EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH CRAFTS

END OF ASSIGNMENT REPORT 7-12-2010

CONTRACT NO. 450007187

43 G, GULBERG III, LAHORE. TEL: 042 35880822, FAX: 35847651 EMAIL: [email protected]; [email protected]

EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH CRAFTS

UNESCO-NORWAY FUNDED PROJECT: MAPPING OF CULTURAL ASSETS IN DISTRICTS MULTAN &

BAHAWALPUR

mailto:[email protected]�

UNESCO-Norway Funded Project “Empowering Women through Crafts in Dist Bwp & Multan”: End of Assignment Report 1

CONTENTS

1. BACKGROUND/ INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Aims & Objectives 1.2 Methodology 1.3 Project Team and Management of Project

2. RAPID SURVEY TO SELECT THE CRAFTS AND IDENTIFY ARTISANS IN

EACH OF THE DISTRICTS 2.1 FIRST STAGE: Identification of Villages & Crafts 2.2 SECOND STAGE: Formation of Training Clusters & Crafts for

Inclusion in Project 2.3 Training Clusters 2.4 Findings and Crafts Selected For The Project 3. CAPACITY BUILDING 3.1 Training 3.1.1 Training Workshop: Sample; First Training Workshop 3.2 Issues Regarding Training 3.3 Villages/Participants & Crafts 3.4 Management of Cultural Products 3.5 Akaths: Thematic Areas 3.6 Design Development 4. CRAFTSWOMEN 5. CRAFT TRAINING CENTERS &THAAP-CRAFT CENTERS 6. EXHIBITION 7. ACHIEVEMENTS 8. NATIONAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFTS 9. THE WAY FORWARD: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNTIES

10. ANNEX


1 BACKGROUND

In March 2010, THAAP-CAS was awarded the Project “Empowerment of Women through Crafts” within the framework of the Norway funded Project “Mapping of Cultural Assets in District Multan and Bahawalpur” to demonstrate the benefits of cultural mapping for communities. The Project is identified as Contract No. 450007187 of March 2010. Work in the two districts was initiated in March 2010, with the Work Plan submitted to UNESCO on 15 March 2010. The above mentioned Contract contains a component for a parallel/similar project in District DG Khan to be carried out simultaneously through UNESCO funds. The Norway funded Project was scheduled to end on 15 Sept. 2010 giving a period of six months for the work to be carried out as delineated in the Terms of Reference (Annex 1). The project has been delayed due to the floods 2010 and unprecedented heavy rains in South Punjab, which all affected some of the villages where the Project was being carried out, thus through force majeure.

1.1 PROJECT AIMS & OBJECTIVES

Within the scope of the overall objective of demonstrating how Cultural Assets which have been identified by communities and mapped can be used for the benefit of communities to provide economic opportunities for them; the specific of the Project are as below and TORs are attached as Annex 1

a) Employ/ Use local craft traditions as a means for alleviating poverty b) Develop Cultural Products to enhance economic opportunities for

craftswomen c) Train women to develop innovative contemporary design d) Train women in marketing and management skills e) Provide functional literacy to project participants f) Establish a National Award of Excellence for Handicrafts, based on

UNESCO’s regional program on the same lines g) Organize an Exhibition to introduce the crafts of Southern Punjab to potential

market through an Exhibition in October 2010. (the proceeds of which would go directly to the women beneficiaries to sustain their efforts)

The Project required that 100 women be trained (20 women from 5 villages) in each district and a total of 10 Master Trainers be developed.


1.2 METHODOLOGY The Methodology employed was designed to achieve the Project’s aims and objectives this required that sufficient information would be available regarding crafts and craftswomen in the Districts of Multan and Bahawalpur which would provide the basis to move forward. Information available from the UNESCO-Norway funded Project of Cultural Mapping in Districts Multan and Bahawalpur (2009) was useful for identifying the locations where various crafts were noted as assets. The methodology involved the following

1. Assembling Project Team and personnel at District Level and setting up offices. Recruitment of Local Resource Persons.

2. Rapid Survey of villages, identified in the Cultural Mapping, in each district to identify crafts and artisans willingness to participate in Project.

3. Enlisting Project Villages based on crafts, artisans interest and logistics. Formation of Training Clusters and central points for joint training.

4. Training including training methodology, material etc. for training in development of new innovate cultural products, marketing, management and functional literacy

5. Training of Trainers and establishing quality standards 6. Preparation of Craftwork for Exhibition 7. Establishing standards of Fair Price for Cash-for-Work 8. Packing and Finishing of Cultural Products 9. Planning of Exhibition

1.3 PROJECT TEAM & MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT

THAAP-CAS Core Team: The Core team was established including designers, with management/marketing and skill training and others trainers for basic training in functional literacy. The Team Leader was THAAP-CAS Executive Director, Sajida Haider Vandal. Other members of the Team included THAAP Principal Designer, Aisha Imdad, Mobeen Saeed (Textile Designer), Sadia Farooq (Product Designer); Muhammad Ali Wasti (Craft Designer/Management and Promotion) and Saba Samee (Exhibition Design). Each of the core team members brought onto the Project their particular expertise. The team designers are well known and experienced in teaching/training for 10-30 years and have been working for the promotion of crafts. The Head Office Project Coordinator appointed was Saira Yasir.


Local Resource persons: One Resource Person was identified and appointed in each district to act as Field Team Leader (FLT). The selection was based on previous experience in community work, a good knowledge of local crafts and willingness to travel to remote/different parts of the district whenever required. Other criteria included ability to organize training sessions as and when required and liaise with designers and head office (HO) in Lahore; Experience of Computer programs relevant to the Project, electronic, oral and written communication skills. Women selected as Field Team Leaders were Bushra Sagar & Muzamal Yasin for Multan and Bahawalpur District respectively.

Field Unit Office: THAAP Office in Bahawalpur at 4-A Satellite Town Field was used as the central office for the Project, while a small sub-field office was established in Multan inner city at Keera Wala.

PROJECT TEAM

Team Leader Sajida Haider Vandal

Principal Designer Aisha Imdad

Designer (Exhibition/Management) Saba Samee

Designer Crafts/Management/Marketing ) Muhammad Ali Wasti

Designer ( Textile) Mobeen Saeed

Designer ( Leather & Palm Leaf Products) Sadia Farooq

Field Team Leader ( Multan) Bushra Sagar

Field Team Leader ( Bahawalpur) Muzamal Younis

Head Office Coordinator Saira Yasir

2. RAPID SURVEY TO SELECT THE CRAFTS AND IDENTIFY ARTISANS IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS A two stage Rapid Survey was carried out. In the first stage the location/villages and crafts were identified along with the endangered crafts. In the second stage villages indentified through the first stage were revisited to establish those which had the


potential for inclusion in the Project based on interest and availability of craftswomen to enable clusters to be formed.

2.1 FIRST STAGE: Identification of Villages & Crafts

Based on information attained from the UNESCO-Norway funded Mapping of Cultural Assets Project a Rapid Survey of villages in both districts was carried out and crafts with potential for inclusion in the Project were selected. The Rapid Survey was planned on the basis of tehsils in each district. In Bahawalpur these ranged from Yazman, which includes the Cholistan Desert while in Multan, Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujaabad and villages in Multan tehsil were visited by the core team members and local resource persons. The bazaars in each of the district/ tehsil headquarters were also visited as well as some of the local bazaars which were identified as the areas where local crafts and artisans were operative. The procedure followed was the filling in of a simple form, focal group discussions, evaluation of local craft products and availability of skilled crafts persons. The Tables below indicate the findings from the First Phase of the Rapid Survey which was completed in 10 working days

CONSOLIDATED FINDINGS FROM RAPID SURVEY BAHAWALPUR (WOMEN CRAFTS) March 2010

CRAFT MOST KNOWN LOCALE AVAILIBILITY OF SKILLED WOMEN ARTISANS

HAND EMBROIDERY IN ALMOST ALL VILLAGES OF THE DISTRICT. BHELI, ABBASS NAGAR, DNB 110, DNB 112, DERA BHAKKA and others

Each Village has about 30-50 women involved in Hand Embroidery. Some experts available in all villages. Best potential in DNB 110.

CHUNRI MAKING ABBASS NAGAR and some others Abbass Nagar well known traditional center. Quality deteriorating because all products being prepared on Commercial basis

PIT-LOOM ABBASS NAGAR, HEAD RAJAN, RAIZABAD, BC 33, BASTI GADAN

BC 33 most promising. Master Trainers available. About 4 Skilled weavers and spinning experts.

PALM LEAF WEAVING ABBASS NAGAR, BC 1, BHELI & OTHERS Abbass Nagar has one extended family preparing fine products. In other areas


commercialization has taken root

CARPET WEAVING AHMED PUR SHARKIA Limited extent. POTTERY AHMED PUR SHARKIA, ABBASS

NAGAR Potters villages were found making products transported all over Pakistan. Women engaged in decorative work on pottery pieces

RALLI CHOLISTAN Most exquisite. Large number of craftswomen. Two different types of ralli craft seen. Deep Cholistan cannot be included because of logistic problems

BEAD WORK CHOLISTAN Prevalent in Cholistani villages and also with some Abadkars. DNB 112 has best potential

FALASI (Sheep Wool Carpet)

CHOLISTAN Mostly prepared in Deep Cholistan. Cannot be included because of Logistics

KHUSSAS UPPERS MADE IN SOME VILLAGES Some fine quality craft skills available. Women bonded to Contractors. Maybe difficult to compete. Other products can be prepared using same skills.

An analysis was also carried out to help in deciding which crafts should be taken up in the Project. It had been decided that the most prevalent and popular would be taken up however the intent was to also identify those which were endangered and there were artisans who could be located with the skills needed for their revival. The following table gives the salient information regarding Endangered Crafts ENDANGERED CRAFTS BAHAWALPUR March 2010

CRAFT REMARKS SCALE OF POTENTIAL (high, moderate, low)

NATURAL/VEGETABLE DYES ONE WOMAN IN ABBASS NAGAR Difficult. Only one woman located in Abbass Nagar.

PIT-LOOM METHOD OF MAKING FINE SILK EXTINCT

Low: Can be done at a later stage. Would involve Ustads to take up revival

PALM LEAF WEAVING LIMITED PRODUCTS High: Skills exist. Develop Abbass Nagar and train others


CARPET WEAVING QUALITY HAS DETERIORATED Low: Not many women

JEWELRY TRADITIONAL METHODS AND STYLES NOT POPULAR

Low: No women artisans. Outside the scope of Project

RALLI LIMITED PRODUCTS High: New Products can be developed

BEAD WORK LIMITED PRODUCTS Moderate: New Products can be developed

BUILDING DECORATIVE CRAFTS (FRESCO & NAQASHI)

VERY LIMITED, LOSS OF QUALITY Low: Can be done at a later stage. Would involve Ustads to take up revival and develop Master Trainers.

The consolidate Fact Sheet for District Multan is as below

FINDINGS FROM RAPID SURVEY MULTAN (WOMEN CRAFTS)

March 2010 CRAFT MOST KNOWN LOCALE AVAILIBILITY OF

SKILLED WOMEN ARTISANS

HAND EMBROIDERY IN MOST VILLAGES OF THE DISTRICT. Very prevalent. Most villages have 40-60 artisans

PIT-LOOM MULTAN VERY LITTLE No women artisans

PAPER CRAFT MULTAN CITY Very exquisite. Limited to two nomadic clans. Women and men both involved

PALM LEAF WEAVING KHAN BELA VILLAGES Five women. Best available in Dhup Seri (2 km from Khan Bela)

CARPET WEAVING MULTAN Limited extent. Reputed to be mostly in District Vehari where women artisans are working in cottage industry

BLUE POTTERY MULTAN CITY, NAQASHI BY WOMEN ALSO

About 12 women in Multan City. Most have given up this work

CAMEL SKIN WORK MULTAN CITY, LAYERING BY WOMEN Potential exists in Multan city only.

BLOCK PRINTING MULTAN CITY Earlier very popular. Now artisans have given up because they cannot


compete with the market. Some women are eager relearn and set up businesses

CHUNRI MAKING MULTAN CITY, NOT VERY POPULAR Not much interest shown. Abbass Nagar and Khairpur seems to have taken the lead

KHUSSAS UPPERS MADE IN MULTAN & SOME VILLAGES

Several Women engaged in this work. Under contract to market. Other products can be prepared using same skills.

ENDANGERED CRAFTS MULTAN : March 2010 CRAFT REMARKS AVAILIBILITY OF

SKILLED WOMEN ARTISANS

NATURAL/VEGETABLE DYES GOOD METHODS EXTINCT Difficult. Keror Pucca was visited. Haji Amer Buksh , reputed to be best could not prepare acceptable products

PIT-LOOM VERY LIMITED, METHOD OF MAKING FINE SILK EXTINCT

Low: Can be done at a later stage. Would involve Ustads to take up revival of traditional weaves. Deyaieh, tehsila extinct.

PALM LEAF WEAVING LIMITED PRODUCTS Moderate: Can be explored

CARPET WEAVING QUALITY HAS DETERIORATED

Low: No market and no women weavers found in any village

JEWELRY TRADITIONAL METHODS AND STYLES NOT POPULAR

Low: No interest shown by women

BUILDING DECORATIVE CRAFTS (FRESCO & NAQASHI)

VERY LIMITED, THOUGH MASTER CRAFTMEN AVAILABLE. LIMITED USAGE

Low: Can be done at a later stage. Would involve Ustads to take up revival and contemporary usage. High Potential for future


2.2 SECOND STAGE: Formation of Training Clusters & Crafts for Inclusion in Project

After the first round of visits, the core team analysed the data and identified those villages which appeared to have the most potential. This was followed by a second round of visits to these villages to select the participants and explain the next phase, i.e. the Training component. Suitable locations for the training had to be determined based on accessibility for the communities and suitable arrangements for the training. In both districts the possibility of carrying out the training in one central location was explored but this was not acceptable for the participants for the first session. It was resolved that the initial training would be held in atleast three different locations in each district and then efforts would be made to move towards collective training sessions so that benefits accrued through exposure to crafts and craftwork from other areas could be reaped.

