Colors of Bali

By sherrenechua
  • 892

    First Record of Topeng

  • 892

    First Record of Wayang Kulit

  • 1001

    Tenganan origin, possible origin of Gringsing double ikat technique.

    11th Century : Lontar from the 11th Century states that following a shipwreck, a group of followers of Indra settled on Bali. Possible Indian origin of the People of Tenganan maybe explains the arrival of the double ikat technique in Gringsing. (Balinese Textiles for Gods and People pg.23)
  • 1177

    King Jaya Pangus ascends the throne

    Relations and trade between Bali and China increase. Trade of things like kincu, perada, gold thread, and other essential materials used in many Balinese crafts come from China.
  • 1200

    Influence of Indian Patola on Balinese textile motifs

    13th Century : Indian silk Patola were known by Bali from at least the 13th century, and usually their motifs or part of the motifs are incorporated into the surface of locally produced cotton fabrics, such as the gringsing or cepuk.
  • 1343

    Majapahit Empire conquers Bali

  • 1399

    Earliest mentions of Cepuk

    a Cepuk Sash was described in the Malat Stories of the hero Panji dated to the 14-15th Century.
  • Period: 1500 to

    the golden age of the GelGel Dynasty

    Under the rule of Dalem Waturenggong, and then his son. The arts developed rapidly and thrived during this time because of royal patronage. Kamasan painting in particular was commonly commissioned for decoration of royal buildings and places of worship.
  • 1510

    Independence from Majapahit Empire

    1512 : Gelgel declared independence from the Majapahit empire, but they were still closely related.

  • Songket development

    16th Century: Songket was used in theater and dance performances as well as ceremonies during the GelGel dynasty. (Buku textile in Bali p. 33)
    1600 : After the 16th Century, Songket businesses grew independently in Bali, especially in Sidemen. Patterns and motifs developed with the involvement of the brahmana and puri women (high caste). These women worked mostly at home.

  • Topeng in Singapadu

    The art of Topeng in Singapadu started in the 18th Century during the Klungkung dynasty. Mask Makers in Singapadu started with making Barong masks, which were sacred and used for ceremonies.

  • Aniline Dyes were introduced to the Asian Market

    In the Dutch East Indies, these dyes were already used in 1890.

  • Dutch Colonialization of Bali

  • Aniline Dyes used in Cepuk

    There was evidence of Aniline dyes being used in Cepuk by the 1930's

  • Songket decline during world war 2

    1942 : During the Japanese occupation, Songket decreased because of lack of raw materials, and the Japanese asked the weavers to weave cotton cloths for logistics purposes for the Japanese military, so Songket production stopped for a while.

  • Songket revival, due to increased international trade.

    1950-1970 : Songket started to come back and it developed more due to increased trade with China and Taiwan for imported thread. They also used imported gold and silver threads from India, Japan, France and Germany. (Menenun Waktu) (also seen in ‘Eating Threads’ by Ayami Nakatani)

  • Topeng/Wayang/Kamasan Paintings commissioned by tourists for the first time

  • Tourism development in Bali by Indonesian Government

    1955 : Tourism in Bali began to be developed by the Indonesian government.

  • 2006 Jogja Earthquake

    The supply of ancur (hide glue used in Wayang kulit, topeng, and Kamasan painting) was disrupted by the earthquake, encouraging use of acrylics as an alternative to the traditional natural pigments.

  • Gringsing recognised as a geographical indicator

    April, 2016 : The people of Tenganan received the certificate of a Geographical indicator for the Gringsing textile. Sertifikat sudah didapatkan oleh Masyarakat Perlindungan Indikasi Geografis Tunun Gringsing Bali melalui Indikasi Geografis BRM 06/IG/IV/A/2016 tentang Tunun Gringsing Bali. (Menenun Waktu, pg.86)