National Pride In What You Wear

Jakarta - Women dressed in their finest clothes fill a grand hall adorned with a chandelier and ornate chairs. But instead of ball gowns and evening dresses, the members of the Ratna Busana Society are garbed in Indonesian traditional costumes.

In this age of globalization and modern pragmatism, where jeans and T-shirts have become the sartorial norm, the Ratna Busana Society provides a breath of fresh air. The society is dedicated to maintaining Indonesian culture, with a focus on traditional clothing, textiles and accessories.

“Wearing national dress seems impractical and complicated to people,” said Loekri Darmadji, a Ratna Busana committee member. “But that isn’t so. The clothing can be modified to suit modern life.”

Established in 1972 by eight trailblazing women, the organization consists of 250 active members, including entrepreneurs, businesspeople, housewives, socialites and the spouses of high-ranking military and government officials.

For each of its bi-monthly gatherings, Ratna Busana focuses on a specific region and introduces the area’s traditional garb and customs to members. At each event, the women are required to dress in that region’s attire. At the March meeting, the featured area was Sulawesi.

“Members are required to research the culture of the region we introduce at each session. They have to learn it, not only wear it,” said Ida Hasyim Ning, chairperson of Ratna Busana.

That insistence raises the bar for members, and causes them to become individually invested in the featured culture.

“They have to buy the clothing, don’t they?” Ida said. “Or at the very least, borrow the clothes.”

Ida herself wore a baju labu — a traditional Sulawesi long-sleeved tunic — paired with a woven sarong from Sengkang, a river town in Sulawesi renowned for its silk weaving.

“Busana [clothing] refers to everything from the dress, the cloth, jewelry and how to wear them. It encompasses head-to-toe,” Ida said.

Committee member Noes Moeljanto said, “We are delving into the old costumes and developing them because these clothes contain a divine philosophy. There are rules on how they should be worn, in terms of the culture, such as for weddings. There is meaning behind them.”

Ethnic garments and jewelry are often reproduced as commissions for the society.

Each event also features a bazaar where clothing and jewelry is available to buy. The items are both originals and reproductions of the region Ratna Busana is concentrating on that session.

“We do not want to lose our customs. We promote them,” Ida said. “Otherwise, only the people of that area will know of them. Because not everybody can be invited to a traditional Sulawesi wedding [for instance].”

Irma Wisnandar, a member for the past two years, said she joined the society because the women were truly concerned about preserving and educating about national garments.

Old-timers like Essy Ediriono, who joined the organization 32 years ago, can recall a time when many more women attended the society’s gatherings.

“Perhaps there are more women who work now,” she said.

The society, which has members ranging in age from 3 to 90, has no age restrictions. “Most of the women who join us are married,” Essy said.

Maya, who had a small stall displaying traditional garments from Sulawesi, including antique cloth, at the March event, only recently joined the Ratna Busana fold. She followed in the footsteps of her mother, who has been a member for more than seven years. Like many of the older members of Ratna Busana, Maya wants to help preserve the traditional culture of Indonesia.

“We have a lot of Muslims in our country but our culture is one which can be adjusted. It is adaptable, unlike the cultures of the Malays and Arabs,” said Maya, referring to the freedom Indonesians have to modernize their traditional garb.

Of eight founding members, only Herawati Diah and Leoni Radius Prawiro are left. But the society goes on by recruiting younger members.

They are also ensuring the involvement of regional areas across the archipelago by expanding their organization to eight provinces around the archipelago, including branches in Yogyakarta, Medan, Palembang and Bandung.

“We are targeting the younger generation so they are aware of these costumes and grow to like them,” Essy said.

“They should know where [the clothes] come from and how they are worn.” Titania Veda

Ratna Busana Society
Jl Cikini Raya No. 24
Central Jakarta
Tel: 0815 14 38 34 83
To join:
Registration fee: Rp 100,000
Monthly fee: Rp 50,000

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/life-times/article/16940.html (19 April 2009)

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