A MODEL TO EMPOWER THE RIFA'IYAH COMMUNITY TROUGH STRATEGIES TO PASS-DOWN RIFA'IYAH BATIK TRADITION IN DESA KALIPUCANG WETAN, KECAMATAN KALIPUCANG WETAN, KABUPATEN BATANG, JAWA TENGAH

• Main Author: Bulan Prizilla, Aquamila
• Format: Dissertations
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/44018
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The Rifa’iyah batik is a batik motif developed by the Rifa’iyahs, a community based in Desa Kalipucang Wetan, Kabupaten Batang, Central Java, Indonesia. The Rifa’iyah batik features visual ornaments based on the teachings of Sheikh Ahmad Rifa’i, among which is prohibition to depict living beings. Depictions of living beings are permissible if such representations would render the being dead, e.g. depicted as decapitated, headless, or coloured in red to signify that it is indeed not alive. The prohibition resulted in the Rifa’iyah batik to feature unique and distinct visual ornaments compared with other coastal batiks in Central Java. The batik tradition among the Rifa’iyah community is declining and could lead to its extinction. Consequently, there is a need to preserve the batik tradition of the Rifa’iyah community in Kalipucang Wetan. One way to preserve the tradition is by developing a model to pass the Rifa’iyah batik tradition to the younger generation. The model to pass the batik tradition must be developed such that Rifa'iyahs are interested and willing to learn the tradition. Accordingly, a RIfa'iyah community actively engaged in batik can then flourish. This study is limited to the next generation of Rifa’iyah community in Kalipucang Wetan, i.e. those between 15-30 years old. The model of batik tradition used in this study has existed in the Rifa’iyah community. The model is then adopted to comply with Sheikh Ahmad Rifa’i's teachings. Furthermore, the model incorporated Ki Hajar Dewantara’s education strategy that seeks to balance advancements in culture, technology, and globalisation. Nonetheless, adoption of external cultural norms and values must be carried out carefully and prudently to maintain national identity and culture. The study uses the qualitative research method in conjunction with social studies and experimental ethnographic approaches. The approach is used to study the community's society and culture. The findings are then implemented as an innovation to develop a model to pass batik tradition to the Rifa’iyahs in Kalipucang Wetan. The model aims to preserve the visual ornaments of the Rifa’iyah batik as based on Sheikh Ahmad Rifa’i's teachings. The study produces the Hexa Helix empowerment model – a model that involves community figures in preserving the Rifa’iyah batik. Academically, the Hexa Helix empowerment model allowed further studies in the Rifa'iyah batik's iv visual ornaments as well as their philosophical meanings. Furthermore, the model enabled development of the most suitable strategy to preserve the batik tradition among the Rifa’iyahs. The study concludes that preserving the Rifa’iyah batik tradition must be carried out through empowerment, in line with the teachings of Sheikh Ahmad Rifa'i and using participatory design approach according the community’s capabilities.