In political sense Yogyakarta is more prestigious because they win the privilege as a Special Region (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta) within Republic Indonesia where their Sultan is also the Governor and Ruler of the special autonomous province. Because during the formation and revolution of the republic, the Sultanate support Republiken side. Yogya was once served as capital of the republic. While Solo (Surakarta) is ended as one of Kabupaten within Central Java province, and their Sunan are virtually powerless beyond their palace and city. Only their prestige still survive, not the real effective political power.

so what happened to the wealth of the Solo kraton???

I think Solo Kraton still have their wealth and kept as "pusaka" (heirloom) of their royal family... They also have quite extensive collections of ancient Java art in Solo Kraton museum.
However I dunno, since the scandals of Solo Radya Pustaka's museum theft and forgery of their treasured statues, lots of scandals and crimes done by their own curators is indeed shameful.

In Suharto's museum "Purna Bhakti Pertiwi" the late Madame Tien Suharto displayed the golden "tusuk konde" (hairpin), a perstigious present from Surakarta (Solo) kraton, and was mentioned as one of Solo treasures.





Neway these are photos of Indonesian Batik in modern fashion last year during Indonesia-Japan friendship festival.





The interesting part is Japan uses Javanese battik pattern for their Kimonos and it really went great and beautiful, it a shame my Batik-Kimono photo is out of focus...,

The Kraton Nadiningrat looks rich, but in fact the extended royal family is quite poor. I have been offered many times all kind of objects, often with the sign PB X, these has been stolen from the Kraton by insiders. Don't worry, I never bought things like that.

While we talking about Solo...

Here's the pictures of Solo Batik Carnival:

Nice pictures Mas, very colorfull, but it takes batik out of it's simple context. The fine motives of traditional batik get lost in an orgy of wannabe modernity. I just kasian with overacting like this. By the time the carnival was held I lived in Solo but did not show up, Solo is not Rio.

edit double post....

Good perspective Oom Lon.., Solo and overall courtly Javanese batik culture do have this soft and "tone down" character and refinement, which somehow not compatible with hip, glamorous, flashy peacock-like Rio carnival.I suspect this Solo Carnival was just a copy of its sucessful predecessor: the Jember Fashion Carnival.

Yesterday I just watch the MetroTV documentary on Jember Carnival, which was born from the initiative and effort of a local fashion designer whom tried to put his sleepy hometown into the map and draw the attention nationwide. Because it was started by a fashion designer and "his circle of friends", the Jember Fashion Carnival is almost like a Mardi Gras Pride Parade with less skin exposed. "Banyak banci tampil.." The documentary tells the story of poor "effeminate" Javanese village boy who finds himself under the protecting wings of the designer, and finally discover a means of "creative expressions" in this parade, you know... that's really gay. Well I don't mind if they and the people have fun, that will makes an interesting show.
Later the idea of launching a town sponsored carnival to draw attention (and maybe draw tourist and money) has caught the Solo desire and later copy it, but with "Batik" as the main theme.

Maybe this whole things of carnivals-like show-offness, flashy, bling-blings parade of peacock like costumes, is more fitted to Bandung or Jakarta rather than Solo, Yogya, or Jember. Or even is more fitted to Filipinos rather than Indonesian, but yet... Indonesian easy going mentality somehow is similar to Filipinos. What I means is the soft, timid yet proud, and refined Javanese court culture somehow don't match the fun-flashy carnival culture. While carefree, show-off, friendly, stylish Sundanese (Sunda: Suka Dandan), and loud Betawi people and Jakarta hybrid cosmopolitan culture (or as you might say: cosmopolitan modernity wannabee...) fit with this whole carnival things.

However.., I don't mind if Indonesia importing fun foreign cultures such as Brazilian Rio Carnival, Samba, and Capoeira... I think Brazilian culture is cool...
Next step... let's import Japanese "Matsuri" and American "Halloween"...

What is Matsuri ?

I agree Maja, it looks like our Maskara Festival or the Dinagyang, where the criteria of success is how fun the occasion is, not on refinement, culture and restraint, not fitting for a bastion of Austronesian culture.

It might be an idea to have a look around in Malaysia, maybe they have something useful

In my opinion a thing like carnaval does not fit with introvert Javanese culture, but if Javanse think it is moderen they just take it over and it will be Javanese culture, just like they do in Malaysia. In Solo they better promote the kraton rituals and processions than come up with something "new".

BTW when I lived in West Java there where still remains of the Dutch Sinterklaas (5 december) but the Sinterklaas was changing slowly into Santa Claus, but actually the US Santa Claus also derives from Sinterklaas, the difference is the dress while Sinterklaas has "zwarte Piet" a black man as his helper and Santa Claus his rendeer, Sinterklaas is a bishop riding on a white horse.

^^^Ya I recognize Piet Hitam...



Matsuri is Japanese summer festival...
I visited several Jakarta Matsuri some years back...
Jakarta Matsuri is held by Japanese expats in Jakarta, actually Jakarta is home of one of the largest Japan expats in Asia...

They hailed the Omikoshi (portable temple) for luck and also there is mass dance performance.
Something like this.

omg.. in that last picture i see my friend

Rachel bilson wearing batik dress





Drew barrymore and her batik bag

Welcome to our forum Komodo.

Batik Kimono, Indonesia-Japan hybrid
(Photo credit, my friend Putri )












Another Batik Kimono

We need a new poster design for IFF2010, and I was thinking how about a design that involves some batik patterns.......
Anybody can enter their design into our competition and the winner gets free entry to all the movies and special events.
(Plus I will send a box of DVDs)

Abercrombie & Fitch ad with Batik yummy!

^ Wow they now carry anduk batik line there? A+F is for preppie fashionistas n I betcha it costs u an arm and a leg.
I can commit to fashion faux pas and I’d shop at any no frill distros around Jalan Setiabudi Bdg.

Bet there'll be local handuk batik/batik towel soon here in Indonesia that cost you no arms & legs :p

thanks Ralf, nice to be here