{{Short description|Java-Bali traditional clothing}} {{Italic title|reason=:Category:Javanese words and phrases}} {{Infobox clothing type | name = Kemben | image_file = Balinese Barong Dance.jpg | image_size = | caption = Balinese man clothed in traditional ''kemben'' during Barong dance performance, Bali. | type = Traditional female torso wrap | material = | location = Java<ref name="Historia-Kemben">{{Cite web|url=https://historia.id/kuno/articles/cara-berpakaian-orang-jawa-kuno-6k4Jq/page/1|title=Cara Berpakaian Orang Jawa Kuno|website=historia.id|date=November 2018|lang=id|access-date=2020-11-20|archive-date=2020-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128050513/https://historia.id/kuno/articles/cara-berpakaian-orang-jawa-kuno-6k4Jq/page/1|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="The History of Java">{{cite book |last=Raffles |first=Thomas Stamford |date=1817 |title=The History of Java |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gJEC2q7DzpQC |location=London |publisher=John Murray |oclc= 74175458}}</ref> | manufacturer = | url = }} '''''Kemben''''' ({{langx|jv|ꦏꦼꦩ꧀ꦧꦼꦤ꧀|kêmbên}}; {{langx|sun|ᮊᮨᮙ᮪ᮘᮨᮔ᮪|keumbeun}}; {{langx|ban|ᬓᬫᭂᬦ᭄|kamen}}) is a form of Native Indonesian torso wrap originally found in traditional native Java (Javanese, Sundanese, Baduy, and Osing) and Bali (Bali Aga and Balinese) clothing cultures. It is made by wrapping a piece of ''kain'' (clothes), usually but not limited to batik, tenun, ikat, or any type of fabrics, covering the chest wrapped around one's torso.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://kbbi.kemdikbud.go.id/entri/kemban| title=Hasil Pencarian - KBBI Daring|website=kbbi.kemdikbud.go.id|language=id|access-date=2017-10-12}}</ref> thumb|250px|Javanese woman in {{lang|jv|kemben}} clothing, {{circa|1890}} == History == [[File:Rimbi temple relief, Jombang, 2017-09-19 25.jpg|thumb|left|A Javanese woman wearing ''kemben'' depicted on 14th-century Majapahit temple reliefs in Jombang, East Java.]] [[File:Golden Celestial Nymph of Majapahit.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Bidadari Majapahit'', a 14th-century golden celestial apsara in Majapahit style, wearing kemben.]] Prior to the prevalence of kebaya, it is believed that ''kemben'' was the most popular and common female dress in the ancient and classical period of Java. It was commonly worn in the Majapahit era until the Mataram Sultanate. Today, this shoulder-baring garment still features in many Javanese (and Balinese) rituals, traditional Javanese (and Balinese) dances or palace ceremonies in Javanese (and Balinese) keratons.<ref name="Historia-Kemben">{{Cite web|url=https://historia.id/kuno/articles/cara-berpakaian-orang-jawa-kuno-6k4Jq/page/1|title=Cara Berpakaian Orang Jawa Kuno|website=historia.id|date=November 2018|lang=id|access-date=2020-11-20|archive-date=2020-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128050513/https://historia.id/kuno/articles/cara-berpakaian-orang-jawa-kuno-6k4Jq/page/1|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The bare shoulders of the ''kemben'' may be regarded as a representation of elegance and femininity. In recent decades, however, ''kemben'' has fallen out of favor among Javanese Muslim women as they abandoned their traditional fashion and wear Islamic clothing such as the hijab, which was previously uncommon in Indonesia. Today, the tradition of wearing kemben has been preserved and kept alive in the Javanese royal court of Yogyakarta and Surakarta keratons, especially among nobles and ''abdi dalem'' (palace servants). However, in recent years, this also had stirred debate about the efforts to preserve classic Javanese court culture being contended by the growing conservative Islamism among the Indonesian Muslims community.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dikritik Gara-gara Unggah Foto Abdi Dalem, Jawaban Putri Keraton Jogja ini Tak Terduga!|url=https://wow.tribunnews.com/2017/05/02/dikritik-gara-gara-unggah-foto-abdi-dalem-jawaban-putri-keraton-jogja-ini-tak-terduga|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Tribun Wow|language=id-ID}}</ref>
== Uses == [[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een geposeerde opname van een kleine batikwerkplaats. Middenvoor enkele cantings. De vrouwen dragen een kemben (borstdoek). Java TMnr 60034291.jpg|thumb|right|Three Javanese women in ''kemben'' making batik clothes in a village in Java, Indonesia. 1800s.]] [[File:Javanese serimpi dance presented by Leiden dance group Kurung Kurung 5 June 2011.jpg|thumb|right|213x213px|A ''Srimpi'' dancer wearing velvet ''kemben''.]]
