Yulia the batik woman was introduced to me by my sister two years ago. Her mother is a senior batik artisan from Palangkaraya who grew up amongst economic problems. As her family could not only rely on making batik, she had to find different ways. At one point she even had to pull out of ‘the world’s longest batik’ contest. When Yulia grew up, her main wish was to create a batik-makers community in Palangkaraya. Despite the several challenges she faced in order to realize her dream, including borrowing money from an Indonesian Bank so she could buy tools and raw material, she finally founded the “Komunitas Pecinta Benang Bintik” –  ‘Batik Lovers Community’. Palangkaraya’s batik lovers joined the group and Yulia’s mission to promote the cultural heritage of batik making in Central Kalimantan went as far as making clothes using batik’s fabric and let the locals borrow them for free. One of Yulia’s main ordeal was to find customers who would be prepared to pay money for her batiks. She went through months without a single product being sold, and struggled to repay the bank loan. However, Yulia’s spirit was strong and she managed to put a great idea into practice: open the batik making workshop to the public and charge to visitors who want to learn the technique of batik-making in Central Kalimantan. This was the key of her turning point: one by one, customers started pouring in. I love Yulia’s talented batik art, and I can assure you not all Dayak people can make batiks like hers. I enjoy supporting and financing a small business like this, one that can empower local people and uphold local Dayak products and arts in Central Kalimantan, which is almost extinct in the modern era. Yulia has such a tremendous potential which in my opinion cannot go wasted. Once we decided to include Yulia batik making school in our tour, we made an effort of marketing this activity. My clients are so happy with the time they spend with Yulia the batik woman, and her batik learning center has become one of the main things that tourists can do in Palangkaraya. Central Borneo Guide strongly support small businesses in the local community of Palangkaraya. Browse Central Borneo Guide’s website or book their tours on http://centralborneoguide.com 

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Souvenirs are gifts from places you have been. I am one of those people who, when they travel, the first thing that come to mind is buying something for families and friends. Something for a remembrance of the trip you had the luck to take. During my short visit to Kuantan, I did find lots of souvenirs and bought some of them for my beloved family. The must-buy items in the Kuantan souvenir range are Keropok Lekor and Batiks, items that in Malaysia are mostly found in the east coast. You sure know what batiks are, but, do you know Keropok Lekor? Let me tell you: Keropok Lekor is the famous Malaysian fish crackers, a popular snack that usually can be found in Terengganu. Lekor in Terengganu language means roll, and people sometimes call it fish sausage. Keropok Lekor is made out of fish pounded into a paste together with vegetables, sago flour and seasoned with salt and sugar. These ingredients are mixed and then fried. There are two types of Keropok Lekor: Lekor Goreng and Lekor Keping.  Lekor Goreng is shaped into sausage-size and is quite chewy, while Lekor Keping is shaped into slices and has a crispier texture, since it is dried under the hot sun. These snacks are often eaten together with a chilly sauce. Pahang is the place where Keropok Lekor is made, so I took the opportunity and bought two big packets of these delicacies to bring back home. I chose the Lekor Keping since it is the one that can keep longer. It is also the most expensive of the two: while Lekor Goreng, which I bought to be eaten during the journey (and it was sooooo nice and yummy), cost me RM 3 only, for the Lekor Keping I spent RM 13 – though the price depends on the ingredients used. Keropok Lekor stalls can be found along the way from Balok to Cherating. As I continued my journey, I did not miss the opportunity to stop at the Natural Batik Village to buy a batik cloth for my family. Natural Batik Village is located at Balok, Pahang, 14.5 Kilometres away from Kuantan city. Let me share with you a little about the history of Batiks. Batik describes a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to a whole cloth. A tradition of making batik is found in various Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, and Philippines, though the batik of Indonesia is the most well-known. Batiks are both art and craft and are well known due to their creative motion and designs. When we talk about Batiks in Malaysia, Terengganu and the Malaysian east coast including Pahang are the places to be. At the Natural Batik Village there are plenty of things to see and do, apart from buying Batiks and related products like htas, coasters, t-shirts, sarongs, scarfs, hats, handbags and more. There are skilled workers and a spokesperson who will explain the process of Batik-making. For more information about Natural Batik Village, click on http://naturalbatik.com.my Hope you have enjoyed this article about Keropok Lekor and Batiks. Needless to say, my family loved the presents!

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