Honai
West Papua Province – Indonesia
Meanings:
The Honai motif is inspired by the traditional house of the Papuan community living in the mountains. Honai is a round-shaped house with a roof made of wood and grass. Honai symbolizes unity among tribes. It also represents a symbol of strong personality, cultural integrity, and the dignity of the tribes.
Note: All contents and batik images are protected by Indonesian cultural property law. This documentation is intended for educational purposes and to facilitate the preservation of Batik UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage 2009. Any use of published materials is allowed only with reference to this website as the original source of publication.
How to preserve Batik
Philosophical Meanings of Batik
Learn and identify the meaning of the motifs from each region. Are you searching for a meaningful gift for your loved ones? Surprise them with a merry little Batik!
Authentic Batik
Buy the authentic handwritten Batik textiles to add to your prestigious collection. Such support will enhance the well-being of Batik artisans and preserve the living heritage.
Batik Community
If you want to meet the Batik artisans, we encourage you to visit and support Batik workshops in Indonesia. You may discover the local tourism that suits your preference!
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009
Batik Production Process in West Papua
Batik production can take 1 month up to 2 years of working time depending on the purposes of the textile creation and the colour complexity. The Batik handwriting textile is generally made with 8 design steps, ranging from wax patterning to colouring process. The artists use Canting, as a tool to put hot melted wax on the cloth.
Batik Regions
Overview of West Papua
West Papua Province is an Indonesian province located at the western end of the island of Papua. The name of the capital is Manokwari. This province was formerly called West Irian Jaya. Then, in 2007, the name of this province was changed to West Papua. Together with Indonesian Batik, Papua’s Noken multi-functioned knotted bag crafting tradition has been inscribed in the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.
Batik Production Villages in West Papua Province
Batik villages are the region where the textile heritage producers mostly reside and open their workshops, as well as display their textile products. You could buy the textiles from the artisans and participate in the making process of Batik on the site.
Batik Motifs in West Papua
Prada Papua
The word “Prada” in the Javanese-Indonesian dialect means a batik textile that
Burung Cendrawasih
The Cendrawasih bird is believed as sacred Paradise bird that connects the earth with
Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat motif represents the marine life at Raja Ampat archipelago in