Indonesia may be a world away from St. Kitts, but not at Caribelle Batik.
It is here where the traditional Southeast Asian art of batik, a textile technique that uses wax and dye to create colorful fabrics, has been going strong since 1976. Caribelle Batik sits on the Romney Manor estate, which dates back to the 1600s and was owned by Sam Jefferson, an ancestor of Thomas Jefferson. The estate is owned and operated nowadays by Maurice Widdowson, who started out in retail in his native Britain and later acquired an interest in batik while in Zambia. He owns Romney Manor and another historical estate, Wingfield Estate, next door.
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On a recent visit to Romney Manor I had a behind-the-scenes opportunity to create my own batik, a basic print where I pressed wax-soaked metal stamps whose designs included hibiscus flowers, palm leaves and monkeys onto a white cloth, later dyed and hung to dry on what is arguably the most photographed clothesline in the Caribbean. My only handmade design was my initials, which ultimately resembled a Halloween font and made me realize the difficulty of creating batik. Unlike tie dying, whose colors and patterns are more irregular, batik is more precise, the wax covering portions of the fabric you don't want dyed. Caribelle Batik's wares are on full display at their shop, with items including clothing, purses and bags, cushion covers and wall hangings.
Even if handmade, colorful clothing isn't your thing, the grounds are a botanical delight that double as Mother Nature's canvas. Its six acres are manicured, lush and vibrant, and a sprawling, 400-year-old saman tree serves as a centerpiece as well as a canopy for the occasional wedding that takes place there.
The grounds of Caribelle Batik, with artifacts drying on a clothesline in the background. Photo Credit: Omar Perez
The neighboring Wingfield Estate, meanwhile, houses the remnants of a 17th century sugar mill and a rum distillery that dates back to 1681. Signs point out the different functions of each area, from where sugar cane was crushed to a boiling house where crushed sugarcane was boiled in copper pots. The property is also the site of an ongoing archaeological dig.
Both properties were in ruins until Widdowson acquired them and gradually restored them. Despite a slow start, Caribelle Batik in particular has grown in popularity has become one of the island's more popular destinations, with locals as well as tourists.
Entry to Romney Manor costs $3 for a self-guided tour; Wingfield Estate admission is free. Cruise ships and tour operators offer excursions to the properties.