Malaysian Batik DIY best souvenir KL Local Tour Guide

Hey what’s up guys this is Johnson for JohnsonMalaysia.com welcome to Malaysia today as usual, I am going for a very interesting traditional Malaysian thingy.

What Souvenir KL

Most of the time when I bring tourist, they do ask me “Johnson what is the best thing I can get from Malaysia / Kuala Lumpur”. Many tourists not aware things that are call as Malaysian Souvenir are not from Malaysian but from foreign countries, sold at the Point of Interest. I have nothing against them, but surely you want something Malaysian! Right?

Licensed tour guide

Personally, I always advise tourist to look at what I’m wearing, I mean my shirt. I am a government of Malaysia Licenced Tourist Guide and as one, I am required to be on a batik shirt, while I’m doing tour guiding.

Forty years’ experience

I’m meeting up with my friend, who I know some 6 years now. He’s Mr. Lazim. Lazim have been doing painting for the past almost 40 years. He’s a very humble and patient man, who will teach you even when you make many mistakes. I made an appointment with him to learn batik painting today.

Huge painting

Mr. Lazim, when I met, he was doing hand drawn batik design on a huge piece of cloth. As you watch my video. He is going through step by step on how to produce a batik painting. He showed the tools need, like canting copper pen like wax tool, Resin from pine tree, wax, cotton cloth / silk colors are the material needed. Basically, Batik means drawing using molten wax.

History

The Egyptian could have been the earliest to apply, it was found in the wrapping of the Mummy using linen cloth mixed with wax. Somehow this technique was introduced to the Archipelago. The Javanese became pioneers and later came to Malaya, especially the state of Kelantan and Terengganu. In the past, it was a for the royalties. Once, during the Malacca sultanate period, (if you would like to go on a Malacca / Melaka tour, please don’t forget to contact JohnsonMalaysia.com for the UNESCO World Heritage site historical tour.)

40 Batik Design

The Sultan of Malacca then was interested in Batik cloth, His Highness asked his great man to search for designs from India. His Highness wanted at least 40 different designs geometrically and flower / flora. Unfortunately the sent authority was unable to find such and he decided to create his own design, however on the way back from India the ship capsized. The designed cloths were destroyed with only two remaining. The Melaka Sultan was not pleased.

Official attire

Time has moved on now, so many different designs for men and woman. The government of Malaysia has made Thursday as batik attire day. The Malaysian batik is very unique by its own designs. Also colorings are vibrant and bright, like chili red, beautiful butterflies, leaves and floral designs.

Today, Mr Lazim is going to teach me on the basic of batik painting. I would like to introduce this to all my tourists who want to follow in my KL historical or heritage tours, come and try. First, it looks professional and you might not have the confidence to do, but once you follow surely you can, so please watch the whole video and see how technique is applied.