2.3 TRAINING CLUSTERS

Locations for Decentralized Training Workshops was as follows Bahawalpur : Bheli, Basti Menghwaal, Basti Khangah, Derawar; Abbass Nagar; DNB 110, DNB 112, Dera Bhukka, Yazman, 28 BC, Multan: Chah Bajay Wala, Multan, Village Khan Bhela, Kera Wala, Paper Craft work at Lodhi Colony, Multan City Locations for Joint Training Bahawalpur: Bahawalpur City Multan : Chah Bajay Wala, Keera Wala

2.4 FINDINGS AND CRAFTS SELECTED FOR THE PROJECT A brief on each of the Craft was prepared for use of the trainers and is reproduced below. The potential of each was also indicated 1. PIT-LOOM: Bahawalpur & Multan region were famous for its pit-loom industry but now it is on the verge of extinction, having been replaced by the Kasuri loom. In BC33, Abbass Nagar, and Basti Gadan traditional pit-loom crafts persons have been working in this profession for last 4 generations and could be involved as trainers, the first appears to be more promising. The shift to the larger loom has affected the traditional designs. With pit loom the weavers are producing three different kinds of products i.e., Khais, (bedspread) Shawls and Cloth. The finer silk cloth weaving methods are extinct.


Khais: There are two types of Khais being produced i.e. Saada Khais and Majnu Khais. Saada khais is plain with strips on the borders of varying sizes, whereas Majnu Khais is more intricately designed and is based on two mutually contrasting colors. The pit-loom craftsmen family from a village in Yuzman (largely consisting of Hindu community) creates beautiful Khais in Saada and Majnu designs. Bhera Ram explained that his expertise is in three traditional designs of Khais, which are traditional designs and have been in his family for generations. He can make designs in Majnu Khais called Maky Khori; Kamal Khori and Diwani Dabi Khais on the pit-loom. Khais is made in two “puth” (parts) of about 24” each, later sewn together to get the size of a bedspread. This is due to the limit of width on the pit-loom. There is potential to develop cultural products which the trainers need to assess. Samples of each have been procured.

Cloth: The cloth made on the pit-loom can range from the course to the very fine cloth made in a variety of designs. Among these, Susi, weaved in straight lines is the most famous and popular. The coarser version called “tehsila”, traditionally made with white pinstripes in a few colors (indigo, blue, green, red, and sometimes brown) and of small width (about 10 to 12”) is extinct as are the fine varieties of susi earlier made in cotton and silk yarn. (available in personal collection of the Team Leader). A silk variety famous at one time, prepared with silk worm thread is now also extinct. Susi is extensively made in the villages of Punjab and Sind but now mostly on the larger Amritsari or Kasuri loom which allows cloth to be weaved in a larger width than the pit-loom where the width is restricted to a maximum of about 30”. The cycle of preparing cloth on pit looms traditionally involved both men and women. It was the women who prepared the yarn on “charkas” (spinning wheels) whereas the tana was mostly prepared by the men while the weaving was done by both by women and men. Multan district was also famous for “deriye” which was prepared with silk thread on the pit-loom with two colors woven together and popularly referred to as “doop- shaun” (sun-shade). This is now extinct. No weavers could be found who knew the technique any longer. Samples of all extinct cloth mentioned above are in the personal collection of the Team Leader and trainers can assess the possibility of reviving some weaves.

Shawl: Traditional shawls are very popular in the Multan and Bahawalpur region. A traditional weaver Ghulam Hussain (father) and Riaz Hussain (son) make warm shawls and desi khais on pit-loom. They can make 8-10 yards of thick woolen shawl cloth in one day, thus one woolen shawl in two “puths”(parts) can be completed and two can be completed in 2 days. The material used in the woolen shawl is called Pasham (Sheep wool yarn). Ghulam Hussain is able to sell traditional design shawls in his villages. He proudly asserts that he sells all his products in the village, as people still prefer to buy his shawls rather than go to city for modern products.


Nur Khatoon, BC 33 Bahawalpur District

An entire family of weavers from 33 BC in Bahawalpur is probably the only weavers left who can make shawls in silk. These shawls are called Salari. The mother makes the thread on the traditional charkha and the sons make the shawls on pit-looms. The shawls are plain with colorful borders. They sell their work to the locals of the area and do not need to take their products to the market since a lot of people from the surrounding areas place orders for salari, which is used at weddings and other occasions to welcome guests and the bridal party. The silk weaving is an extremely difficult process as the thread is very thin and it takes longer time to make one shawl. According to Nadeem (one of the son) they can make one shawl in one week approximately. Trainers need to assess the potential for transfer of knowledge to women artisans and develop products which can be sold in an exclusive market.

In spite of repeated visits no fine pit-loom weavers could be located in Multan. The major issue in pit-loom industry is that is rapidly being replaced by the larger loom (Amritsari/Kasuri) where cloth of a wider width (1.25 yards) can be prepared which is more suitable for apparel. The exquisite cloth prepared on pit-looms is thus an endangered craft and the traditional motifs are being forgotten and some of the more intricate weaves and cloth now either extinct or nearing extinction. The art of pit-loom needs to be promoted by opening new avenues for the product, finding buyers and a market for this most finely made material and an exceptionally rare craft. Possibility of revival of varieties now facing extinction can be taken up.

2. PALM LEAF WEAVING: Palm Leaf weaving is done with the dried leaves of date-palm known as ‘Khajji’ locally. Date palm is considered to be the third major fruit of the country and abundantly grown in South Punjab. It is used to make various items such as baskets, ropes, hand fans, prayer mats etc. Products are either utilitarian objects or for decorative purposes only and prepared by women in their free time. They have come up with many innovative designs in colorful dyed palm leafs. The color range is still restricted to a few colors, yellow, green, red, shocking pink which is because these appear to be more popular colors. In the beginning color was not used but the weave produced a variety of patterns which is still made in some villages.


Changar from Uch Sharif, Bahawalpur District

Mat from Khan Bela, Multan District

The palm leaf and wheat stalk craft is a traditional and seasonal craft. Products are usually made in the late summer when the raw material has been dried and prepared for weaving. Most young women learn the skill when young from their mothers and grandmothers, but all villages invariably have some women who are acknowledged masters and are much sought after to prepare a range of products for a girl’s dowry and other special occasions. Safia Bibi of Basti Majnon, Abass Nager, (District Bahawalpur) along with her elderly mother, Mithan Mai, makes floor mats, (Chatais), hand fans and praying mats, fruit bowls of varying sizes and platters. The mats made for daily use are generally plainer while others are more colorful. Mats are weaved in puths, (parts) of about 10”width and then sewn together with palm leaf. The family has been well known for generations for the fine products that they have been making and the innovation that has been brought into it by each generation. This is also the case of Mariam and her family of Abbass Nagar and of others in the various villages of the districts. Palm Leaf products have been sustained by the demand from village communities and have thus survived for generations but are now threatened due to the commercial products which are usually cheaper and rapidly replacing these hand made products. Mithan Mai and Safia Bibi assert that they get enough work from their own community and thus do not need to sell any of the products in the market. The potential of these objects for the contemporary market, however, needs to be explored since it is also facing problems, as craftswomen don’t get enough return for the hard work put into the making of a palm-leaf product. The palm leaf products are unique and rare and a bigger market needs to be tested for new cultural products. Trainers need to examine the possibility of developing new products beyond the traditional “changhar” which had limited use.

3. HAND EMBROIDERY: Hand Embroidery is a prevalent craft throughout the two districts and found in all villages. It is an art in which designs or patterns are stitched on the fabric with needle or an ar (awl). Few of the stitches/tankas, which are popular, are Kacha Tanka, Katcha Pucca Tanka, Aari Tank, Salma Sitra, Gota Kinari, Chicken Kari


Katcha Pucca Tanka

Village Theghar, Multan District

Khan Bela, Multan District: Shawl with Ar work for which Rs 18 is paid for embroidery

Hand embroidery has found a commercial market with the ensuing problems of loss of quality and exploitation by the middlemen/contractors. Most villages also have local sub-contractors who hand out work to the various embroiders in their village, thus, the craftsperson faces exploitation at two levels and ends up by being paid very little for the lovely products that they prepare. Although some women are working full time on this

craft usually it is a spare time activity since it fetches little returns. It is common to find young girls preparing embroidered products for their jehaz (dowry). This is usually of fine quality and often very exquisite and intricate compared to the products prepared for the market which is almost always course and restricted to a few popular designs provided by the middlemen. Traditionally the embroidery was taught to the young girls by their

elders or by the traditional teacher who taught them the Quran as well as survival skills but now there are Dastakri (handicraft) centers run by some of the enterprising women of the village where the craft can be formally taught. Men too are increasingly involved with embroidery work usually working at an “adda” (large frame) for the commercial market.

Bushara Hafeez, of Faizabad, Chak No 29 BC, trains girls at her own house. She learnt the art of embroidery from her mother and other female members of her family when she was young. She usually takes 3-4 days on one suit (shirt & dupatta) and 3-4 shirts in one day. She works on orders from different people in her locality. She knows 40


Chunri from Abbass Nagar

different stitches. Bushra has taught more than 50 girls by now and she is acknowledged as the Ustad (master teacher) by her community. She proudly speaks of her shargids (students) who have got married and gone away from the village to spread this craft amongst more communities.

Mariam Ayub is an expert of Ari Tanka and in her spare time does embroidery to supplement the income of her family. Ari Tanka was adopted in cloth embroidery from tilla work on leather uppers, an embroidery technique used in making of Khusas (leather slipper). Its implements are a hook like needle called ar. Ar is of various sizes to achieve more refinement in the embroidery. Mariam learnt ari tanka from her mother, as is the usual practice in the villages of South Punjab. Embroidery is a good way to pass time and does not require any major tools and all women do embroidery after finishing their daily chores. She makes beautiful shirts and duppattas.

The potential of the extensive hand embroidery sector has not been fully appreciated due a variety of reasons amongst which is the prevalent view that women are often confined to their homes through this work. This may well be true in the current scenario but the possibility and potential of women setting up their own small enterprises as has happened in the urban areas exists which is the direction that needs to be considered and capacity of the village embroider enhanced to be equipped for the modern business world. At present there are two levels of contractors operational and exploiting the artisans, one is the market contractor and the other is the village based sub-contractor. Trainers need to be conscious of the village sub-contractor and ensure that fair price criteria are used throughout when CFW is being considered.

4. CHUNRI MKING: Chunri or the art of tie and dye is a famous craft of the Saraiki speaking region as well as Sind. Bahawalpur ranks high as a center of Chunri making with the presence of villages like Abbass Nagar which have been preparing products for the market since ages. Multan also have a tradition of Chunri making but on the decline.

process involves the cloth being first starched to provide a b The etter grip while tying the tiny knots which have been traced on the cloth in the form of dots according to the pattern. Small grains of wheat are tied in the fabric on each dot with the help of a special needle like tool. This process is called bandhini. The dye was traditionally done in different bright colors popular in the Cholistani area of Bahawalpur. Earlier natural dyes, referred to locally as “Matka” colors, named after the earthenware urns used in the process were popular but now


Chunri from Abbass Nagar

chemical dyes are mostly used. There are very few women who know this ancient way of preparing natural dyes since chemical dyes are easily procurable and the constraint of time and resources has almost made the traditional knowledge of “matka” colors extinct.

The preparation of a Chunri, a predominantly women’s craft, involves the tasks of bandhini making and dying which are usually done by different persons. Fazalan Bibi, of Majnoon Basti, Abass Nager district Bahawalpur, binds the Chunri designs on orders for the Chunri dyers. It is an extremely difficult task and the nails get badly injured. She has been doing this work for as long as she can remember. She said that it takes her around 3-4 days to complete a pair of clothes.

Nusrat Bibi and her entire family of Abass Nager make Chunri’s on a professional basis. According to them Chunri is a traditional craft of all the Saraiki families and most women of the village know the art; some of whom are considered experts and prepare the work for special orders. Most of these women know the fine and intricate traditional designs and patterns since this is the family heritage, however new designs have evolved which are coarser and easier to prepare thus more suitable for a market which pays low prices for this work.

The market for good quality Chunri needs to be created and the crafts persons should be encouraged to go back to their original intricate and refined traditional designs, and make new products which appeal to the modern buyer. A Challenge for the trainers to take up!

5. RALLI MAKING: Ralli making is synonymous with the Cholistan desert, where it is widely practiced and most intricate although it is found in other parts of the region as well. The craft is thought to have had its origins in the need to strengthen old clothes which were stitched together with finely done running stitches for utilitarian household use and then started being a treasured item for a variety of products, especially prepared for trousseau and special use. In the desert ralli are also called rindhi or gindhi. Mostly the colorful cheeth (cotton cloth), which is the commonly used cloth for apparel is used to make ralli. The cheeth cloth is cut in a traditional design pattern and then stitched together with a needle. Once all the pieces are stitched together; two to three layers of cloth are placed under the patchwork cloth and attached together with


Ralli from Basti Bodiwalla

Ralli from Basti Khangah

Tobacco Pouch from Basti Menganwal

Ralli from Basti Mojgarh

running stiches. The very minute stitches are done in straight lines on all the ralli used as bedspreads, floor covers, pouches, storage bags, camel saddle cloth and saddle bags and such other usages. Sometimes appliqué work is rendered on the borders and at times embroidery of stylized birds and plants can also be found on some rallis. The process is time consuming and painstaking and done by women in whatever time they can get from their daily toil. Appliqué work rallis with patch work borders can also be found.

The term ralli derives from “rallana, which means to connect”. The women of Cholistan make these rallies for their daughter’s trousseau. They say that the day their daughter turns ten year old they start making the rallies for their dowry. Various kinds of rallies are created for different occasions in her married life, the most intricate being for the marriage day. Sons too get their share of rallis for their married life.

