Completing Nusantara’s Fabric, Batik Sasambo from West Nusa Tenggara Joins Pertamina SMEXPO 2023
Lombok, October 29, 2023 - Indonesia is rich in culture, and each region has a unique creations. One example is traditional fabric, where Java has batik, Sumatra has Songket, and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has the equally unique Sasambo fabric.
Sasambo fabric is a traditional batik of NTB, characterized by motifs that reflect the local customs of Lombok and Sumbawa, as well as the region's flora and fauna, including traditional Sasak houses, bamboo, flowers, and starfish.
Unlike other woven and regional fabrics with long histories, the Sasambo batik is relatively young, introduced to the public just a decade ago, precisely on April 17, 2010.
Despite its youth, the Sasambo batik holds a profound story and philosophy—it symbolizes the unity, harmony, and togetherness of the three major ethnic groups residing in NTB: the Sasak people on Lombok Island, the Samawa, and the Mbojo on Sumbawa Island.
Sasambo is an acronym or abbreviation formed from these three ethnic groups: Sasak, Samawa, and Mbojo. Thus, each group shares in the unity and preservation of Batik Sasambo as the distinctive batik of NTB.
Like other Indonesian fabrics, Batik Sasambo showcases unique motifs and aesthetic beauty, reflecting the daily lives of the people. Batik Sasambo features four motifs: "mada sahe" (cow's eye), "kakando" (bamboo shoot), and "uma lengge" (traditional house). Additionally, there are motifs like "gerabah," "kakangkung," "mutiara," and more.
The colors of Batik Sasambo is dominated by vibrant hues such as red, yellow, blue, and green, each carrying deep philosophical meanings. Red represents energy, spirit, and courage in facing life. Yellow symbolizes happiness and attention, while blue signifies good fortune, optimism, love, and peace. Green embodies fertility, resilience, balance, and friendship.
As a pride for NTB, Batik Sasambo production still uses traditional techniques. The craftsmanship of skilled artisans is essential to creating the patterns, motifs, and colors of Batik Sasambo. First the fabric is woven, followed by the dyeing process using heated iron tools to remove the wax, separating the colors in Sasambo batik.
For those who appreciate Indonesia's unique fabrics, it would be incomplete not to have Batik Sasambo in your collection.
For those curious to see and experience the uniqueness and beauty of this batik fabric, Pertamina will showcase Batik Sasambo at Pertamina SMEXPO 2023 in Gandaria City Mall, South Jakarta. The Pertamina’s fostered MSMEs’ products exhibition will be held for two days, from Tuesday, October 31, to Sunday, November 5, featuring thousands of products crafted by the Indonesian people.
In addition to Jakarta, Pertamina SMEXPO 2023 will be present in three other major cities: Balikpapan (October 26-28, 2023), Semarang (November 3-5, 2023), and Pekanbaru (November 15-19, 2023).
Pertamina SMEXPO 2023, in its fourth edition, is dedicated to Indonesian MSMEs. "SMEXPO is one of Pertamina's pride in introducing the fostered MSME flagship products. Through this event, we hope the public can experience high-quality and unique domestically produced goods," said Pertamina's Vice President of Corporate Communication, Fadjar Djoko Santoso.
Pertamina, as a leading company in the energy transition, is committed to supporting the Net Zero Emission 2060 target by continuously promoting programs that directly impact the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. All these efforts align with Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) implementation across all Pertamina's business lines and operations.**