Paint Your Own T Shirt in Tanjung Keluang!

Nipa palm (Nypa fruticans wrumb) is a very useful plant. Its leaves can be made into a roof and woven into baskets, its sap can be harvested as an alcoholic beverage (nira/tuak nipah), its young fruits can be eaten as desserts. You might already know this. But how many of you are familiar with its usage as a paint? Not many, perhaps.

In Tanjung Keluang, you can learn to paint T Shirts using nipa palm's sap. First, you make a rough sketch using the paints derived from the sap by pencil, then you dab the brush bit by bit to enhance the drawings. When you think it's complete, you coat the painting using a mixture for silk screen (screen printing), wait until it dries, then you're done! The paint will last for a long, long time, especially if you wash the shirts by hand and dry it in a shade.

The sap will yield dark-brownish paint. You can adjust the color by adding more thinner or increasing the amount of sap.

The sap is derived from the fruit, as you can see here.

There are currently two artists in Tanjung Keluang who specialize in painting the T Shirts. Usually they paint orangutans, sea turtles and the like. But you can order custom-made shirts to them. Bear in mind that it might take a while for them to process your requests. (And, yes! You can order the painting of your loved ones in your T Shirt!)

Sunset in Tanjung Keluang

Let the pictures speak for themselves. :)

Tanjung Keluang

Tanjung Keluang is located in Central Kalimantan, near Pangkalan Bun. You can visit Kubu Village first by car, then proceed to Tanjung Keluang by kelotok boat. Or you might decide to go to Tanjung Puting first then using the same kelotok boat, go to Tanjung Keluang right away.

The white sand, blue sky, verdant trees. The breeze is soothing. Makes you want to curl up somewhere and read a good book while occasionally imbibing the sight of the ocean.

 

I'm guessing that the right pic is actually a lighthouse, even though it's a bit small. And on the left you can see the kids are having fun riding a banana boat.

Such an awesome sight, aye? Bottom, you can see some baby sea turtles, ready to be released into the sea. Top, you can see the sea turtles preservation center. It's tucked amidst the green sea pines.

 What can you do in Tanjung Keluang? Many things! You can admire the scenery. Ride a banana boat. Swim. Camp for the night. Visit the sea turtle conservation center. Learn how to paint T Shirts using nipah sap. Release baby sea turtles.      

Would like to know more about Tanjung Keluang? Feel free to visit their website: www.bksdakalteng.dephut.go.id

FB group: TWA Tanjung Keluang

email: bksda_skw2 @ yahoo.co.id