These rallies are very versatile in their use for local people. If they are traveling they put it on the ground to rest. It they feel cold in the cool desert night it can be used as a cover. If they are in the house they use as bedspreads on their charpais (cots). In every way the colorful rallies bring brilliant color in their lives with a variety of bright yellows, reds, shocking pinks, bright greens and blacks.

Bags and others such objects made out of cloth creates the needed versatility for people of the desert who are by force nomadic and having to travel large distances in search of water.


6. GHOGHOO GHORA: The Ghoghoo Ghora or a toy horse is a traditional craft and one of the oldest in Pakistan. Traditionally ghoghoo ghora was made in terracotta with hole in its back. When air is blown in it the ghoghoo ghora would make a sound and that is how the toy horse got its name. It has been part of our cultural heritage for a longest period. Ghoghoo ghora’s made of terracotta have been found in the Indus Valley sites and considered to be children’s toys. It remains as a part of the rural culture of South Punjab. The design of the toy horse varies from place to place. Over a period of time the ghoghoo ghora material has also evolved. In the Multan region a special kind of the toy horse has evolved, made of rags and paper. Every year before Eid festival colorful ghoghoo ghoras are seen near Eidgah of Multan which are sold to celebrate the Eid festival. Ghoghoo Ghora’s are made by the khanabadosh (gypsy tribes), who are nomadic and roam around in the region in search of work and come to Multan at the Eid Festival. One particular tribe is now squatting in Multan working as scavengers.

The making of the ghoghoo ghora is an interesting and fascinating process. The entire family works together as a team to create this exquisite craft. The wonderful thing about their art is that everything used to make a ghoghoo ghora is made out of recycled material. They use old clothes, paper, toori, (wheat chaff) and kana or reed stalks to make the ghoghoo ghora structure, a paste made out of atta (wheat flour) and powder color is used to create traditional colors used on the ghoghoo ghoras. The paper is colored in purple, shocking pink, yellow, red and white.

The structure is constructed with old cloth stuffed with crushed wheat and the legs are made of Kana, reed stalks. Once the structure is sewn together the basic body color is applied. The color is in the form of a lai; a paste made out of color dye and atta (wheat flour), mixed together in the form of a thick paste. The traditional body color of a ghoghoo ghora is purple; hence purple color is applied all over the body. Once the body is colored, the reed stalks legs are attached to the body. White paper is pasted on the upper portion of the legs to keep the legs secure and in place. In the next step yellow paper is used to make the decorative neckband for the ghoghoo ghora. Neckband of ghoghoo ghoras are further decorated with red and green paper cut-outs in the shape of a frill. The front legs are covered with shocking pink paper to create a decorative costume for the ghoghoo ghora. Metallic pani or silver paper stripes are used to further decorate the horse. The silver paper is cut out in thin strips and is used to give the costume of the ghoghoo ghora a more formal look. The face of the horse is decorated with green paper and eyes are made of yellow paper. The head is decorated with a feather made of white paper. The


Ghulam Fatima

Ghooga Ghoras of Multan

seat of the horse is made of yellow paper cut in the form of a saddle. The back of the horse is again covered in green paper to create an illusion of a costume worn by the horse. The white paper is cut out in a form of its tail, which shows in contrast through the green costume covering the back. The costume is decorated with thin strips of paper pasted in contrasting colors to create decorative motifs. The leash of the horse is decorated with paper flowers in red, yellow and shocking pink. Parrots are also now being made. While the horse was the traditional form and gave the art its name, ghoogo ghora, it may be possible to make an array of animal forms which will bring in a new impetus for this craft. The parrot, camel, peacock and elephant are some possibility. Maybe some product can be thought of that may be needed throughout the year as well such as shopping bags? 7. BLOCK PRINTING In Multan block printing has been done for many centuries. Due to lack of buyers most block printers have left the craft and started doing other work. Keror Pucca (district Lodran) a known center of this craft produces sufficient for the demand of the market. The designs for the blocks are selected or made on paper. After that wood is selected on which the block master/carver carves the design. The block carving is a very intricate job and must be perfectly prepared since the quality of the product will depend on the block itself. The block is prepared


Crafted by Haji Abdullah about 20 years ago

according to the motif; one block for each of the colors used in the motif thus sometimes three to four blocks are prepared for a single motif. Once the blocks are carved and before starting with the block printing the blocks have to be made ready for printing. The blocks are soaked in mustard oil for about three days to take away the rough edges and make it more receptive to the paint. Traditionally organic colors were used for the printing but due to the work and time involved in making organic dyes the printers have stopped using natural dyes and are now relying on chemical dyes. There are two different kinds of colors that can be used on cotton in block printing. One is Alka Binder color which is used on light base cloth preferably un-starched cotton. The other is called paste color, which are used on dark based, thick cloth. The color used on the silken cloth is called Proshan. The aim is to have the color when applied to the cloth come out smooth and even and completely absorbed in the cloth so as to get a sharp image of the motif. The block printer’s table is specially prepared, its size is equivalent to the material to be printed, and thus about 3 yards length and about 1.25 yards wide to accommodate the size of the dupatta/ shirt to be printed in one go. The table’s surface is affixed with 60 layers of bori (sack) cloth on it. The block printer fixes the cloth on the table and starts using different blocks dipped in the desired color to start printing various design patterns. The patterns can be varied of a single or multiple colors dependent on the skill of the block printer. The quality of block printed material has considerably deteriorated and even in Keror Pucca the quality is not up to the mark.

The age old craft of Block Printing is facing difficult times with several of the crafts persons leaving their family trade in search for more lucrative likelihoods, often moving away from the village abodes to the cities, thus the extinction of skills which had survived for centuries seems imminent if a market is not found for this age old craft. Trainers need to find out how to revive the traditional techniques and assess whether some women artisans can be trained. If need be visit other known areas of block printing to see whether better quality work is being produced.

8. BLUE POTTERY: The blue pottery of Multan is famous all over the world. It is considered as one of the hallmark of Multani crafts. The Sultanate period monuments in Multan and elsewhere in the region bear testimony to the skills of the Multani Kashigars (tile makers). It is believed that the craft of making blue tiles came to Multan from Central Asia in 12th Century during the rule of the Ghaznavids and the Delhi


Kashi Kari at the Entrance of Shrine of Shah Shams Sabzwari

Sultanate. Some scholars are of the view that “The use of foliage branches and leaves of trees and superb richness of colors (main blue) in Kashi work is an evidence of Persian influence. As Persian arts themselves have been under Chinese (Mongol) influence, therefore some historians are of the view that Kashi work had originally come from Kashghar, China.” From its origin, “ Over a period of centuries Multani Kashi work has matured and developed a unique and distinctive style of its own” 1

.

The exquisite kashikari at the Shrines of the Sufi Saints of Multan, Shah Rukh-e-Alam, Baha’ud din Zakariya and the Ismali Saint Shah Shams-ud-din Sabzwari are some examples of the high quality of the tile work that the kashigars of the time had achieved. “But later, due to a lack of patronage, standards began to decline, until the craftsmen started switching over to other work. However, there are still handful of craftsmen who are sticking to their ancestral trade”.2

This traditional art of Kashikari in Multan is different from other pottery styles in the country because of its process. The traditional clay which was used was a special type

Among these are Ustad Mohammad Wajid and Mohammad Zafer. Both live and work in the old city’s Mohalla Pir Pathan and prepare not only the tiles but various decorative and utilitarian objects such as vases, lamp shades, crockery etc using age old techniques and methods. Ustad Wajid’s family has been in this profession for over 500 years but now due to lack of a clientele his sons have found other livelihood. Ustad’s Zafer family has been in this trade for 300 years and now none of his children want to continue with this work. This illustrates the problems being faced by the crafts people throughout the region. This craft continues to be endangered inspite of the efforts made by the government to set up Blue Tile Center in Multan and elsewhere the craft continues to suffer due to lack of good marketing and promotion.

1 Hashmey, Hira; Blue Pottery in Pakistan. A cluster information Report. Unpublished report, AHAN –Pakistan


Contemporary Handi

of clay found never the rivers of Multan which was prepared and refined through age old techniques to give it’s the fine quality that Multan blue pottery is famous for. Increasingly the red clay has been replaced by the commercially available clay which does not require much preparation. The two kashigars ustads Muhammad Wajid and Muhammad Zafer are amongst the very few who continue to use the red clay. Various natural materials are used to give it its famous blue glaze. Cobalt is used for dark blue now, but earlier Lajwant stone was used to acquire the color, and copper oxide is used for ferozy (turquoise) color, traditionally called sabzi. The white color of the background is obtained from the sandh rock. Before applying the color on the product a layer of aster has to be applied on the surface of the clay to enable the color to show as the brilliant blues of the Multan blue pottery. The Nakash draw the fine patterns on the unbaked pieces, this part of the work is sometimes rendered by women. Firing of the Multan blue pottery is at 900 degrees Celsius. Designs rendered as naqashi have evolved and developed giving a much larger design palette from the traditional designs. The color palette remains the traditional range of blues, yellow, green and sometimes red.

The Kumhar (potters) of South Punjab have fortunate to have a market in the villages throughout Pakistan and thus the craft has survived and grown with products being continuously innovated to cater to the present day needs. The traditional gharas and matkas have their modern counterpart in the clay water cooler fitted with a tap to make it easy to pour water and the old shape of the clay flower pots have been transformed into a variety of shapes and sizes. There are potter’s villages found in the districts whose creations find a market through the length and breadth of Pakistan and beyond into Afghanistan while the blue pottery ustads await a clientele which will increase their earnings beyond the Rs 20,000/= and Rs 15,000/= which is the monthly earning of Ustad Muhammed Wajid and Ustad Muhammed Zafer respectively.

The exquisite and brilliant hued blue pottery made with age-old techniques embedded in the history of Multan region. These techniques need to be protected and promoted and the kashigars and nakashs encouraged to maintain the old techniques which left a lasting and indelible mark on the Multani culture. There were only 14 women who are involved in Naqashi work in the blue pottery. The Challenge is to locate them and persuade them to be a

part of the Project. Some way needs to be thought of how these women artisans can set up their own small businesses otherwise it will be difficult to take this forward.


Basti Bodiwaal

Basti Khangah Sharif

Khangah Sharif: Bags crafted with flat crepe and machine

Crochet work in several bastis

Changher with Palm Motif

Basti Gaddan Khes

DNB 112- Bead Work

Basti Gaddan-Shawl Border

These eight Crafts can be the first to be taken up. However as the Training starts continuous exploration of other skills that the participants may have need to be noted and built into the process. One such craft is beadwork of Cholistan.


Training Bheli

CAPACITY BUILDING Training and Capacity Building was at the core of the Project objectives which were the central concern throughout the project period. These objectives were a) Development of cultural products, contemporizing design to inculcate design innovation methodologies and development of Craft products. b) Development of marketing and managing skills, and, c) Provision of functional literacy to the Project participants These were met through intensive training sessions using a methodology which allowed group training sessions as well as individual sessions through THAAP designers as well as peer review and collaboration with Master Trainers developed as the Project progressed. Opportunity to meet participants from other districts and areas was also built-into the training sessions with some joint sessions held at a central location. Sharing and learning from each other’s work and experience appeared to be a good way for collective development of the group. Thus work prepared by one group of women was shown in other districts so that the isolation which is so often the fate of women and crafts women could be challenged. Many of the Training sessions were organized using the home of a community member taking recourse of a familiar setting where women usually collect to share their lives and learn crafts from their elders. When it was felt appropriate some of these were converted into Craft Centres which allowed for these to be in areas where the crafts were rooted thus its natural/traditional home.

The training sessions were designed to provoke and tease the imagination. The lesson plans and the resource material assembled for sharing and referencing was continuously assessed and if and when the need arose modified, to allow local needs to be integrated in the capacity building processes. Examples of the most exquisite and fine works were collected to provoke the mind, some of these were old pieces made in the very same villages by the artisans ancestors. These provided the bench mark that was possible to attain; at times invoking disbelief that some article or the other could


Training Basti Mengawal-Cholistan

Color Coordination Workshop

indeed have been done by hand for some of the techniques are not known any longer. At one of the training session, the Chunri artisans when shown an old gharjola with finely done bandhini insisted that this was factory produced but later tried to match this work by tying the chunri in fine knots themselves. They have not quite got to the stage of preparing the finest chunri but it is possible that with continuing support and encouragement of a discerning clientele they may still achieve the heights that this region’s chunri had in the past.

At one of the training sessions, the women developed patterns using various stitches of their liking and a colour scheme that would fit the themes, the mood and the design pattern. The designers asked them for the names of the stitches and soon enough names were given, usually named after the husband, or an animal. Black became “Bhanis” (water buffalo) and others named after political figures….so there was a Benazir tanka and a Nawaz Sharif tanka! The meaning of colours for the local communities was explored, those that brought good fortune and others which were taboo were noted. Books and reference material/patterns/drawings

were particularly popular with the participants and eventually photocopies had to be made and left at the Centres. With a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration the Project moved forward. Management skills are difficult to impart unless truly an attitude of “Theory & Practice go hand in hand” is instilled. Thus the management skills came out of the Project components themselves with Master Trainers

tasked to work and organize a group of their village artisans and supervise the Cash-for-Work cultural products being prepared by the group. Quality assurance has to be at the village level itself if women are to be empowered and livelihood opportunities through crafts engendered to alleviate poverty in villages. Thus, the Project endeavoured to impart skills and techniques for management and quality check as the Project progressed.

