Blangkon

Blangkon or belangkon (from Javanese ꦧ꧀ꦭꦁꦏꦺꦴꦤ꧀; Javanese pronunciation: [ˈblaːŋ.ˈkɔn]) is a form of traditional cultural Javan headdress or headgear, made of traditional native Javan cultural clothing textile materials (namely Batik, Tenun of Lurik, and Ikat). Originating from the intricate Javanese cultural tradition and philosophy, there are four standard types of Blangkon that are commonly associated to the original ancestral-styles form, distinguished by the pakem (lit. 'Javanese cultural rules') and its invention origins, namely Yogyakarta-style, Surakarta-style, Kedu-style, and Banyumas-style. Over time, the Blangkon has also been adopted by another Javan ethnic groups, namely the Betawi (a Javan ethnic group native to Greater Jakarta region), leading to the development of the Jayakarta-style Blangkon, subsequently recognized as Liskol (in Betawi), Belangkon Betawi or Blangkon khas Jakarta (in Indonesian), which characterized by its colorful Batik material, symbolizing the new Javan generations emerged in Sunda Kalapa (ancient commercial Jayakarta port) area.

Blangkon

A traditional Yogyakarta Javanese-style blangkon
Type	Traditional headdress/headgear
Material	Batik (mainly), Tenun of Lurik, and Ikat
Place of origin	Java (Central–Southern Java)
Manufacturer	Javans (mainly Javanese)

Blangkon, worn by a Dalang (the Wayang puppeteer).

Since 2013, various Blangkon traditions practiced throughout Indonesia (especially in its origin place, Java) officially recognized and regarded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Republic Indonesia as an integral part of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia.

Nomenclature

Blangkon (ꦧ꧀ꦭꦁꦏꦺꦴꦤ꧀) is a Javanese word, inherited from its Old Javanese-root origin. It is originally a portmanteau term, derived from two Old Javanese words, namely "bulaṅ" (lit. 'band; binding') + "kwan" (lit. 'sufix'). The term itself means "the bind [of Batik cloth strip] worn [on head]", with bulaṅ or wulaṅ (which evolved as bulang in Modern Javanese) means a bound of cloth strip, and the sufix of -kwan (which evolved as -kon in Modern Javanese) is used to explain something that is worn, or something that has correlation with its main subject (in this case, human head). Its root word, "Bulang", still used in Modern Javanese to refer an item of women's ceremonial attire, a strip of cloth about fifteen feet long bound around the torso. Meanwhile its -kon suffix usage could be comparatively observed in another Javanese words, such as "Pangkon" in Javanese writing system, it is a Javanese word used to explain something that that has correlation with its main subject (in this case, the letters), which in English equivalent to diacritic.

From its original form, "bulaṅkwan" (in Old Javanese), the word has evolved and transcribed as "blangkon" (in Modern Javanese), and has absorbed into different languages (due to Javanese expansion influence), such as "bölangkun" or "bâlangkun" (in Madurese), "bĕlangkon" or "bĕlanggun" (in Kangean), "blankon" (in Banjar), "bulang" (in Batak Karo), and "belangkon" (in Osing, Badui, and Indonesian).

History and significance

Blangkon traditionally worn by Javanese ethnic as part of their religious clothing in various Javanism ritual processions.

The history of Blangkon has always been associated to its native Javanism folk religious modesty. It is drawn from the earlier Javanese tradition of wearing cultural headband, the root word for blangkon itself, the bulang, literally means "band" or "binding", indicating its original form (the Batik headband), before it is later tucked-in and attached together to form a kind of hemispherical hat (to make it more practical). In Javanism, it believed that in order to harmonize thoughts and prevent the mind from straying in worldly desires, one's head must be bound by Batik (the main Javan cultural clothing material), as Batik purposedly made in certain ways by the Javanese people to possess various sacred religious Javanism values that could remind the Javanese people to act justly, forming a clear and directed mindset of devotion and determination.

Liskol (a Jayakarta-style Blangkon) worn by Betawi ethnic during the Jakarta Birthday Festival, exhibiting the cultural Javanism religious symbolism.

In another Javan cultures, which closely related or tied to its similar Javanism religious values and traditions, the original ancestral cultural practice of Batik headband-wearing still commonly observed by another Javan ethnic groups, such as the practical traditions of Totopong by Sundanese, Tongkosan by Osing, Odheng by Madurese, and Udeng by Balinese.

Gallery

• 
  The Javanese traditional attire for men is always worn with the Blangkon and accompanied by a Kris
• 
  Man wearing a tied version of blangkon
• 
  Fifth Indonesian President Megawati and her family
• 
  Raden Saleh, a famous Indonesian painter in the colonial era
• 
  Ngayogyakarta-style blangkon
• 
  Colonial young man wearing blangkon

External links

• Media related to Blangkon at Wikimedia Commons