Weaving National Identity: Double Ikat Textiles and Nation Branding in Indonesia, India, and Japan

Abstract

This study analyzes nation branding strategies through double-ikat textile heritage in Indonesia, India, and Japan, focusing on Tunun Gringsing, Patan Patola, and Kurume Kasuri. The study addresses the question of how textile heritage rooted in local communities and regions is constructed as a representation of national identity and image at the international level. Employing a qualitative approach and comparative method, the study draws on literature and documentary analysis of academic sources, as well as official publications issued by governments and relevant institutions. The analysis focuses on narratives of national identity, strategies of representation and promotion, and the utilization of textile heritage as a nation-branding asset. The findings indicate that the three countries have developed distinct strategies. Indonesia, through Tunun Gringsing, emphasizes cultural diversity and cultural authenticity by representing its textile heritage in international contexts. India, through Patan Patola, develops a form of collective heritage branding by positioning the textile within the broader narrative of Indian handloom heritage. Japan, meanwhile, through Kurume Kasuri, emphasizes craftsmanship, regional identity, and the creative economy, reinforced by the protection afforded through a regional collective trademark and the development of creative products. The study demonstrates that the shared technique of double ikat can produce different constructions of national identity because each country adopts distinct nation-branding strategies and narratives. These findings underscore that cultural heritage can serve as a strategic asset for building national image, symbolic value, and economic value at the global level.