Marketing is the single most difficult area for it presupposes a market out there and a clientele eager to buy hand crafted cultural products. This is an area where


Field Team Leader Muzamal Younis at Basti Khangah, talking to Razia Bibi

government support is most essential for there is a need not only to promote crafts but a firm support and commitment to the Craft Sector. The need for a Craft Museum to showcase the work of artisans and other mechanisms to bring Crafts on the Priority List is dearly needed. This has to be a continuing endeavour and focused on “Reviving Crafts in the Villages” to provide economic opportunities for alleviating poverty in villages. Crafts are the most prevalent means of non-farm livelihood in villages and that needs to be recognized. Basic marketing skills such as how to achieve “fair price” for cultural products were imparted but without efforts by government, the commercial sector and the public at large this is an onerous and fairly meaningless task. 3.1 TRAINING Training was carried out through Cluster Training and Joint Training at locations mentioned above carried out by THAAP designers. Training at Villages held by THAAP designers and Training by Master Trainers in villages as an ongoing process of peer review and evaluation.

Training Curricula Developed by Designers : Key Features - Design Training through references from immediate environment - Introduce Reference material (Books, Samples etc) and Contemporary Market

demands - Challenging & Innovative design development - Skill Development - Quality Control techniques - Marketing & Management Techniques - Functional Literacy Techniques to be refined and targeting purposeful training


Designers Cluster /Joint

W’shop

Date Venue Participants Outcome

1 April 15-19

Multan (Keeri Wala, Chaj Baja Wala) Bahawalpur ( Derawar, Bheli)

All identified craftswomen from

various villages

Initial Collaboration for design and development of products Selection of Potential Master Trainers Sample preparation initiated Functional Literacy lessons started (on a need basis)

2 May 4-9

Multan, Bwp Master Trainers & a few participants

Discussion on Contemporary Design, Quality Control & Management Checks for Quality Control initiated

3 May 30- 3 June

Multan Master Trainers & Participants

Local Designers, Cutters, embroiders identified & trained Exhibition Thematic Areas resolved and Orders placed for CFW

June 15-18

Bahawalpur Master Trainers & Participants

As above

June 22- 29

Multan Master Trainers & Participants

Block Printing Techniques


August 8-12

Bahawalpur Stitching & Cutting Master Trainers &

Participants

Cadre of trained women

Sept 15-25

Bahawalpur Handloom Master Trainers &

Participants

Handloom weavers trained

Oct 10-12

Multan (Khan Bela)

Embroiders Master Trainers

Local artisans trained in fine work

Oct 20-24

Multan Block Printing Master Trainers

Refinement of Techniques

Oct 26-30

Bahawalpur Packing & Finishing Products

Cadre of Trained women

Fortnightly visits by THAAP Principal Designer to Project villages for Capacity Building

Weekly visits by Field Team Leaders to Project Villages in their District

Fortnightly Visits by Head Office Coordinator from Sept-to date for continuing training in Finishing & Packaging to Bahawalpur THAAP Offices & Multan Block Printing & Craft Center

Below is a brief report compiled after the First Training Workshop and annexed are the detailed reports of the first and second training session to show how the training was carried out and the management of the capacity building component. Such reports were prepared for all Training Sessions by the Designers to review the outcome and determine the next steps.

3.1.1 Training Workshop: Sample; First Training Workshop

Dates: April 15-19 2010 Locations: Bahawalpur- (Derawar, Bheli) & Multan Walled City

The First Workshop entailed a lot of Preparatory Work by the Team of Designers, since they were now confronted with developing a methodology to contemporize design in close collaboration with the crafts women. All the core team designers came with teaching experience at the tertiary level but had little experience on how to go about teaching to a group with high level of skills who had little knowledge of

Preliminary Work


the contemporary market. An initial visit was made to the districts and accompanied with the FTLs they were given an opportunity to observe, discuss and learn following which the lesson plan would be developed. The locations and participants were selected by the relevant FLT who paid a number of visits to the various villages identified with potential. In some cases repeated visits were made trying to explain the aims and objectives of the Project. There was initially a lot of distrust mainly in the areas where similar projects had been carried out earlier. The prevalent view was that people come and built their expectations and then disappear, so they were naturally reluctant to go through yet another experiment. In other cases women wanted promises of sewing machines before they would agree to participate. The Core Team decided that this was not the right way forward and thus we would

a) Refrain from creating unrealistic dreams b) Built in sustainability insofar as possible c) Pay Cash for Work (CFW) for the products produced under the Project d) Explain fully that if products are sold at a higher price at the exhibition at the

end of the Project, the fair sharing formula would be worked in which the major beneficiary would be the craft person.

After having resolved such key issues, the task of developing the teaching program was taken up by the team of designers/management and literacy personnel. The first one day sessions held at different locations entailed developing an understanding of color and coordinating colors, meaning of motif’s in the traditional designs, surrounding environment & developing design based on local motif’s and discussions on samples taken from various familiar sources.

Workshop Sessions: Interactive Lecture Sessions followed by an exercise was the format adopted. The Report of Mobeen Saeed, designer; appended as Annex 4 and Aisha Imdad, Designer/Artist at Annex 5 detail out the events in Bahawalpur and Multan.

Major Outcome

a) Master Trainers were selected from the Participants by the participants themselves. These women were already acknowledged leaders of their communities in their particular craft.


b) Work was given out to all participants to prepare which FTL would collect. All participants were informed that timely delivery and quality was the key, an essential aspect of management skills

c) Basic discussions on management and marketing skills and initial spade work of these important skills were initiated.

3.1.1 ISSUES REGARDING TRAINING a) In the first two training sessions attended by a large number of women participated in the Cluster Training the designers came to the understanding that there was some changes that were required to spark the imagination and interest of the women. It had been noted that some of the expert artisans were actually working as sub-contractors themselves for the market contractors and were thus a part of the chain of exploitation to which the craftswomen were being subjected. To enable bringing the disadvantaged artisans into the loop it seemed important to move quickly into the CFW mode to demonstrate benefit for all participants. Rates of Payment needed to be settled with the artisans themselves and paid directly to them. b) Women were subjected to a lot of control exercised by the family thus it may be difficult to get them all at one place. It was felt that the economic benefits from the Project could help in this. Thus the CFW incentive could be used c) Most critical was how to get new innovative ideas developed in the training process. Experience had shown that something needed to be brought into the training sessions which would help spark the imagination so as to propel it forward.

At the third Joint Training Session on May 30-June 2, 2010 in Multan the idea of using local references was congealed and Thematic Areas were developed. Contemporizing Design which is one of the key aspects of the training requires a high level of involvement & a highly motivated participant. Thus as preparation for the Third Training Session, the response from the earlier training sessions, the samples prepared were assessed to determine the level of engagement with design development by the participants. It was noted that as the methodology required some modification it would be best to perhaps define thematic areas based on the immediate environment of the participants.

The training focused on how a theme is developed and carried through and controlled through a color palette, designs etc to read as a single entity. Products for each theme were determined and distributed amongst participants and prices fixed based on level of quality.


Khan Bela- August 2010

Khan Bela August 2010

The Salient Facts regarding outcome of the Training is as below

3.2 VILLAGES/PARTICIPANTS & CRAFTS Location Final No of

Villages No. of Participants who participated in

training (1-3 Sessions)

Final List of Participants

CRAFTS

Multan Multan City (Chaj Baja Wala ) Shujabad Jalalpur Pirwala Khan Bela

244 177 Palm Leaf Embroidery (Ar & Goota) Block Printing Handloom Leather Work Naqashi Camel Skin Products

Bahawalpur & Cholistan

7 Villages 350

311 Embroidery (Katcha Tanka, Shadow Work, Pucca Tanka Palm Leaf Handloom Fabric Chunri Ralli Ralli & Embroidery Bead Work

The Attrition was due to a number of reasons, mainly the harvesting season which is viewed as a good opportunity for the village women to earn money as well as the yearly stock of grain (wheat and rice). Women at the cotton picking season earn about Rs 500 per day which is way beyond their earnings through the crafts. In Multan district the rain caused havoc, particularly in Khan Bela villages, in Shujaabad and


Jalalpur Pirwala and several of the participants were dislocated temporarily. They have all since returned and most are eager for opportunities to enhance their livelihood through craft related work.

Bahawalpur, Bheli June 2010

Cholistani Women at Workshop April 2010


3.3 MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL PRODUCTS A system of managing the large number of cultural products being prepared had to be devised. These were means of imparting management skills to the participants who were given note books to develop their own log books to include designs, orders of cultural products and patterns using “cheepe”. The evolved format is annexed for reference

3.4 AKATHS : THEMATIC AREAS The themes in the four collections derive their spirit for designing from local sources rather than motifs that do not belong to the area. Thus, these collections, developed in the training sessions through designer-artisan collaboration, gave the artisans a design palette that they could relate to their daily lives, the familiar rather than the alien. In this way they could evolve and improvise the design in their own individual ways, using familiar references. To adopt this way forward, the THAAP Design Team of the Project, carried out many training sessions with the local crafts women to revive and improve their craft techniques and to develop design motifs for the various cultural products that they were planning to make. The sessions made it clear that the local design palette held more appeal for the women artisans rather than the designs imposed from outside their realm, the way adopted by market contractors. The excitement that this created in the training sessions was palatable because now the women were a part of the design development, improvising the design, using colors from the palette of the four collections, matching the color to develop schemes which would look good, looking at each other’s work, developing a comradeship and recognizing the leaders amongst them. The themes for the exhibitions were selected after much deliberation on their content, photographs were examined, resource material consulted and the artisans were juggling their memory to capture something from what they had seen or remembered their mothers and grandmothers making. The process gave significance and strength to the design themes and the craft products that were planned and eventually prepared.

The following four thematic collections based on various cultural aspects of the region have been developed in the Project. The collections are called Akath meaning putting together or getting together in Saraiki, the language of the region. All the four themes derive their conceptual spirit from the various cultural aspects of Southern Punjab.


1. Jiwan-Rukh Akath (Tree of Life Collection) Tree of life Collection derives its conceptual spirit from the fresco paintings on the walls of the Sufi shrines, the tombs, mosques and havelis of Southern Punjab. This is a rendering of the indigenous, prevalent and enduring motif in the Sultanate, Mughal and Mughal inspired buildings and in the Craft products. The motif of the tree, representing and symbolizing sometimes life- the terrestrial garden, and sometimes the universe or the heavens, the garden of paradise - the celestial life, symbolizing the concept of hereafter and good fortune for life to come is a familiar and popular motif found in the mosques, shrines, tombs and havelis of the three districts; in the Nakashi on wood and camel skin, embroidered motifs and other crafts.

2. Tooti-Nama Akath (Tales of Parrot Collection) This collection celebrates the design motif of the bird form in the folk arts of South Punjab. This prevalent motif, sometimes in the shape of peacocks, parrots, herons, pigeons, doves, myna, hens, roosters, and occasionally the crow, make their appearance in embroidered pillows and “rummals”, block printed cloth, household accessories as well as the earthenware blue pottery of Multan and the rallis of Cholistan. Its origins are embedded in antiquity and the meaning has been lost however the motifs survive in the folk and popular arts of South Punjab. Among the variety of bird forms, is the parrot, Mian Mitho of folklore, with its poetic connection to women’s lives, symbolizing the need for a benign friend and companion with whom secret thoughts can be shared. The Akath derives its name from “Tooti Nama”; the exquisite book prepared for the young Emperor Akbar which is based on 52 stories narrated to Khojasta by her pet parrot. One story every night to amuse her for the 52 nights that Khojasta’s husband was away on his travels. The book is illustrated with exquisite miniature paintings to enhance the interest of the reader. Tooti Nama Akath while making connections with the traditional folk culture of Punjab is an opportunity for the women for rewriting and reviving these folk stories through their crafts.

3. Neel Akath (Indigo Collection) The inspiration is from the famous turquoise and deep blue or indigo colored glazed tiles of the Sultanate Period Architecture, the Blue Pottery traditions and the plant “indigo” which is grown in the region. It honors the skills and art of the kashigars, the matka dyers, the nakash, the embroiderers, the block printers who have made this hue synonymous with South Punjab. By adopting the colors as well as the design patterns into their crafts from the rich references from their region, the women artisans, through this palette celebrate and engage with the mystic traditions and colors which are indigenous and familiar.

4. Rohi Akath (Cholistani Collection) The Collection portrays the spirit of Cholistan and it colorful design palette. The vibrant colors which the Cholistani women wear in their traditional choli and ghagra are the colors of this collection. The folk art designs, which are made on the rallis, clothes, bags and even on the surface of their mud plastered houses, are the references for the designs for the Akath in this theme. The “Rohi Akath” conveys and connects the Rohi women in celebration of their ancient culture that is buried in the sands of time and the living arts and crafts which are embedded in the everyday life.


