Meaningful Sarong Colors Around the World

The color of a sarong varies greatly across the globe. In addition, the meaning and significance ascribed to certain colors is different depending on the individual culture. What may denote royalty in Indonesia may mean something vastly different in Cambodia. Knowing the differences and value placed on sarong colors in various cultures helps to better understand the world at large.

In Cambodia, sarongs are typically reserved for special occasions such as weddings, funerals, or religious gatherings. Cambodians look to the heavens as a guide for which color garment to wear and when. In the Cambodia culture, each day of the week corresponds to a planet in the solar system. In turn, each planet corresponds with a specific color. An ancient poem details the color requirement for each day of the week: red for Sunday, orange for Monday, purple for Tuesday, green for Wednesday, yellow for Thursday, blue for Friday, and deep plum for Saturday. In a traditional Cambodian village, the day of the week can be deciphered by simply observing the color of clothing of the locals.

In Indonesia, colors follow a guide based on family origin and gender. Yellow garments are reserved for females and white for males. Indonesian artisans perfected the batik method of dyeing sarongs and are known for their vivid, colorful designs. Similar to the Cambodians, Indonesian people generally reserve these garments for ceremonial purposes. Indonesian families each have a designated color and it is socially expected to wear that color at weddings, funerals, or other ceremonial events associated with that particular family. Even the law enforcement of Indonesia has a specific color scheme of black and white check with a red waistband.

Colors in Sri Lanka take on a much simpler tone. Typically seen in earth tones of black and brown, sarongs are worn almost exclusively by the male population. The garments in this country are either of a solid shade or feature a basic plaid design. Those wishing to identify with the common man can be seen wearing basic, earth-toned sarongs at social, religious, and political events.

Whether it is the islands of the Pacific or the coasts of Southeast Asia, the color of these garments is a vast spectrum. For more information on these garments and how they are made, visit the extensive amount of information available at fairwindssarongs.com.