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Thanks to Hard Work and Prayers
Karawang, mid-October 2021. That day the Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Karawang Regency, in collaboration with the Putra dan Putri Batik Karawang Association, held the Putra dan Putri Batik Karawang (PPBK) election event. The selection process is quite long. Starting from June 2021, it was only in October that the Grand Final event was held.
One of the students from President University (PresUniv), Natasha Nicolas Meape Achariga, commonly called Natasha, participated in the event. Natasha is a student of the Communication Study Program, batch 2019. She won the Putri Batik Karawang 2021 award.
Preserving Indonesian Culture
Batik has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as Indonesia's cultural heritage. The diversity of batik patterns originating from various parts of Indonesia implies a symbolic meaning through color and design, and it also expresses creativity and spirituality.
One of the batik-producing areas is Karawang. In fact, Batik Karawang has obtained Intellectual Property Rights (HAKI). This has prompted the Department of Tourism and Culture of Karawang to aggressively introduce Batik Karawang to the public, especially the younger generation. This effort is expected to maintain the existence of Batik Karawang.
One of the events to introduce Batik Karawang is the selection of PPBK. For 2021, this event carries the tagline "We're Proud to Have Batik Karawang." PPBK was attended by hundreds of young people who love batik and want to preserve batik, especially Batik Karawang. Of the hundreds of participants, only 14 finalists advanced to the Grand Final round. One of them is Natasha.
For Natasha, taking part in competitions is normal. She, for example, has participated in the Mr & Ms. President University election. For the PPBK event, Natasha shared her experience, "This is my first experience participating in an off-campus pageant. Previously, it was only limited to the campus area. This is a challenge for me, as well as an honor because it is trusted to be a representative of Batik Karawang."
Along with Internship
The trouble with the PPBK event was that she was undergoing an internship program at a multinational company in Jakarta. She said, "As a result, on several occasions, I have felt overwhelmed."
At the PPBK event, Natasha brought one of the Karawang Batik motifs full of meaning, namely Batik Bunga Tarum and Padi. This batik symbolically symbolizes Hindu-Buddhist religion and, at the same time, the city of Karawang as Indonesia's rice granary. So, the motif is gorgeous and philosophical.
The Grand Final was the most challenging moment for Natasha because She had to undergo Question and Answer sessions, Public Speaking, and Catwalk. "At that time, I tried my best on stage and did not forget to always pray for the best," she said.
Natasha revealed her reason for participating in the PPBK election. She explained, "As a young person, I feel obliged to preserve our cultural wealth. Start from now, and start ourselves."
As Putri Batik Karawang 2021, Natasha promotes Batik Karawang to millennials through various programs, such as filling out and sharing information about Batik Karawang on websites and social media. Regarding her success as Putri Batik Karawang 2021, said Natasha, "It was thanks to hard work, discipline, and prayers from parents." (Lita Gabriella, PR team. Photo: Natasha).