Parrots made in BC 28

Cholistani Akath

Jewan Aktah in Chunri

Neel Akath

Palm Leaf Cholistani Akath

Thematic Concept Inspiration

Indigo Collection Sultanate Period Architecture & Blue Kashi Kari prevalent in South Punjab

Tootti Nama Birds are a widely used motif. The Parrot has a multiplicity of meanings in folklore. The Tuti Nama was the first illustrated manuscript prepared for the Emperor Akbar

Jewan Rukh (Tree of Life ) Tree of Life a common motif in frescoes, tile work. Of note is the mango tree in full bloom

Cholistan Collection The vibrancy of colors of Cholistan is the ultimate palette for crafts. This collection explores the potential of local colors and crafts to develop new products for the contemporary market


1.1 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT The Design development required that a color palette be developed for each collection and reference material for developing motifs. Stitches/Tankas for embroidery, color scheme for each products and costs had to be established and the marketability of each product determined. Quality standards were critical, so samples had to be prepared and discussed through peer review and with designers. Thus before a product was implemented these stages had to be covered and MTs trained to ensure quality in the products being crafted in their Center

The Color Palette for the Indigo Collection is explained to demonstrate how design is controlled to be legible as a single collection. The shades of color are restricted within the palette however leaving room for improvisation by the craft person. Anchor brand which is a familiar thread is used to define the shade and each participant is given the palette

INDIGO COLLECTION: COLOR PALETTE 1 Indigo Blue 127 Anchor 2 Cobalt Blue 134 Anchor 3 Turquoise 1089 Anchor 4 Green 230 Anchor 5 Yellow 298 Anchor 6 White 1 Anchor

The Collection is then built up based on the skills of the group and products developed some which are new and others which are taken from the traditional items. The products for each collection are encapsulated below

INDIGO COLLECTION: ITEMS TO BE CRAFTED USING DIFFERENT CRAFTS BLOCK PRINT SUITS On Handloom fabric being prepared for the

Project in natural Dyes

CLOTHING Scarf, Kurtas, Saris, Handloom Shawls, Pouches

HOUSEHOLD ACCESSORIES Khes & Khes Products e.g. File Covers, Camel Skin products. Boxes with Nakashi , Palm Leaf Products


4. THE CRAFT WOMEN For those of us who are familiar with the Saraiki Waseeb, they will know where to go to get the best made in any of the crafts. Bahawalpur would be the place if goota work is to be done and for the “uppers” or “panas” you would head towards village Khangah in district Muzaffargarh where all the village women are preparing the most exquisite khusas uppers which find their place on the feet of almost all the Pakistani women. For Ar work you would head towards Multan and for katcha tanka to Chooti Zarin. Chunri of Abbass Nagar is what you would want if you were looking for the best and nothing can beat the block printing of Keror Pucca and Multan. Camel skin is confined to mainly Multan, the art having been lost in the desert sands of Cholistan but the rallis (appliqué/patch work and embroidery) and falasi (carpet woven of sheep and camel skin) survive. Many of us would not know the craftsmen and women, who prepared these exquisite products, remain faceless and unsung.

Almost all the women we met during the course of the few months of the Project are involved in some form of craft. Many spoke about how their crafts supplements the family income and many spoke about the pride that they have in their work. Some spoke about the sense of identity and acknowledgement that they received from their community. Satho Mai of Cholistan was declared the leader by her community while others found similar recognition in their communities.

The total of 488 women have been imparted training during the Project. Of these 311 belong to Bahawalpur, 177 are from Multan Districts. Most of the participants live in villages while some are from the low income settlements of the cities. All these women had been involved in some form of craft work, mostly in embroidery and other such crafts used for the embellishment of textiles and clothing such as patchwork, gotta kanari, salma sitara, chunri. A large number of these women worked for middlemen who brought them work from the market and was distributed through a local sub-contractor often a craftswoman. This work is lowly paid and exploitative. Most spoke of the exploitation and the low wages that they get for this work. It was decided that the Project would build upon the craft work already being done by the artisans and efforts would be made to organize this very disorganized and exploitative sector. In this process new products would be developed which have greater appeal and new crafts and skills would be introduced to strengthen the craft work.

The Narratives of the Craftswomen in their own words best explain the position of these artisans. Some extracts are reproduced below


TAHIRA BIBI (Born 1981) CHAH BAJAY WALA; MULTAN

“I went to school till my primary but after that I stayed at home. My mother died when I was seven years old and my siblings and I were sent to relatives. They could feed us and look after us but obviously would not pay our fees, so all my brothers and sisters are uneducated. My Khala (mother’s sister) whose house I was sent to taught me how to embroider on the khussa uppers and I started helping her in this business. I make about Rs 3000 per month for which I really have to work day and night. My work is seasonal mostly near Eid. There are lots of khusa factories in our mohalla and they contract us to make the uppers for them but we can’t take any other orders just work for the contractor that we are attached with. “

MARIAM AYUB (Born circa 1985) MULTAN “I am the eldest child in my family. I never had a chance to go to school because girls in our family are not given the chance to get education. I started working in the house helping my mother with chores and looking after the babies. There were 4 girls and 3 boys who followed me. My mother lives in Budla Sant, a village near Multan, where my father has a small tent shop. I now live with my brother in Multan. There are 4 of us there in the house and my parental grandparents. I did not get married and neither do I want to. I got polio when I was six months old. I do not want to get married.

I learnt Ari Khusa making from Budla Bola Khan about 8 years back. I was paid very little, just Rs 12 for a dozen uppers. It seemed to be a waste of time. I like to do any craft work. I am here to learn some other crafts. I like to do some work and earn money…..otherwise the day seems like a mountain.”

MARIAM, (Born circa 1980) DERA BHUKKA, DISTRICT BAHAWALPUR I told my father to find other work. He was an excellent weaver but everyone called us “Pauvali” (weaver). I felt embarrassed…..pauvali is a derogatory term. Now I want to learn how to weave. I will join the training session. My mother and I became experts at “Tar Kashi”(type of embroidery). It is easy for us to do this work. See I have this small child…just 3 weeks old. I can sit with her and keep working at this kurta but now I want to also make cloth on the handloom. This was our family craft so now I feel why should we give it up? I want to be as good as my father MASI BACHAL MAI, (Born circa 1945) CHAK 36 DNB; YAZMAN TEHSIL, BAHAWALPUR We are here now in 36 DNB but our home is in DNB 112. We have 10 acres of land of Dr. Taqi Shah to till and harvest. We will get 1/8 share of the crop. Lets hope that can take care of our needs for some time. We have no spare money so it is difficult. All of us are here now. It is actually my daughter Surraya’s house. She is actually my niece….she is my daughter’s friend so


she is my niece. My daughter is Papli Mai. My husband died so here I am with my children at our niece’s house You see we are making these changars( wheat stalk & palm leaf platters). These hardly fetch us any money. People give us palm leaves and we prepare changars and mats. They take half and we get to keep the other half. Sometimes we are given some embroidery work. We get paid for our labor, money equivalent to the cost of the material. The bead work we do is just for ourselves, nobody has ever asked us to prepare any. We are under debt of Rs 25,000. Last year we were at Chak 23. You see we have to keep roaming about but our home is in DNB 112

NUSRAT BIBI (Born 1985) ABBASS NAGAR, BAHAWALPUR “I wanted so very much to go to school. I am just educated till Class 4. I was the eldest and had to look after the house. My mother was ill and I needed to stay in the house. I really wanted to go to school but……I used to cry so much. I would work and cry all the time. I am now married, 8 months back. It was a “Wata Sata” marriage. My brother is married to my sister-in-law. Chunri is our family craft and my business. I am really proud of my work. I can work the most difficult pattern….everyone in Abbass Nagar knows that….they come to me for the most difficult task. I have never calculated how much money I earn. I keep the accounts in my family business. I pay for the material and pay the girls who do the bandhini (tye). There were only five women who were experts in bandhini but now we have many more. Our business was very good but our work was for the market so it was mota mota, not fine work like you want. Sometimes we sent work upto Khairpur for bandhini but now we can prepare anything ourselves. There are several of us and we can take care of any order. I can immediately think of 14 women who are now expert bandhini makers….there is Azra, Shahnaz, Nazia, Nasreen, Abida Parveen, Mehwish, Ama Gulan Mai, Amna, Ulfat, Nasreen, Zarina, Shamshad, Najma, Riffat. I will make a list and give it to you.”

“Abbass Nagar was known for its fine crafts but we have lost our position because we started making commercial work for the market. We are responsible for this state ourselves, now we have a chance. We will recover are position and make sure everyone gets to know that we at Abbass Nagar are experts”. Nusrat’s remarks sum up the entire experience. These are the shared views of all the participants; the engendered pride in their craft work propels them to reach an excellence, which at one time was the hallmark of this region of South Punjab.


Bandhini Artisans at Abbass Nagar

5. CRAFT CENTERS

The Project established 10 Craft Centres during the process of the Project to enable collaboration and capacity building of the participants. In Bahawalpur, 7 Centres were established while Multan 3 Centres. Of these 5 are designated as THAAP-CRAFT Centres which THAAP-CRAFT will continue to support. Working with the artisans the endeavour will be to revitalize and revive the endangered crafts of South Punjab and continue to develop new cultural products, in collaboration with THAAP-CRAFT designers, to sustain the artisans. All the centres were established with the view of providing a pivotal point for craftswomen to develop small business enterprises. Centres have been equipped with the tools necessary to the relevant craft and trained human resource and master trainers, envisaged the asset to propel the work forward.

TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF TRAINED WOMEN ARTISANS & MASTER TRAINERS DISTRICT MASTER

TRAINERS/EXPERTS CRAFTSWOMEN TOTAL THAAP-

CRAFTS CENTERS

Bahawalpur 46 265 311 3 Multan 18 159 177 2 Grand Total (2 Districts) 64 424 488 5


THAAP field office and resource cell in Bahawalpur city, with lend support to this endeavour. The overall goal will be to establish fair price systems, capacity building and finding markets. The tables below give some salient facts and figures of the Centres. DISTRICT BAHAWALPUR CENTERS

THAAP-Craft Chunri Center Abbass Nagar 11 Master Trainers, 46 craftswomen and 14 expert Bhandhini/tie artisans

and 3 Handloom + 2 Palm Leaf MT artisans

Master Trainers Age Education Craft Nusrat Saleem Bibi 25 Class 5 Chunri Abudallah Mai about 80 None Chunri , natural dying Zareena Aqeel 24 Middle Chunri Work Zahida Bibi 20 None Chunri (bhandhini/tie)

Bakthu Bibi 50 None Palm Leaf & Wheat Stalk products

Zebu Bibi 55 None Palm Leaf & Wheat Stalk products

Zeba Bibi BA Block Printing Irum Bibi Matric Block Printing Nasreen Bibi Class 5 Handloom Mariam Bibi Class 5 Handloom Saira Bibi Class 5 Handloom

Basti Menghwaal Craft Center, Derawar 7 Master Trainers & 22 Craftswomen

Jamna Maai 35 None Ralli with Embroidery

Lakhmi Maai 20 None Ralli with Embroidery

Meraan Maai 40 None Ralli with Embroidery

Jawi Maai 35 None Ralli with Embroidery

Rami Maai 35 None Ralli with Embroidery

Ameraan Maai 40 None Ralli with Embroidery

Bakhti Maai 22 None Ralli with Embroidery

THAAP-Craft Center Basti Khangah, Derawar


5 Master Trainers & 18 Craftswomen Razi Bibi 35 None Patch work, Stitching,

Beadwork Satloo Maai 40 None Patch work, Stitching,

Beadwork Saroo Bibi 40 None Patch work, Beadwork Roqaia Maai 30 None Patch work, Beadwork Safia Maai 30 None Patch work, Beadwork

Craft Center 28 BC Bahawalpur

4 Master Trainers & 20 Craftwomen Shagufta Pervin 24 Inter Rag Toy Making, Ceroshia,

Embroidery Samina Kausar 29 Matric Rag Toy Making, Ceroshia,

Embroidery Shabana Kausar 25 Diploma Embroidery & Ceroshia Robina Kasuar 32 B.A Embroidery & Ceroshia

Craft Center Bheli, Khairpur Tamewala 2 Master Trainers & 35 Craftswomen. Nucleus for surrounding villages

Kulsoom Bibi 38 Matric All Type of Embroidery Mariam 35 Class 5 Ar work , Shadow Work

Craft Center 110 DNB Yazman

5 Master Trainers & 32 Craftswomen Adeeba Bibi 25 Class 5 Different Embroidery, Master

Cutter, Stitching, Ceroshia

Yasmeen Kasur 22 Middle Embroidery , Stitching, Ceroshia

Nazia Pervin 34 Middle Embroidery & Ceroshia Gulshan Ashraf 24 Middle Embroidery Nasira Ghulam 27 Matric Embroidery


Resource Center Bahawalpur

Khaadi at THAAP Center Bahawalpur

THAAP-Craft Center Dera Bhukka 12 Master Trainers & 38 Craftswomen. Nucleus for surrounding villages

Mariam Rashid ( Master Trainer)

24 5 Class Tar Kashi, Embroidery, Goota work, Stitching, Ceroshia, mirror work, Ar

Sugrah Bibi ( Master Trainer)

50 none Tar Kashi, Embroidery, Goota work, Stitching, Ceroshia, mirror work, Ar

Salma Bibi (Master Trainer)

35 none Ralli, Embroidery, Ceroshia, Ar, product development

Naseem Bibi 20 none Tar Kashi, Embroidery, stitching,

Mukthar Bibi 35 none Ar work , Woolen Changar, mukesh, embroidery

Nargis 35 none Stitching Manzoor Bibi 35 none Goota work, mirror work, tar

kashi, embroidery

Amna Bibi 36 none Tar Kashi, Embroidery, Goota work, Ceroshia, mirror work, Ar

Parveen Bibi 38 none Chunri, bandini and dying Qaim Khatoon 24 None Palm Leaf products, decoration

pieces Rashida Bibi 26 Matric Master Cutter & Stitching Mussarat Bibi 40 Matric Master Cutter & Stitching


DISTRICT MULTAN CRAFT CENTERS

THAAP CRAFT Center Chah Bajay wala, Multan 8 Master Trainers, 28 Craftswomen

Master Trainers Age Education Craft Zakia Bibi 35 None Embroidery variety, Ar Nagina Bibi 29 None Embroidery variety, Ar,

Sheesha Kari Marriam 20 Primary Embroidery variety, Ar,

Sheesha Kari Amna 39 None Embroidery variety, Ar Shazia 42 None Embroidery variety, Ar Tahira

29 Primary Embroidery variety, Ar,

Khussa Making Qamar Waheed

45 Primary Embroidery variety, Ar,

Stitching Naheed Begum

35 None Embroidery variety, Ar, Stitching

Craft Center Khan Bela, Jalalpur Pirwala, Multan 4 Master Trainers, 21 Craftswomen

Kalsoom Bibi 35 None Ar, Embroidery Maqsood Bibi 39 None Ar, Embroidery Allah Bachai 55 None Ar, Embroidery Bhiravaan Mi 46 None Ar, Embroidery

THAAP-Craft Block Printing Center, Keeri Wala, Multan 4 Master Trainers, 25 Craftswomen

Najma Zafar 45 None Block Printing & Embroidery Najma Bibi 35 Primary Embroidery &Sewing Shabana Mai 29 Primary Embroidery &Sewing Nusrat Khadim hussain 31 Primary Block Printing &Embroidery


THAAP Block Printing Center Multan

THAAP Center

Ghoogo Ghora-Paper Craft Center Multan 2 Master Trainers, 40 artisans

Ghulam Fatima Mai 35

None Paper Craft & Toys/Decoration items

Manzoor Malang 40

None Paper Craft & Toys/Decoration items

THAAP will continue to work with the Centres which have been adopted by the organization and continue with the effort of revitalizing and reviving the endangered crafts in the districts. Although it would have been possible to continue with the 10 Centers established for the Project but financial constraints do not allow that all can be taken up at present. All Centres have been equipped with the human resources of master trainers/artisans (MT) and members ranging from 40-70 women and the tools necessary for a particular craft as well as the essential equipment for the craft. The village based centres will pay a pivotal role of assisting in Design Development through Designer-Artisan Collaboration. With the skills and wherewithal prompted through this Project and the hope of continuing support it can be expected that the women artisan in the villages in the two districts will indeed be empowered. THAAP will endeavour to have the THAAP-CRAFT Centers organized as self sustaining insofar as possible.

