indonesia. However, batik is also traditionally practiced by the Yoruba tribe, right here in Nigeria. Per Wikipedia:

Discoveries show it already existed in Egypt in the 4th century BCE, where it was used to wrap mummies; linen was soaked in wax, and scratched using a sharp tool. In Asia, the technique was practised in China during the T'ang dynasty (618-907 CE), and in India and Japan during the Nara period (645-794 CE). In Africa, it was originally practised by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, Soninke and Wolof in Senegal.

Ok, that is cool. So, how is it made? Wax or a thick paste is applied to clean absorbent cloth (cotton or silk). The cloth is then dyed, sometimes repeating the application of wax and paste following by additional dyes. After the dyeing process, the wax or paste is scraped and then boiled off, leaving behind a white design.

In Nigeria, the paste is most often made from cassava (a root plant) flour, rice, alum or copper sulphate boiled together to produce a smooth thick paste. The paste is applied in two different ways:

1. Freehand drawing of traditional designs using a feather, thin stick, piece of fine bone or a metal or wooden comb-like tool. This is traditionally done by women.
2. Forced through a thin metal stencil with a flexible metal or wooden tool. This enables accurate repeat patterns to be achieved. This is done by men.

The patterning of cloth is usually a family tradition handed down from mother to daughter as a cottage industry. The cloth is usually divided into squares or rectangles and designs represent everyday tools, carvings, beadwork, activities or traditional images of the artists own culture or tribal history.

Many women work alone but group dyeing sessions are more cost-effective. The more commercial cloths are the stencil products and are often produced by men. The traditional dye is indigo from a plant which grows throughout Africa. In many places these are now cultivated and different varieties produce a variation of the dark blue colour. Once the paste resist is dry, the fabric is dyed in large clay pots or pits dug in the earth. After drying the paste is scraped off to reveal a white or pale blue design. 

Source: Adapted from The Art of Batik, written and published by The Batik Guild, 1999

And, lucky me, I am in the right place to indulge my new little love affair. During our first trip to the beach, several vendors came by to sell the cloth sewn into table cloths, aprons and napkins.

Batik vendors at Eleko Beach. I also love this photo taken by a fellow blogger.

I bought three table cloths, and managed to resist the temptation to buy more during our second beach trip, but I won't be able to resist for long. Besides, I know my sisters will never forgive me if I don't bring home some souvenirs.

Detail of one of the table cloths I bought.

Love the elephants!

This cloth was created using a two-step process. The first dye process was followed by an additional application of paste, and then a second dip into the darker blue dye.
Learn more about this technique. 

If you are feeling really creative, you can actually create batik cloth at home with your kids. You can substitute wax with washable white glue and decorate a t-shirt or a square of fabric to be framed. If you make anything, send me a pic and I'll post to this blog. Have fun!