Bumpak Seluma Weaving is being examined for Geographic Indication Protection by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property

Jakarta: From North Sumatran Ulos, West Sumatran Songket, Lombok Weaving to Sikka Flores Weaving, Indonesian woven products have gained their popularity both locally and internationally. Nowadays, along with the aforesaid, Bumpak Seluma Weaving has also gained its popularity among the weaving enthusiasts, prestigious enough that many counterfeiters have deemed profitable to piggyback its reputation by producing woven products with similar patterns and colors.

In order to obtain appropriate protection upon Bumpak Seluma Weaving, the resident of Seluma Regency, Bengkulu, specifically the Masyarakat Peduli Indikasi Geografis (MPIG – local community who actively act on preserving geographical indication), have submitted a geographical indication application to the Directorate of Trademarks and Geographical Indications on 30 August 2022 with the application number E.IG.21.2019.000005. The application itself is currently still in the process to obtain a geographical indication certificate.

According to the application document, Bumpak Seluma Weaving is a woven product that has been developed and produced by the people of Seluma Regency, Bengkulu Province since the colonial era for generations. This weaving is produced manually using a gedogan pelantai loom with hand-spun yarn. Bumpak Seluma Weaving is made using yarn either made in the factory or traditionally spun by hand for better quality, then given color either with natural or chemical dyes.

Traditionally, Bumpak Seluma Weaving is predominantly red in color, styled mainly with some geometric ornaments and the edges are decorated with empang lawayan or ulagh panggang patterns, with some pattern variations are using golden threads. Bumpak Seluma Weaving would usually uses four main colors, namely: black, blue, red and gold, which colors symbolize glory and prosperity.

The patterns used on Bumpak Seluma Weaving represents ethnic, religious, socio-cultural, and aesthetic values which being depicted with surrounding symbols, such as plants and animals.

Hence, the protection upon Bumpak Seluma Weaving through geographical indication becomes essential to pretain the uniqueness and characteristics within the weaving, so residents of Seluma Regency could proudly preserve it as a local heritage. (JPK-SMN-RKH-BDP/su)