5. ACHIEVEMENTS MASTER TRAINERS The most noteworthy achievement of the Project is the development of a skilled human resource poised to take the next leap by contributing to the development of cultural industries in Pakistan. The training of 488 women and the availability of 64 Master Trainers and expert artisans in the two districts of Multan and Bahawalpur surpassed


Chunri Center Abbass Nagar

the TOR requirement of 100 women per district and 10 Master Trainers. The situation in Bahawalpur was remarkable with 46 Master Trainers while Multan has 18 Master Trainers/ experts. They have enhanced their craft skills and have learnt the basics of designing new cultural products. This is the first step that the Project set out to achieve.

CRAFT CENTERS Craft Centres have been established to support the continuing development of a variety of crafts. These are viewed as self-sustaining and it is hoped that the business they engender will provide them the means to continue with craft making. One centre in each of the districts will act as the nucleus, the resource base, which THAAP will continue to support for some time with the developmental work and assist with training and marketing. In the long term Local artisan groups will be made independent and sustain themselves. THAAP will endeavour to network artisans as collectives. CRAFT DEVELOPMENT Crafts which were the core areas with which the Project engaged and met success are listed below. Others such as Blue Pottery which had been identified as having potential did not come up with the expected results. Firstly, it was difficult to find women who could view this as a livelihood opportunity. Much of this had to do with their experience at the Government Blue Pottery Institute at Multan where at one time about 14 women naqash had been working. The nature of the craft requires infrastructure of kilns, potter’s wheels etc which none of the women were able to establish independently thus restricting their inputs to mere jobs at the Institute with no earning opportunities at home during leisure hours. None could develop their own businesses. There is no demand for home based women naqash. Mansoor Shah, who is a well known blue pottery expert was asked to involve some of these women in the craft work


in his workshop and he did manage to make some headway but not sufficient to be noted as an Achievement. The successful endeavours are as below 1. PITLOOM Construction of the floor installed pit looms; a new arrangement for the traditional pit-loom was developed during the Project by Master trainer Ijaz Abbassi. The earlier version which is in a pit in an earthen floor was being disused because it had limited cloth width, was easily damaged due to dampness and also the artisans complained of back aches. The pit-loom had been effectively replaced by the Amritasri/ Kasuri Loom which allows cloth to be woven in a larger width than the maximum of 30” wide pit-loom product but requires the “tana” to be prepared on a machine, which the NRSP possesses but can be commercially done in Multan city only. This had created a problem for all the village weavers who had been purchased the Kasuri loom through micro-finance by NRSP. Almost all were no longer being used since NRSP stopped buying from the village weavers. This has had a devastating effect on traditional weaver’s villages like in Village Riazabad where about 40 weavers are no longer working. It seemed most appropriate to go back to the earlier pit-loom which enables the weavers to prepare the entire product themselves while also safeguarding the exquisite weaves which can best be prepared on pit-loom. The floor-installed pit-looms were constructed at the THAAP office at Bahawalpur and training of 20 women artisans from Dera Bhukka was carried out. In Basti-Gadan and Abbass Nagar traditional handloom artisans were found who were making khais (bed spread), shawls and cloth. These artisans became the master trainers for the Project. The hand spun yarn from local sheep wool and local variety of cotton was produced on charkars (spinning wheels) during the Project. This has been traditionally prepared exclusively by women whereas both men and women are involved in the weaving process. A THAAP Pit-Handloom Center has been established at Abbass Nagar and Dera Bhukka with about 15 artisans each while support has been extended to the weavers of Basti Gadan. In the process of this work an interesting fact emerged which can best be explained in the words of Mariam Bibi from Dera Bhukka. She told us in an interview that “My father was an excellent weaver but everyone called us “Pauvali” (weaver). I felt embarrassed…..pauvali is a derogatory term. Now I want to learn how to weave.” This brought into perspective another reason perhaps why so many have given up this trade. The most striking example is Thatta Pauvalian, now Sadiqabad, in District Khanewal which was known to be a center of the handloom cottage industry but now there are no more than of handful of women weavers and its old name has also been changed.


2. BLOCK PRINTING A THAAP-CRAFTS BLOCK PRINTING CENTER has been established in the Old City of Multan. This was to enable craft families who had left the ancient art of Block Printing for which Multan was famous to re-establish their business and relearn the craft that they had abandoned. A case in point is of Najma and her husband Ustad Zafer who belong to a lineage family of block printers and had a flourishing business till about 10 years ago but due to lack of clientele they had since abandoned the family trade. They took up the challenge and re-learnt and recreated the process through their own persistence and the several workshops that were held to assist them and the other 25 women who are the nucleus of the Center. The Block Printing has generally deteriorated in the entire region with just a handful of printers now available. For some aspects of the training a Block Printing Ustad, Zahir Shah provided critical input on procedures to be followed to get the color to penetrate the cloth properly and also ways and means to get sharp edges on the motifs. Through the THAAP-CRAFTS Center the training will need to be continued. Discussions with Lok Virsa are underway to invite master block printers from India where the craft has been very well developed. Traditional organic dyers have been found in the Project districts who will be involved in the endeavor. 3. EMBROIDERY The prevalent craft of embroidery poised a challenge since it appeared to be stuck in a rut with just a few patterns repeated industriously. Developing a new repertoire of designs and patterns was a difficult task. The women had got so used to the patterns that they had been mechanically working at for the market contractors that any change appeared problematic, particularly when it involved developing patterns themselves. This was successfully carried out and pursued with great interest by the artisans. There are now 209 women embroidery artisans trained in the districts. 4. CHUNRI Chunri or the art of tie and dye is a famous craft of the Saraiki speaking region as well as Sind. Bahawalpur ranks high as a center of Chunri making and villages like Abbass Nagar are known centers of this craft and most sought after. Chunri making is a predominantly women’s craft which involves the tasks of bandhini (tying) and dying which are usually done by different persons. Chunri was being made mostly for the market contractors and losing the finesse of the traditional products. The project took the challenge to bring back the high quality and fine work of the earlier days. This was successfully implemented and a large number of women in Abbass Nagar have been trained to produce high quality products as well as new uses found for this exquisite


craft. These new products which they had not tried before were developed. This includes bags, saris, chunri and ralli work combined to make exquisite bedspreads. A THAAP-Craft Center has been set up in Abbass Nagar and 66 women are attached to it under supervision of 11 Master Trainers and the 14 bhandini experts. The Center wants to extend its craft work to include handloom and block printing which was earlier done in the village but had been discarded. Training in handloom was carried out and palm leaf artisans are also attached to the Center. There is potential of including other crafts such as pottery, long since abandoned but potential and desire of expanding their work to make it truly a craft centered village is palatable. Nusrat Bibi, the Manager of the Craft Center speaks of the progress during the project in these terms “I can immediately think of 14 women who are now expert bandhini makers”. This credit goes to the UNESCO-Norway funded Project. 5. PALM LEAF The palm leaf and wheat stalk craft is a traditional and seasonal craft practiced by the women, usually in the late summer when the raw material has been dried and prepared for weaving. All villages invariably have some women who are acknowledged masters and are much sought after to prepare a range of products for a girl’s dowry and other such special occasions. Safia Bibi and her elderly grandmother Mithan Mai of Basti Majnon, and Mariam of Abass Nager, (District Bahawalpur), makes floor mats, (Chatais), hand fans and praying mats, fruit bowls of varying sizes and platters with dried date palm leaves. These products are sustained by the demand from their communities and have thus survived for generations but are now threatened due to the commercial products which are usually cheaper and rapidly replacing these hand made products. The Project created attention to the marketability of palm-leaf and wheat stalk craft by developing new products which will be exhibited to test the response of the urban buyer. The most successful were the place mats and fruit bowls which were developed. This craft has the potential of providing livelihood opportunities but a bigger market needs to be created through development of new products. The craft has been included in the THAAP-Craft Center at Abbass Nagar. Khan Bela Palm Leaf work did not come up to expectation because of the commercial and cheap tinsel which was increasingly used. 6. THE TRADITIONAL-CUT KURTA In Bahawalpur some of the old Kurta styles, which are not in vogue any longer were revived. Thus, the 28 Kali (panelled) Kurta to the 10 Kali Kurta and others which are still worn like the 4 Kali and 8 Kali Kurtas were used. The method to increase the kalis from


to more than 14 Kali was taught, the artisans are now Training was carried out by our Master Cutters and Master Tailors for the artisans from all the districts. Patterns were prepared on “buckram” locally called “cheepe” so that this would be available in all the Centres for reference. Products were developed using the 28 Kali Kurta. 7. RALLI Ralli is synonymous with the Cholistani desert, where it is widely practiced and most intricate although it is found in other parts of the region as well. The Cholistani artisans have used this exquisite craft to prepare new cultural products such as cross slung computer bags, bags, patties (borders) for apparel, bed spreads. The THAAP-CRAFT Ralli Center at Khangah Sharif, Derawar has 5 Master Trainers and 18 women attached with it; with an additional 29 women at the nearby Basti Meganwaal. Artisans from these two villages and village Derawar were trained jointly. The Art of Ralli making has great potential and needs to be further explored. 8. GHOGHOO GHORA The Ghoghoo Ghora or a toy horse is a traditional craft and one of the oldest in Pakistan. Its origin can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization, and the clay toy horse. Over a period of time the ghoghoo ghora has evolved and different styles adopted. In the Multan region a special kind of the toy horse is being made of rags and paper by the khanabadosh (gypsy tribes), who are nomadic and roam around in the region in search of work and come to Multan at the Eid Festival. The men and women of Malang’s extended family of about 40 persons were challenged to prepare other decorative toy objects such as the parrot, camel, elephant and such others which they successfully prepared. A total of 42 persons participated in the Project. OVERALL: Achievements in Bahawalpur have surpassed those in Multan for a variety of reasons. Bahawalpur achieved more than expected targets because of the interest of the women artisans and their large numbers who earn a livelihood through craft related work. Given that there is no large urban center in the district the communities are basically agrarian living in villages and crafts products continue to be used by them. Much of this may have to do with the fact that the erstwhile rulers of the Bahawalpur state were supporters/ promoters of crafts and arts and had brought in several craft families to the state. Entire village of craft persons can be found such as Abbass Nagar, Dera Bhukka. In the case of Multan, the city is where most of the craftwork is centered and due to its urban character, industrially produced products have replaced the handicrafts. This was noted in the British period gazetteers (See Multan District Gazetteer 1922) and since then with growing urbanization the crafts are seriously


compromised. The famous crafts of Multan such as blue pottery and fresco painting have very few practitioners and children of lineage families have already abandoned the family craft and no new adherents seem to have been trained. The Block Printing experience is an indicator of the situation with the other traditional crafts.

Exhibition of Cultural Products An Exhibition of Craft Products had been organized in Islamabad to showcase the products prepared in the Project, scheduled on 6th December 2010. This has been in avertedly delayed due to the cancellation by the high profile Chief Guest, the Prime Minister. A new date has been now scheduled for 21st December 2010. The Exhibition is to be held at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts galleries for which all arrangements are in place and cultural products ready for display and sale. The exhibition is viewed as an opportunity for the women artisans to experience the response to their work and to see the demands of an up-market clientele. Orders for products being displayed will also be taken to allow the benefits of the Project to continue for the artisans. The exhibition is designed by THAAP designers in the following manner.

The Exhibition: Connecting People through crafts RALLI…..Rallana….to connect…. The Exhibition takes its name from the exquisite Rallis which the nomadic tribal women of the Rohi (Cholistan) continue to make. Scholars opine that the name is derived from the Saraiki word “Rallana” meaning “bringing together or to connect”.

The exhibition focuses on the cultural products prepared through the UNESCO funded Project in District DG Khan and the UNESCO- Norway funded Project “Empowerment of Women through Crafts in District Multan and Bahawalpur” which was simultaneously carried out in the three districts. Training and capacity building of the women artisans was central to the Project. The effort throughout has been to contemporize the traditional crafts while training the craftswomen to learn ways and means to eventually manage and set up their own enterprises. Collaborative training sessions were carried out by the THAAP design team over a period of about 6 months emphasising on design development and preparation of cultural products based on traditional craft skills, which are able to compete with the modern-day products of the market. The Exhibition is a means to promote and market the cultural products from South Punjab and promote the over 500 craftswomen who played a pivotal role during this period.


The crafts included in the exhibition are those which are prevalent in the districts and mostly done by women. The exhibits comprise of various forms of embroidery stitches (tankas) and palm leaf products from all the three districts, appliqué work and patchwork (Ralli work) from Cholistan, Tie and dye work (bandhani or chunri making), beadwork and hand-woven shawls and cloth from Bahawalpur; block printing and blue pottery from Multan district.

