Highlights
- Batik makes many colourful designs on cloth
- An important source of income for local women
- Used for clothes, flags and wall hangings
- Learn how it is made and try it yourself
Overview
Batik is a method of decorating cloth with wax and dye. It came to Sri Lanka from Indonesia, probably in the colonial period, and has become one of the island's best-known crafts. Along the south coast, including around Weligama, many batik makers work from home as a cottage industry, and visiting one is a good way to see the craft and support local families.
How batik is made
- A design is drawn on plain cotton or silk.
- Hot wax is applied with a small metal tool or brush to the parts that should stay undyed.
- The cloth is dipped in dye, starting with the lightest colour.
- More wax and darker dyes are added in layers to build up the pattern.
- Finally the wax is removed, usually by boiling, revealing the design and the fine "crackle" lines typical of batik.
The process can take days for a detailed piece.
What you do
On our visits, you go to a home studio, watch the stages and, if you like, try waxing and dyeing a small piece of your own. You can buy sarongs, wall hangings, scarves and clothing directly from the maker.
How long it takes
One to two hours, longer if you make your own piece.
When to go
Morning or early afternoon, when there is good light to work by. The south coast season is about November to April, but workshops run all year.
Getting there
Workshops are around Weligama, about 30 minutes east of Galle. We arrange transport.
Practical tips
- Wear clothes you do not mind getting dye on.
- Hand-drawn batik costs more than printed cloth; ask the maker to show the difference.
- Bring cash.
Another south-coast craft is the beeralu lace of Dickwella. In Weligama, see Taprobane island, things to do in Weligama and Weligama hotels.