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Hinava Batik

Malaysia is a country of many races and cultures making us very unique. The individual cultures are the heritage of our legacy from the past, that we live with today and what we pass on to our future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspirations. Traditional Batik Art is one of the cultural heritage Art forms that needs to be continued and passed on to the next generation .

Batik is rich in symbolism :its colours, motifs and design. In my Batik art the reference is based from Tadau Kaamatan, Sabah cultural cuisine and the geometric pattern it symbolises.

The Tadau Kaamatan or harvest festival is a sacred tradition to honour the bond between the Creator and Creation. The main dish that represents Tadau Kaamatan is Hinava. It is made from thin slices of fish tossed in a variation of the following: chilli, ginger, shallots, and most importantly, lime dressing. The acidity in the lime “cooks the fish” and turns the flesh a beautiful milky white colour.

As the design of Hinava batik, the composition of the elements used are well-organized to define their interaction between all the ingredients. The design is seemingly interconnected and placed in an orderly manner to enhance all the elements corporate with each other. The lime components are well-designed to bring out the behaviour of the lime. In addition, the juxtaposition of shallot (in the middle) and limes build an interlocking manner (the shallot is locked by the limes). Moreover, the pattern emphasises the contrast between the crowded element (lime and shallot) and the leisure element (diamond/tiled spaces).

The ordering principle of the pattern is symmetry because the pattern has a balance arrangement and it is the same on both right and left side. There is a centre symmetry line which is a mirror dividing line exactly in the middle of the pattern vertically. It is an invisible symmetry line. The pattern is organized based on the principle of centralized organization because the pattern consists of a number of secondary spaces (the lime and tile spaces) grouped around a dominant space (the shallot). The arrangement looks like the dominant space is gathering around other secondary spaces. The lines are focused inward in the dominant space.

The colour scheme chosen is based on a masterpiece of Pablo Picasso’s artwork; Lacrocon Nude Sitzend in 1909. The hues of brown and blue bring out the sense of mysterious and deep feel towards the intangible cultural heritage. This azure and putty color create color contrast to enhance the geometric shapes. In addition, the light blue colour is to bring tranquillity and soothing effects.

In short, many people wear batik to show how they appreciate their heritage and culture. It gives the scents of belonging to a culture. The modern influences, such as industrialization and independence make Batik accepted as a modern costume and make Batik as an art form that needs to be passed on to the next millennial generation.