However, the earthquake failed to dampen the local’s spirit, with batik makers quickly working to restore their shattered economy and rebuild their lives.

We worked in the batik industry before the earthquake, but now we do everything ourselves, including drawing, dyeing and selling pieces of batik,†said Muqoyaroh, 50, head of the Berkah Lestari batik cooperative in Karangkulon hamlet, Wukirsari, a kilometer northeast of the Mataram royal cemetery in Imogiri.

Muqoyaroh said four months after the disaster, approximately 150 batik makers from the Karangkulon, Giriloyo and Cengkehan hamlets decided to set up the cooperative.

He said the drastic change from working in the batik industry to creating their own batik cottage industry required a lot of adjustment.

One of the cooperative’s early creations was a 1.2-kilometer batik cloth, which currently holds the record for being the country’s longest piece of batik at the Indonesian Records Museum.

However, the most important thing is people’ spirit. Thanks to God, residents are able to create batik by hand as part of our cooperative,†said Muqoyaroh.

Khoryatun, 54, said batik making skills had been developed for hundreds of years in the village. At one point, nearly every resident was involved in batik production. To preserve the tradition, a number of children and teenagers are currently being taught the art.

Giarti, a mother of two, said the cooperative uses natural ingredients to produce colors used to dye batik. For example, mango leaves are used to produce light green, teak leaves produce a brownish red color and mahogany tree bark is used to produce brown.

We are able to get materials to produce the colors we need from the surrounding area, Giarti said.

To produce bright colors, fabric must be dyed between 15 and 30 times.

After the dyeing process, the fabric is hung out to dry, but not directly under the sun. It is later dyed and dried several more times until the required color is achieved, said Giarti.

She said the cooperative is currently trying to find a market niche for their products, with buyers from Australia and Sweden having already shown interest.

The price of a piece of batik varies depending on its motif, colors used and its level of intricacy. Undyed fabric sells for approximately Rp 250,000, while dyed fabric varies in price from Rp 500,000 to Rp 1.5 million (approximately US$165).

Batik fabric is soaked for 24 hours, boiled for an hour, soaked again and then ironed before motifs are sketched on in wax.
After the motif is sketched on, which takes between 10 and 20 days, the fabric is soaked in detergent and then dyed with the desired colors.

Batik is relatively expensive because it takes a long time to make. We are only able to produce 20 to 50 pieces of batik each month despite the fact our cooperative is made up of hundreds of artisans, Muqoyaroh said.

Slamet Susanto – Business Ideas

George Washington said in 1783 that our borders were open for the wealthy and educated and oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions, who were free to participate in all our rights and privileges – if these newcomers followed American standards of decency and proper conduct. He wanted them to assimilate to their new country’s values. And most of them did. Most of these European immigrants considered themselves Americans and never saw their homelands or families again. This was mainly because travel to Europe was difficult, not because the new country insisted on it, although it made assimilation easier to accomplish.
The goal used to be for all immigrants of different backgrounds to “melt” into a new race of people. During the civil rights movement of the 1960s, this ideal was challenged when we were encouraged to celebrate diversity and move beyond this melting pot. Assimilation was changed to multi-culturalism.

Multi-culturalism is promoted by many, but it doesn’t give the people a common goal, belief or even language anymore. Many of the immigrants here now have no knowledge of the history of this country and no interest in learning it. They have no loyalty to any common idea or belief, and often don’t consider themselves Americans. A large number never learn English and never learn their rights or responsibilities and never become a part of this country. What can we do to help them become Americans?

The task of assimilating into a new culture doesn’t rest with the people already there, it is the responsibility of the immigrants to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered to them in their new home. They must try to adapt to life in this country. It doesn’t mean they should forget their own customs, it doesn’t mean they should change entirely, but it does mean they should do their best to learn the language and the rules.

When Americans look back at their history of immigration, they assume that assimilation is a relatively easy process, since their parents and grandparents did it. But it is very hard for immigrants to give up old languages, customs and practices so they can be absorbed into their new society. Most people possess a strong, passionate attachment to their own culture and way of life and in most cases, they are emigrating because of poverty in their own country. If their country offered them a good life for their families, most of them would stay home.

We need the immigrants who are here and will need more all the time. We should find a way to combine the assimilation we used to strive for and the multi-culturalism that so many want now. We have to convince these new people to become Americans without giving up all of the customs from their former homes.
We need more Americans, not just citizens (or non-citizens) living here who never fit in.

original from: Donna Poisl