Indonesia - Vietnam Cultural Exchange through Batik and Brocade Weaving in Buon Ma Thuot

Indonesia and Vietnam are well known for their coffee. Both are at the top 5 of coffee exporter countries in the world. Beside that similarity, Indonesia and Vietnam are also shared rich heritages from their multi-ethics societies which among other reflected in the inheritance of traditional clothes and fabrics. Indonesia's Batik has been recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage of Intangible Cultures in 2009.

The three days event were divided into 5 sessions of workshop which each last for 2 hours. The two Indonesian Batik artists Ms. Nurul Kartika Sari and Mrs. Miliana Ragil Sumirat in their kebaya and Batik skirts demonstrated to the audiences on how to make Batik. The audiences whom most of them are women were very enthusiast in trying to make their own Batik from applying wax into the pattern using "canting" until the final steps of colouring and dyeing process.

In the workshop, the audiences were also introduced to Ede ethnic Brocade weaving by the two Ede Brocade artisants, Ms. H'yam Bkrong and Ms. H' Soat Eban. The process started with arranging the threads to create desired patterns then weaven it tightly to make a good fabric.

The workshop was an opportunity for exchange of cultures between Indonesian and Vietnamese artisants whereas the two artists can learn from each other in making speciality fabric of their regions. After trying weaving the brocade, Ms. Nurul said that both Batik and Ede's brocade need to be carefully crafted to produce a sophisticate result. Ms. H'yam Bkrong shared her similar feeling after trying Batik that the artists making both types of fabric need to be patient. She added that patterns on batik and brocade fabric symbolize the richness of culture from the two countries.

Indonesia and Vietnam which this year marks their 63th anniversary of diplomatic relations, both are strategic partners. The workshop is the effort of the Embassy to promote and strengthen people to people contact in cultural aspect./.