The setting where these crafts are made and the craftswomen reside, will also been presented to highlight the ambiance and richness of the area as well as the problems faced by these women and their communities. The tangible heritage of the region will be showcased including a section on the archeological heritage of the region. Pottery pieces from Hakra- Indus civilization (3500 -1500 BCE) are showcased in this segment. The reconstruction drawings of various pottery pieces have been made showing the kind of pottery used in the ancient world. Beside the pottery pieces from antiquity there are maps of the area to show where these treasures are located and a photographic display of the medieval forts in the Cholistan desert. South Punjab has a unique and rich cultural history which has been captured in the panels and objects on display. Its heritage of music is offered as a DVD of the river songs of the Mors, prepared by local people themselves. The exhibition brings to life the richness of the unique Saraiki culture seeped with the mysticism of the Sufi saints for which South Punjab is famous as well as the different eras which left their indelible mark on the culture of the region. The Exhibition is a reminder of the extremely rich cultural history of the Pakistani people as embodied in the living culture of South Punjab. The display of various arts and crafts is a story of an unexplored region waiting to be told and heard. It is an endeavor to present a region worthy of record.

8. NATIONAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFTS

Recognition of Crafts and Artisans is very much needed at the national level. At present the only award is the Lok Virsa award and the President’s Pride of Performance given to artisans occasionally. An assessment of these two awards shows that they have had limited impact basically because the process is based on exclusivity and nominations are made through a “word of mouth basis” rather than a rigorous evaluation and wider invitation process. Similar is the case of the Pride of Performance, which per se is a


prestigious award but has not had any impact on the craft sector. Some Pride of Performance laureates were met in South Punjab and some were requested to be trainers, but soon it was found that they really did not the skills for which they had received this recognition. In some cases it was found that they had been unable to grow and appeared to be caught in a rut. Their craft skills were being compromised on the vagrancies of the modern clientele who were unable to assess the value of the traditional techniques and were going on for cheaper material for example the fresco being done in oil paints and what is alarming the old frescoes rendered on the walls of heritage buildings particularly shrines and mosques being replaced/repaired with oil painted version. The UNESCO award of Excellence for Handicrafts, earlier the “Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts” (established 2000) has not had much of an impact in Pakistan either, although the reasons for the award are laudable. Of particular note is that it is given to a product rather than a person, thus the reason to excel has been inbuilt. However what is important is that a lead up to this award requires that a National Award should be instituted on a yearly basis. Based on the UNESCO award the following is recommended. Language and text where needed/relevant has been taken from UNESCO document PREAMBLE i) The National Award of Excellence for Handicrafts serves as a quality-control mechanism and as a marketing device that guarantees the quality of handmade, traditional and innovative craft products from the region. ii) The Award is a “stamp of approval” and validates that the cultural product meets the highest standards of quality and has been produced with careful regard to cultural authenticity and environmental conservation. iii) The National Award of Excellence will be given every two years. (Alternating with UNESCO award years) iv) Awards will be in the form of a “Certificate of Authenticity” jointly given by UNESCO and a government (Lok Virsa) and non-government partner organization.

Objectives (same as UNESCO with one additional objective) The National 'Award of Excellence for Handicrafts' aims to encourage artisans to produce handicrafts using traditional skills, patterns and themes in an innovative way, in order to ensure the continuity and sustainability of these traditions and skills.

Objective 1: Establish rigorous standards of excellence for handicrafts The National “Award of Excellence for Handicrafts” aims to promote quality crafts that


upholds rigorous standards of excellence. It aims to ensure that when consumers buy awarded handicrafts, they are buying high quality, culturally authentic products that have been manufactured in a socially-responsible manner with respect for the environment.

Objective 2: Encourage innovativeness While it seeks to promote the continuation of traditional skills, the National Award also encourages product innovation in order to ensure that handicrafts remain relevant, valuable, and marketable in modern life.

Objective 3: Offer training and support services The program aims to provide capacity-building and training workshops to assist craft producers in the improvement of their product design and marketing, development of their markets, and protection of their intellectual property rights.

Objective 4: Provide new opportunities to ensure sustainability of handicraft industries The handicraft sector plays an increasingly significant role in local economic development and poverty eradication. By providing new market opportunities, the program aims to enable handicraft producers to establish sustainable livelihoods. This will be achieved through developing networks of handicraft producers and buyers, including the higher-end of the market, and through exhibitions and trade fairs.

Objective 5: (Additional Clause) The Award will especially support village based craft production and offer training and marketing opportunity for long term sustainability of livelihood and craft development in villages.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

A product that is granted the 'Award of Excellence' meets the highest level of craft excellence and is distinguished as a benchmark for craft production.

• Excellence Demonstrated excellence and standard–setting quality in craftsmanship: determined by the use of high quality materials, a high standard of technique and the special attention to manufacturing and finishing details.

• Authenticity Expression of cultural identity and traditional aesthetic values: demonstrated by a well-achieved application of aesthetic and cultural expression or traditional crafting techniques.


• Innovation Innovation in design and production: demonstrated by an effective and successful blend of traditional and contemporary, or inventive and creative use of material, design, and production processes.

• Marketability Marketability of the craft products with potential for the regional and/or international market: related to the functionality of the product, the safe use by potential buyers, a balanced price-quality relationship or the sustainability of production.

• Eco-friendly Respect for the environment in materials and production techniques: Exemplified through the sustainable use of natural dyes, natural fibers, recycled materials and the use of materials and production processes that are environmentally friendly

• Fair Social responsibility: The producer must affirm that no labor law or copyrights was violated and no individual or group exploited unfairly at any stage in the production of a handicraft submitted for the Award program.

A product which meets all of the criteria will be granted with the 'National Award of Excellence'. This recognizes the highest level of craft excellence and distinguishes a product as a benchmark for craft production. PROCEDURES (RECOMMENDED) JURY i) A Jury of Selectors will be formed for two cycles of the National Award of

Excellence in Handicrafts ii) The Jury will comprise of 9 members and one Chairperson. The criteria for

selection will be of individuals who have been engaged with the Craft Sector either having worked or published scholarly books/papers/reports and enjoy good repute.

iii) The Jury will be assisted by Assistant Jurors who can be as many as needed on the basis of knowledge of the particular craft and the region within Pakistan

iv) An examination of Assistant Jurors may be held for purposes of identification of suitable persons

iii) All participating organizations will be involved in the nomination process. UNESCO will have the deciding vote.

iv) All Jury positions are honorary. PROCEDURES FOR NOMINATIONS


Fresco : Zain ul Abadeen Shrine, Multan

i) A nationwide invitation will be sent through the print and electronic media announcing the awards.

ii) Local language newspapers will also carry the award announcements iii) Government administrations at the District Level will be sent the announcements

with a request for wide publicity in their districts iv) Government and NGO Sector will be requested to send in nominations JURY PROCEDURES i) A two stage Jury will be held. In the first stage a short list of craft products will

be generated. ii) Second Stage of the Jury will examine all short listed products for purposes of

awarding the “National Award of Excellence in Handicrafts” iii) There will be no restriction of the number of products recognized however each

must meet the objective and conditions of the “National Award of Excellence in Handicrafts” as laid down earlier

iv) The products awarded will be publicized on UNESCO website and partner organizations website

FOLLOW UP i) The winning entries and the artisans will be facilitated through training,

networking and capacity building to prepare products for submission to the “UNESCO Award of Excellence in Handicrafts” held on a two-yearly basis


THE WAY FORWARD: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES It is now widely acknowledged that crafts are a resource which can be harnessed for the economic well-being of communities and through livelihood opportunities can alleviate poverty particularly amongst the village communities. Craft making is the single most prevalent non-farm livelihood that communities in the villages of Pakistan. A large number crafts persons; particularly women are supplementing the family income through craft related activities. Crafts as a means of livelihood needs to be brought at the core of the development agenda. Ways and means to strengthen the CRAFT SECTOR AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL is and should be the Central Concern for developing the Future Strategy.

Interventions and a strategy can be formulated which addresses the needs of the Village crafts persons at the Village level itself. Some villages have been identified in South Punjab which are truly traditional Craft Villages with over 80% of the population involved in some form of craft making as the primary source of livelihood. These villages need attention and a holistic, all encompassing, strategy needs to be developed which targets the improvement of the socio-cultural and physical environment of the traditional habitat of craft persons. Rather than dislocating communities to urban centers where craft villages are now being made, this strategy recognizes that crafts persons are an integral part of communities which succors and provides them support and as such this structure must not be disturbed. Through the upgradation of the traditional Craft Villages in districts, immediate importance to Crafts and craft persons is achieved, their status is enhanced and others are encouraged. This will bring crafts to the center of the development agenda and assist as well in the development of cultural industries which will empower the multitude of craft persons in the villages. Additional support to the crafts is needed through setting up Craft Museums and Design and Enterprise development centers at the district headquarter level. Establishing collaborative linkages between designers and artisans needs to be an ongoing activity to assist the development of new cultural products. Bahawalpur has the potential of being considered under UNESCO “Cities of Craft & Folk Arts” which should be the aim and development of a Traditional Folk Art and Craft Village will be a step towards this.

As the first step, a Pilot Project, the integrated development of Abbass Nagar, District Bahawalpur is envisaged. This can be followed by similar interventions in, District


Traditional House Form at Abbass Nagar

Multan. A Museum of Crafts & Enterprise Development Center in the district headquarters of Multan and Bahawalpur is the next essential step. The following projects are envisaged

1. CRAFT & FOLK ART VILLAGE ABBASS NAGAR: INTEGRATED AND ENVIRONMENTALY APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT Abbass Nagar is 20 miles from Bahawalpur City on the Khairpur Tamewala Road. The community of 800 houses (about 6000 persons) has more than 80% of the population involved in craft making. Majority of the people have small farm holdings of about 1-2 acres thus a large number earn livelihood through craft making. In the proximity of Abbass Nagar is the Lal Soharana Wild Life Park, a tourist destination and a number of villages. This together with the majestic palaces of the erstwhile Nawabs of Bahawalpur, the imposing forts and archaeological sites of Cholistan and the desert experience knits together as a cultural tourism circuit in which the Craft and Folk Art Village will be embedded. OVERALL GOAL: The overall goal is to support the Social, Economic and Cultural Development of a Traditional Craft Village. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF ABBASS NAGAR ASSETS Existing strong traditional base of crafts

(Chunri, Handloom, Embroidery, Palm Leaf & Wheat Stalk, Block Printing, Khusa making, pottery)

Strong presence of Craft persons including large number of women (800 households involved with Crafts)

Connected to the Market : Small Business Enterprise exists and has potential for development

Capacity for development of Contemporary Crafts Products Training Centers Established (THAAP- CRAFTS CHUNRI & HANDLOOM

CENTER) with 8 Master Trainers Compact Settlement (800 households) with surrounding villages involved in

craft production e.g. Dera Bukka 1BC and 33 BC Sardar Wali


Village Street, Abbass Nagar

Local Expertise of constructing the traditional gopa house (sal) exists and people continue to build using traditional methods and material.

Educational Institutions ( Two Government Primary/Middle School for Girls & One High School for Boys) available

Locational Advantage : 22 miles from Bahawalpur, Transport Network adequate Cultural Tourism Potential: Close to Lal Sohanara Wild Life Park, and other

cultural sites of Bahawalpur e.g. Thul at Dera Bukka.

ISSUES & LIABILITIES Very poor physical infrastructure, sanitation,

and lack of clean drinking water, no piped water supply, no solid waste disposal system etc.

Disorganized craft sector Exploitation by middle men/contractors Potential for cultural industries not fully used. Low education in adults: improvement in

education highly desirable. Health facilities need improvement. No First level health facility (BHU) available Quality of education needs enhancement Cultural tourism potential remains unexplored PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS IN THE INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Empowering communities specially women through Livelihood and Economic

Opportunities and Development of Cultural Industries & Farm Related Activity. Community driven and participatory Up-gradation of Physical Infrastructure

(water supply, sanitation, street paving, environmentally conscious solid waste management, tree plantation, biogas, solar street lights (pilot); energy efficient development. Removal of Cattle Sheds to a common enclosure managed by the community. And creation of community meeting spaces such as Jhok Sanj.

Quality Improvement of Education & Health facilities and provision of adult literacy.

Strengthening of THAAP-Crafts Design and Business Resource & Training Center & Museum managed by women artisans.

Provision of Business opportunities and showcasing through Annual Mela /Festival of Crafts in Abbass Nagar.


Pottery from Abbass Nagar

Chunri Making at Abbass Nagar

Village Shoe Maker at Abbass Nagar

Palm Leaf Products at Abbass Nagar

2. The THAAP CRAFT Centers for South Punjab Artisans need to be networked through an organizational structure of village based craftsperson to create strength and voice of the artisans. THAAP can assist in this endeavor while continuing with capacity building and enterprise development work. Ideally a mobile design unit needs to be established to reach the remote areas of the districts. Such a mobile unit will facilitate the artisan-designer collaboration which was the main strength of the Project. In the long term a South Punjab Craft Council needs to be established harnessing all artisans presently working in villages and home based craft activity. 3. CAPACITY BUILDING IN BLOCK PRINTING CRAFT &

NATURAL DYES Block printing techniques have deteriorated at an alarming level while natural dyeing techniques are almost extinct. There is thus a great need to revive these crafts which were at one time the back bone of the Craft Sector in these two districts. It may be necessary to get input from the region particularly India and Japan where these have survived.


Ralli from Basti Bijnot. The isolation of the area has preserved the craft skills. Rallis are mostly made for family use and rarely sold because of lack of opportuntiy

Artisan of the Blue Ralli

Child at Basti Bijnot, Deep Cholistan. There are no schools, health facility, clean drinking water.

