Indonesian Unique Traditional Clothing

Indonesia has a rich variety of traditional clothing from all provinces, each displaying unique regional cultural characteristics that should be preserved. These traditional clothes not only showcase the beauty of each region but also cultivate a sense of love for the homeland. As of June 2022, Indonesia has 37 provinces, including the Provinces of South Papua, Central Papua, and Highlands Papua, and thus, 37 different traditional clothing styles. Let's explore some of them:

1. Aceh - The Ulee Balang

Traditional clothing for men is called Linto Baro, which consists of a head covering or crown called meukeutop, a shirt called meukasah, and tight pants known as sileuweu. Ulee Balang traditional clothing for women is called Daro Baro and is in the form of baju kuning, influenced by Malay, Chinese, and Arabic culture.

2. West Sumatra - Bundo Kanduang

Is a traditional dress that is typically red and comes with complete accessories and a head covering, usually worn during wedding ceremonies.

3. North Sumatra – Ulos

Is a traditional clothing that features a beautiful blend of colors and conveys philosophical meaning. The colors red, black, and white are used as symbols of value in an indirect message.

4. South Sumatra - Aesan Gede

Is typically used in wedding ceremonies and is one of the types of songket cloth worn by nobility. This clothing has elements of Hindu-Buddhist culture.

5. Riau Province - Laboh Kebaya

Weasel Cocktail Brackets are the customary attire for formal occasions, particularly government events. Women typically wear the Laboh Kebaya, while men wear the Kurung Cekak Weasel shirt.

6. Riau Archipelago - Teluk Belanga

Shirt is a traditional clothing for men, while women wear Kebaya Laboh. For formal occasions, the official dress is the Kurung Cekak Weasel shirt.

7. Bengkulu - The Betabur

Shirt and songket skirt are worn by the bride, and the groom wears a betabur shirt, pants, and songket cloth made of velvet and songket.

8. Jambi Province - Baju Kurung

Is made of velvet, sateen, or hanging in various colors and embroidered with gold thread. The songket depicts the majesty of a woman.

9. Paksian - Bangka Belitung

Paksian attire, originating from Pangkal Pinang, is a customary wedding outfit. The bride wears a red baju kuning, made of silk or velvet, which was formerly referred to as a baju seting. The fabric utilized for this dress is besusur cloth, lasem cloth, or cual cloth. The bride wears a crown known as Paksian, while the groom adorns a turban called a sungkon. This attire is believed to be influenced by Chinese and Arabic cultures.

10. Onion Bones - Lampung

Tulang Bawang attire upholds the values of decency and is steeped in Eastern traditions. The outfit features a closed dress model for both men and women. Men wear long-sleeved white tops with matching trousers, while a red and gold sarong is wrapped around the waist and falls just above the knee.

11. Pangsi - Banten

Pangsi is a traditional clothing worn by men in Indonesia. It comprises a slightly loose plain shirt and loose pants that do not exceed the ankles. It is commonly used among the Betawi and Sundanese tribes.

12. Kebaya Encim - DKI Jakarta

Kebaya Encim is a regional traditional dress originating from the Betawi tribe in DKI Jakarta province. It is a blend of Chinese and Betawi cultures. Additionally, other traditional clothing in Indonesia has Chinese, Indian, and Arabic influences. Examples of Betawi traditional clothing include Conscious clothes, Demang clothes, Tikim clothes, and Pangsi pants.

13. Sundanese Kebaya - West Java

The Sundanese kebaya is similar in shape to other kebaya from Central or East Java. However, it features unique motifs on the neck and is typically brighter in color. The bottom of the Sundanese kebaya is often combined with jarik cloth.

14. Ageng Knights - Special Region of Yogyakarta

Ageng Knights is the traditional clothing worn in Yogyakarta. It comprises a Surjan as boss, black trousers, a Batik cloth wrapped around the waist up to the knee, and head accessories.

15. Jawi Jangkep - Central Java

Jawi Jangkep is the official traditional clothing for men in Central Java. It is predominantly black on top and is often paired with the Central Javanese Kebaya for women accompanying their partners to official events.

16. Pesa'an - East Java

Pesa'an is the traditional dress of the Madura tribe in East Java. It is typically worn by men and comprises a red and white striped shirt, a black long-sleeved smock, and black baggy pants.

17. Payas Agung - Bali

Payas Agung is a luxurious and special Balinese traditional dress typically used during wedding ceremonies or cutting teeth events. Other Balinese traditional clothes include the safari dress, the middle payad, the alit payas, and the Balinese kebaya.

18. Pegon - West Nusa Tenggara

Pegon is the traditional clothing of the Sasak tribe in West Nusa Tenggara province. It is influenced by European clothing and typically made of dark cloth instead of songket cloth like other Sasak clothes.

19. Amarasi - East Nusa Tenggara

The Dawan tribe in East Nusa Tenggara has a traditional dress called Amarasi for men, comprising woven cloth blankets and bodo clothes. Other traditional clothes from NTT include Ti'i langga, a hat made of dried palm leaves for the Rote tribe, white shirts and scarves for men in the Sabu tribe, kebaya and woven cloth for women, and Helong tribe clothing for men and women.

