The following post features student writing.

A few days ago we were visited by a group of professional batik makers. Batik is a unique form of artwork made with a process of dying and waxing cloth. What makes it so unique is the signature crackle that is caused by the final step of breaking the wax and painting over it. The head of the group of artists who visited our compound in Marurani, Mr. Kirita, was the first professional Tanzanian batik maker and his artwork is truly one of a kind. With his guidance, we were able to create our own small works of batik.

The process of batik-making begins with sketching your own design on a square of cloth. The design can range from a marketplace scene to a group of giraffes and elephants. After envisioning your masterpiece, you first have to wax over any spots you wish to keep white to ensure the dye does not color it later on. The next step is painting the background in which you must start with the lighter colors first. After the first coatings of dye you must bring the cloth to the fire to dry, then back to waxing. Whichever colors you wish to remain the same, you must wax over before you begin dying again. The cycle—waxing, dying, drying—continuously repeats until you feel your work is complete. Once you get past the darkest color, black, you move on to the part that makes batik so unique: the crackle! You must carefully wax over your entire cloth and then break the layer of the dried wax to form cracks, which will be filled with the color of your choice. This cracking results in a web-like design displayed across the background, adding additional depth and texture into the piece of artwork. Finally, you rub off the excess wax and iron out the cloth, and then you have it: a masterpiece!

During the intricate process of making our own pieces of art, the professionals hung up their own pieces of batik—they were much better than ours. Our backyard was transformed into a beautiful and mesmerizing display of colors and scenery, truly unique to the African culture. We were lucky enough to browse through the maze of cloths flapping in the wind, and even buy our very own pieces of batik. Some of the designs included sunsets with silhouettes of Tanzanian wildlife, busy marketplaces with vibrant background colors, and a herd of zebras with Kilimanjaro rising in the distance. This experience of batik-making was truly unforgettable and gave us a great taste of East African culture that we can bring back home and cherish forever.

– Sami, Lily, Nina, Sydney, & Caroline