Lurik as Javanese Low Class Society Local Wisdom of Utilizing Natural Resource for Clothing

English Literature Study Program, Linguistics Department, Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia.

Abstract

Culture represents human being civilization. The more complex a culture is, the more civilized human being who are possessing the culture. Acultured and civilized society can be seen through its lifestyle. As part of human lifestyle, fashion plays an important role as culture identity. Lurik is Javanese low to middle class society culture identity. It is their local wisdom of utilizing abundant and affordablenatural resource of fabric or clothingmaterial in Java. This research shows how Javanese people understand lurikphilosophy as Javanese traditional clothing and its particular use for the low-class society. The data were collected by doing literature review of lurik’s philosophy, observation of lurik use, and interview with local people who understand well about lurik and its meaning for them. The result shows that only particular Javanese people understand the lurik philosophy well and utilize it properly for the low-class society benefit, such as wearing it as a particular clothing that protects them from danger and wearing it as uniform for traditional ceremony.The meaning of lurik is already shifted from protection from danger under its philosophy and culture identity as low-class Javanese society into casual daily outfit andcommercial goods for business including tourism.