20. King Bibinge and King Baba - West Kalimantan

King Baba is the traditional dress for men of the Dayak tribe in West Kalimantan, while King Bibinge is the traditional clothing for women. King Baba is shaped like a vest made from kapuo bark and decorated with orange and red beads. King Bibinge is made of the same material but covers the chest and shoulders.

21. Nyamu Upak - Central Kalimantan

Nyamu Upak attire consists of traditional clothing crafted from flattened bark of the Nyamu tree. The bark is utilized as a material for clothing and ewah (loincloth). Additionally, the clothing may take the form of a vest or a sleeveless shirt, and is occasionally fashioned from mosquito skin.

22. Ta'a and Sapei Sapaq - North Kalimantan

In North Kalimantan, traditional clothing includes Ta'a for women and Sapei Sapaq for men. Ta'a is a sarong woven with small colorful beads featuring special motifs, while Sapei Sapaq is a specially-shaped shirt decorated with patterned beads, tiger teeth, and fangs. Bagajah Gamuling Baular Lulut is a classic wedding dress that has been developed since the days of the Hindu kingdom in South Kalimantan. The bride only wears a kemben called udat.

23. Kustin - East Kalimantan

Kustin is a traditional clothing of the Kutai tribe in East Kalimantan, meaning "clothing" in Kutai language. It is an oversized garment made of black velvet and is worn during wedding ceremonies by the upper-middle class society.

24. Pattuqduq Towaine - West Sulawesi

Pattuqduq Towaine is the traditional clothing for women of the Mandar tribe in West Sulawesi, consisting of several components. The top is Rawang Boko, and the typical Mandar sarong is called Lipaq Saqbe for subordinates, equipped with another sheath called Lipaq Aqdi Diratter Duattdong. In terms of accessories, the outfit includes headdresses, necklaces, belts called Kliki, and bracelets.

25. Nggembe - Central Sulawesi

Nggembe is the traditional clothing for women of the Kaili tribe in Central Sulawesi. It has a unique and attractive shape and a choice of colors, including red or yellow combined with black or brown patterns. The loose overalls with short sleeves feature bead ornaments, a rectangular shape, and a round collar. The subordinate for this traditional dress is Buya Sabe Kumbaja, a long and blooming skirt made of woven sarongs from Donggala tied around the woman's waist.

26. The Kaili tribe - Central Sulawesi 

Has a traditional women's clothing called Nggembe that has a unique and attractive shape. The dress comes in red or yellow with black or brown patterns and is in the form of a loose overall with short sleeves. It also has bead ornaments and a rectangular shape with a round collar. The subordinate for this traditional dress is Buya Sabe Kumbaja, a long blooming skirt made of woven sarongs from Donggala that is tied around the waist.

27. Laku Tepu Sangihe tribe - North Sulawesi

That is worn by both men and women. The dress has a long canal shape that reaches the knees and soles of the feet for men, and comes with a headband called paporong.

28. Babu Nggawi Tolaki tribe - Southeast Sulawesi 

That is often worn in traditional and official ceremonies such as weddings. The dress consists of a top called lipa hinoru and a long skirt called roo mendaa that reaches the ankles. The color of Lipa Hinoru is always matched to the color of Menda's roo.

29. Bodo clothes - Makassar tribe in South Sulawesi

Are traditional women's clothing of the Makassar tribe in South Sulawesi that are rectangular in shape, have short sleeves, and are usually worn for traditional events such as weddings. Baju bodo is now being revitalized through other events such as dance competitions and welcoming guests.

30. Mukuta and Biliu - Gorontalo

Are a pair of traditional Gorontalo clothes that are only worn during wedding ceremonies. The Biliu clothes for women are adorned with many decorative accessories and trinkets, while the men's Mukuta clothes are simpler with only three accessories.

31. Cele - Maluku

Cele shirt is a Moluccan traditional clothing that combines a kebaya cloth with a salele cloth at the waist. The dress usually has a red color with geometric lines or small boxes motifs that represent cheerfulness, courage, and dexterity.

32. Manteren Lamo - North Maluku

Manteren Lamo is a traditional dress from North Maluku that was worn by the sultans of the kingdom. The dress consists of a red jacket with gold embroidery on the edges, black pants as subordinate, and head accessories.

33. Ewer - West Papua

The traditional clothing of West Papua in Indonesia is called Ewer. It is made entirely of natural materials, specifically dried straw, and has been modernized with the addition of a cloth top.

34. Koteka - Papua

Koteka is a traditional Papuan clothing worn by men that serves to cover their genitals while leaving other body parts exposed. It is also known as horim or bobbe and is considered a type of clothing.

35. Pummi - South Papua Province

Pummi is a traditional dress worn by men in the South Papua Province. It is a woven mini skirt made from sago leaves with tassels that unravel around the hips and thighs. Women wear a similar garment called Tok, which is a type of loincloth or underwear made from a Pummi with its front fringes gathered and pulled to the back of the hip.

Share :