Traditional ''kemben'' is worn by wrapping a piece of cloth around the torso, folding and securing the edge, tying it with additional rope, and covering it with an ''angkin'', a smaller sash around the abdomen. Traditional Javanese batik ''kemben'' worn by palace ladies in keratons are mostly this type of ''kemben''.<ref name="indonesianbatik.id">{{Cite news|url=http://indonesianbatik.id/2018/02/26/memakai-batik-untuk-kemben-eksotisme-fashion-wanita-jawa/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604130814/http://indonesianbatik.id/2018/02/26/memakai-batik-untuk-kemben-eksotisme-fashion-wanita-jawa/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 4, 2018|title=Memakai Batik Untuk Kemben, Eksotisme Fashion Wanita Jawa - Indonesian Batik|date=2018-02-26|work=Indonesian Batik|access-date=2018-06-01|language=id}}</ref> Today, there is also tight-fitted and tailored ''kemben'' secured using buttons, straps or zippers similar to the western corset. The ''kemben'' of female Javanese traditional dancers (srimpi or wayang wong) are usually made of tailored velvet corsets.
== Javanese diaspora == ===in Europe=== In Europe, it is oftenly dubbed as akin to European décolletage, however, it is more indigenous by using local fabrics such as batik, ikat, songket, or tenun, and simply secured by folding and slipping the cloth edges and tying the knot. Traditionally, women wear two pieces of clothes; the lower one is wrapped around the hips covering lower parts of the body (hips, thighs, and legs) and is called as ''kain'' or ''sarong'', while the piece that is wrapped about the upper body (chest and torso) is called ''kemben''.
===in the Americas=== ====Suriname==== {{main|Javanese Surinamese}} thumb|250px|Javanese women clothed in {{lang|jv|kemben}}, {{circa|1925}} Suriname. In the South American country of Suriname, {{lang|jv|kemben}} is traditionally worn due to the Javanese diaspora community existence in the country. It is worn in daily life (especially by the elderies) and during special cultural Javanese-related events, such as Java New Year celebration where traditional Javanese dances commonly performed.
===in Asia=== ====Malaysia==== {{main|Javanese Malaysians|Indonesian Malaysians}} {{multiple image | align = center | direction = horizontal | header = Styles of ''kemban'' as worn by Javanese diaspora in Malaysia<ref>{{cite book |publisher=Funk & Wagnalls Company |author=Thomas Athol Joyce & Northcote Whitridge Thomas |year=1908 |title=Women of All Nations: A Record of Their Characteristics, Habits, Manners, Customs, and Influence |asin=B011C9TDQE}}</ref> | header_align = center | header_background = #fee8ab | footer = | footer_align = left | footer_background = #f0f0f0 | width = 80 | image1 = Image from page 217 of "Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence;" (1908) (14583643838).jpg | caption1 = Javanese diaspora wearing ''kain lepas'' with a broad sash (''kain kemban'') dressed over flowered sarong with ''kain kelubung'' in Terengganu. | image2 = Image from page 217 of "Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence;" (1908) (14583809677).jpg | caption2 = Javanese diaspora wearing ''kain lepas'' with check pattern (''kain kemban'') dressed over a flowered sarong with ''kain kelubung'' in Kelantan. | image3 = Image from page 220 of "Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence;" (1908) (14767920874).jpg | caption3 = Javanese diaspora wearing ''kain lepas'' girt about the breast (''kain kemban'') over a sarong with ''kain kelubung'' in Kelantan. | image4 = Image from page 217 of "Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence;" (1908) (14583809217).jpg | caption4 = A ''kain lepas'' draped about the breast (''kain kemban'') over a flowered sarong with decorative flowers in hair. }} In Malaysia, due to the existence of Javanese diaspora (or Indonesian diaspora in general) ''kemban'' is introduced and essentially worn in a type of sarong and was a very popular style of clothing prior to the prevalence of Baju Kurung (of Sumatran diaspora introduction) and Baju Kebaya (of Javanese diaspora introduction). The members of the nobility used better quality and designed cloths, as well as elaborate jewelry made of gold and precious stones.<ref name="DBP-Kemban">{{Cite web|url=https://prpm.dbp.gov.my/Cari1?keyword=kemban|title=Carian Umum - Kemban|website=prpm.dbp.gov.my|lang=ms|access-date=2020-11-19}}</ref> They had their ''kain kelubung'' (shawl) to cover their heads from the sun and a ''kain kemban'' worn from the bust downwards to keep them cool in the tropical heat. According to the ''Malay Annals'', Sultan Mansur Shah, the sixth Malaccan ruler, banned Malaysian Malay women from wearing only a ''kemban'' as it ran contrary to personal modesty based on Islamic teachings.<ref name="NST-Kemben">{{cite web |title=Enduring charm of the baju kurung| date=18 August 2019 | url=https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2019/08/513680/enduring-charm-baju-kurung |access-date=19 November 2020}}</ref> Today, the kemban torso wrap is rarely worn in the piously Islamic Malay community of Malaysia, regarded as a relic of the past, replaced by the more modest Baju Kurung which is generally worn with tudong to comply with Islamic modesty requirements. A third piece of cloth is used to cover the head (head, shoulders, and arms) from the sun and it is called ''kain kelubung'' as shown in the pictures above.
== See also == {{Portal|Clothing|Fashion|Indonesia}} {{commonscat|Kemben}} * National costume of Indonesia * Culture of Indonesia * Javanese culture * Kebaya
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Folk costume}} {{Indonesian clothing}}
Category:Indonesian clothing Category:Culture of Indonesia Category:Javanese culture Category:Culture of Java Category:Javanese clothing Category:History of Asian clothing