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History Of Use

Batik cloth baby carrier. Kain gendongan are for ceremonial and daily use by the Chinese descendants of mixed marriages to the local Peranakans. The red baby carrier celebrates the arrival of a new baby in the family.

Description

A kain gendongan batik textile baby carrier with a pattern of carp in orange, red, blue, green and white on red background. A border runs around the main panels and central motif, that consists of a white background with red key scroll designs on either side, and a floral and leaf motif in between. There are coloured squares at each panel corner. At each end of the main panel is a green rectangle with boteh or paisley patterns. At each end is a band of alternating stripes in orange, green, white, red and blue.

Specific Techniques

Batik (wax-resist) technique. The design is a typical Peranakan Chinese pattern used in Pekalongan, Central Java.

Iconographic Meaning

The fish in the design are carp, which is a commonly used visual pun in Chinese culture. The Chinese character for carp or li (鲤) is pronounced the same as two other characters 利 (profit) and 力 (strength or power). The carp is also a symbol of many children as it produces many eggs. Red dominates the entire colour scheme as red is auspicious, and the colour for celebration in Chinese culture. Both ends are decorated with boteh or paisley motifs, originally Persian, but in this case, an Indian influence.

Cultural Context

The masks of Okina and Sanbasō are considered sacred and quite different from the other types of noh masks. Okina is a white and noble mask and Sanbasō is a black mask, with sparse teeth and a friendly face. The Okina is usually performed by the head of a noh troupe while the Sanbasō is performed by a kyōgengata (狂言方) actor.