Traditional Gopa Settlement in Deep Cholistan

Interior of House, Basti Bodiwal, Deep Cholistan

Interior Art, Basti Bijnot, Deep Cholistan

4. CHOLISTAN ARTS AND CRAFTS: CULTURAL TOURISM AND EMPOWERMENT OF COMMUNITIES OF CHOLISTAN

Cholistan could easily be one of the richest cultural zones of Pakistan but remains largely ignored and inhabited by the poorest of the poor. It’s potential derived from its immensely rich living culture and its archeological sites remains unexplored. Some parts of the desert are difficult to assess and are very remote but extremely rich in their craft traditions. These could provide the basis for livelihood opportunity and alleviate the abject poverty of the communities. Considering the terrain and logistics it needs a separate Project targeting communities living in the remote parts as well as on the periphery of the desert.


Raja Mai with the Community children who wanted to be photographed

Collection of Rallis at Basti Khangah, Derawar

Raja Mai at Workshop April 2010


ANNEX

1. TERMS OF REFERENCE & PROGRESS 2. SAMPLE REPORT FROM FTL 3. SAMPLE REPORT: FIRST TRAINING WORKSHOP

Report: Mobeen Saeed, Designer 4. SAMPLE REPORT: FIRST TRAINING WORKSHOP

Report : Aisha Imdad, Designer/Artist 5. SECOND TRAINING WORKSHOP

Report : Sajida Haider Vandal, Executive Director THAAP-CAS 6. MANAGEMENT SAMPLE: ORDER AND TRACKING FORM


TERMS OF REFERENCE

TERMS OF REFERENCE PROGRESS/STATUS 1. Devise and finalize a work plan and strategy for

selection and training of women from local communities in districts Bahawalpur, Multan for employing local craft traditions as a means for alleviating poverty. The workplan, along with a budget breakdown for the activities shall be submitted to UNESCO Islamabad by 15 March 2010, at the latest;

Achieved Work Plan submitted on 15 March 2010 Budget Breakdown submitted on 15 March 2010

2. Identify at least 20 women from each of the selected villages (five villages per district) practising traditional craft/s and organize training workshops in development of cultural products, contemporizing design to inculcate design innovation methodologies; marketing and managing skills, with a functional literacy component woven into the programme;

Achieved Women identified from Selected Villages in each district. Crafts identified Three Training Sessions Held

3. Train at least 10 Master Trainers for upscaling the initiative;

Achieved 10 Master Trainers will be trained by end of Project for upscaling initiative

4. Establish a National Award of Excellence for Handicrafts, based on UNESCO’s regional programme on the same;

In Final Report

5. Maintain separate financial records and submit separate progress report on the two activities;

Separate records maintained

6. Submit progress reports on Empowering Women through Handicrafts to UNESCO Islamabad by 10 July 2010, at the latest

Submitted

7. Submit to UNESCO Islamabad a final report on the Norway-funded project, “Empowering Women through Handicrafts” by 15 September 2010 at the latest

Submitted. Delayed because of the Flood situation and villages affected under Project. UNESCO informed and requested for extension. Extension allowed

8. Introduce the crafts of Southern Punjab to potential market through an Exhibition in October 2010, the proceeds of which would go directly to the women beneficiaries to sustain their efforts;

Exhibition was to be held on 6th Dec 2010. Prime Minister of Pakistan was invited as the Chief Guest. Exhibition delayed due to foreign trip of PM and asked to give new date. Requested date 21st December 2010. Products prepared under the Norway funded Project will be exhibited along with those of DG Khan component


ANNEX 2: SAMPLE REPORT FROM FIELD TEAM LEADER

District : Multan

Movement Plan of Field Work Place of Visit: Kotla Tolley Khan Objective: Introduction of Project and purpose of Training. Meeting with women khussa workers / khussa making /Embroidery Worker on the upper of khussa

Meeting With Persons Names of persons

1. Shareefan Mai 2. Shazia Hussain

3. Rubina Bi Bi

4. Salmaa

5. Safia

6. Muhammad Hussain

7. Tahir Ali

Comments

• How Many women are eager for training?

02 Women are agreed for Training.

• Why they are not interested in training?

Report Writing Report by: Field Team Leader Bushra Saghar Date of Report: 3rd April 2010


According to them, they are working in a part of Khussa making. Payment depends on the work they are able to produce so if they give time for training they will lose income. Factory owner are very possessive since they benefit out of it and the women are not willing to take any risks. The Factory Owners were asked to allow women to participate in this workshop since they will also benefit from improved skills of their workforce.

• Is Visited Place suitable for workshop? Yes

Discussed Issues Different fields of work in Khussa making, like embroidery on

upper side of khussa. Potential for further developing this for producing other products

Discussion about the need of training on Khussa Making, it will enhance the skill which will help them increase income

Payment on the basis of quantity of manufacturing

Outcomes:

• Key person , Mr. Tahir and Mr. Muhammad Hussain agreed to make us sure that they will arrange a meeting with women who will participate in Training. • Innovative Ideas: • Training should cover all aspects of Khussa Making and potential use of skills for

other products • Lump sum amount for spending time in training should be given to each

participant.


ANNEX 3: SAMPLE REPORT

FIRST TRAINING WORKSHOP : REPORT BY MOBEEN SAEED, DESIGNER Venue: Multan Date: 17th

1. Tasleem

April 2010 Coordinator: Ms. Bushra Sagar (FTL) Workshop Timings: 10.30am till 3.00pm Participants: 20 Women

Proceedings of the Day The workshop was started with a brainstorming session regarding “what is your skill and talent?”/” what are you good at?” The participants shared that most of them are good in making “puni of the khusa” , “kinari of chapel” . The workshop was started with color combination as day 1. After this lecture the participants were praised for the kind of work they have already been involved in making like kohla puri chapal. The participants were encouraged to share the information regarding their worth in the market, like what they charge for their labor and what they expect and what they are paid etc. It was amazing and surprising for our team to know that they were paid very less for their labor. For instance they were getting Rs. 20 for stitching of khusa, Rs. 5 for kinari, and Rs. 45 for “tilay ka Kaam”. They got Rs 90 for preparing 12 pair of shoes. The more the light, the lower the prices, if the work is a bit heavy, only a few more bucks are paid. 7 women were selected as Master trainer as follows:

2. Manzoora 3. Hanifa 4. Yasmin 5. Ambreen 6. Iffat 7. Naseem

The team admired the coordination of Ms. Bushra as she very well handled her job and her responsibilities.

• The group was highly motivated to work with us as they realized that we will pay them their worth and were eager to join hands with us.

Highlight:

• They were keen to share the hand embroidered clothes they brought with them. • Very simple women, the idea of getting orders and money inspired them a lot. They

were keen for working and improving their living standard.


• They usually don’t work for the market but they start making their daughters dowry when they turn 9. At the same time they also start training their daughters in the skill they know at that time when she turns 9.

• I personally discovered that multani women used “chaawul tanka” which was very new to me.

• One of the lowlight of this workshop was that the group was a mixture of different skills and was not all related to Khusa making.

Lowlight:

After Multan workshop we visited the Sawi Mosque, though most of it was broken but we enjoyed the preserved architecture. Day 3: Workshop Venue: Bhawalpur, Bheli Date: 18th

1. Sadai Batool

April 2010 Coordinator/FTL: Ms. Muzammal Workshop Timings: 11 am till 4.00pm Participants: 40 Women

Proceedings of the Day Day 3 workshop started in a better mood as when we entered the workshop room, we were surprised to see all women sitting in lines and they had their work displayed on the tents wall. The presentation of their work was impressive. They displayed all types of work they were good at like “Koroshia, Gota, Embroidery, Chabia and Pukhia made from palm leaves”. Their specialty was palm leaves product. Day 1 lecture about colors was delivered. Same activities as day 1 were repeated with participants. The one interesting activity the participant enjoyed that day was when Ms. Mobin asked them to market their product on the stage. They were asked to tell about the material they used, the color combinations, their inspiration, what they would charge for the product. It was a very interesting and interactive session and all girls enjoyed and clapped for each other. Even the shy ones gathered courage and market their product. From this workshop we selected following Master Trainers:

2. Zarina Khan 3. Sana 4. Irum 5. Naseem 6. Rubina 7. Munira


1. Most of the women were literate. They understood what we communicated. They were organized and were keen to learn from us.

Highlights:

2. They were eager for more academics and skill up gradation processes. They wanted us to organize more workshops for them in skill up gradation

3. Highly motivated group of young women eager to learn and explore new dimensions like Sadia who wanted to open up her own venture to teach young girls like her different skill and trades.

4. I personally admired the ribbon work and “pipalgira tanka”

1. Very hot climate. Lowlights:

The very day we visited the pit loom master Haji Atta Ullah. We saw designed ‘khais’. He was too old and one sad thing was that he had no students or shagard even none of his family members were interested in learning his skill. They were all going to schools. Day 4: Workshop Venue: Darawar fort Date: 19th April 2010 Coordinator/FTL: Ms. Muzammil Workshop Timings: 1.30 pm till 4.30pm Participants: 33 Women

Proceedings of the Day The day started with a surprise. When we arrived at the workshop there were no participants present. Even the tent was not put and no arrangements were made. We waited till 1.30 till all participants gathered. The reason was that they were not duly informed about the workshop time and venue. When they were informed they reached in 30 minutes time. We started with 10 women participants in open field. Slowly the tent was put and other participants joined us. Ms. Mobeen was started the workshop. The interesting fact about that group was that it was a mixture of two communities, Hindu and Muslims. The strange thing was that they sat in two different groups as per their religion and did not want to communicate with each other. So the trainer’s firs t challenge was to relax the mood and start group communication through combine’s interest topics. It was a big challenge to make them understand that they have to work in collaboration in the workshop. The hindu women were found more cooperative than Muslim women. The hindu participants were dressed in ghagra, choli and chadar on head where as Muslim women were dressed in Paksitan shalwar kameez. The trainer made each Hindu woman stand in front of a Muslim woman and share their color combinations they were wearing and significant things about their dressing with each other.


After that mutual sharing session to break the barrier of communication, they sat together and looked at the collateral brought for them. They saw the designs, and product and discussed their values and importance and what they can make and produce. They shared that they are good at making ‘Rulies and Eplic work”. The day 1 activity of making something out of colored cloth was started. They made rulies and eplic using the sample cloth. It was a very backward community. Especially Hindus wed their daughters when they are born. They live with their parents till they are young and then sent with their husbands. Following are the master trainers selected form this group

1. Najma 2. Sachal 3. Sattu mai 4. Zakia 5. Naheed 6. Meera 7. Bachul 8. Raja mai 9. Azra bibi 10. Perveen 11. Shamim 12. Shamshad

Highlights1. Though conservative and isolated in the beginning the workshop changed the

mood and brought the participants closer to each other.

:

2. We can have them make rilies and appliqué work, mobiles, rag dolls, file cover, wedding/gift boxes, ghagra and choli

3. Eager to learn and work with us

1. Their language is difficult. It is difficult to communicate with them. Lowlights:

My Recommendations

1. All master trainers should be invited for training at one center point where they should learn from trainer as well as from each other.

:

2. For embroidery, gota etc we concentrate a. First on material (fabric) then b. color combinations


c. embellishments d. patterns/contemporary designs/motifs e. provide feedback at every step f. start final product

3. visit Kheror paka near Multan for block printing 4. the relies and appliqué work at Derawar fort should also be tried on female dresses, it

will be a new trend for the people, on them we can have embroideries on them from Bheli

5. the Kroshia work at Bheli should also be tried for trendy casual college bags 6. Kroshia and appliqué work should be combined together for dress shirts.

It was a wonderful session where a lot of learning took place at both ends.


ANNEX 4: SAMPLE REPORT

FIRST TRAINING WORKSHOP APRIL 15-19, 2010: REPORT BY AISHA IMDAD, DESIGNER/ARTIST

Daily Report from the Project: Development of Traditional crafts of Southern Punjab By Aisha Asim Imdad From 15th April 10 to 19th April 10 15th April 10: Arrived from Islamabad to Multan by air around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Reached the Rest house and was joined by the rest of the team by 4 o’clock in the afternoon. After settling down the team members had a meeting in which they all discussed their developed strategies for the workshop. It was decided that all of us should work together in the workshop. I was to start the workshop and then involve Mubeen and Sadia with me during the lecture. 16th

While I was talking about colors and moods I asked various participants as what various colors remind them of. They all talked of various things that they related various colors with. Like one participant thought that blue reminded her of a sky while the other thought that it reminded her of coolness. One woman said that black color reminded her

April 10: Started from the rest house at 7:45 for DG Khan. We arrived at the workshop venue at around 10 o’ clock. The workshop coordinator Ms. Shagufta met us and introduced us to the women who had come to attend the workshop from main DG Khan city as well as Choti a surrounding village famous for its embroidery. There were around 55 women present for the workshop. I started the workshop with the lecture, which I had specifically prepared for the workshop. The lecture was planned to develop and improve the color sense and their approach towards their design, which they have been making all their lives. They were told various concepts of colors so that they could look at colors with a new approach by explaining about primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Then they were also told about the color and harmony and color and moods. The lecture also intended to improve their designing sense by looking at other finished traditional crafts produced by other countries especially India. That was done by showing them real products as samples and also pictures in the books and slides on the computer. We did various small exercises with them during the lecture to practically make them understand the theoretical ideas. While I was talking about the colors and harmony I asked them to make their own color schemes, which had harmony between them. For that I gave them strips of various color cloths. They all made their own color schemes and then we picked up few of the good color schemes and few of the bad color schemes and discussed about them. This exercise helped them in learning about how to mix various color schemes more successfully in their embroideries.


of a buffalo as they are all around them in their environment while the other thought that it was used as a nazar batto – to ward off evil. Hence they all gave their various impressions on various colors. This exercise helped them in designing their color schemes according to various seasons as well as various occasions. Mubeen and Sadia showed them the designs through various reference books and samples they were carrying with them. I showed them samples which I had selected for them. After showing them all the samples and books and slides we asked all the women to choose one small square colored cotton cloth of 1x1’. And choose their own color scheme and develop their own design, which they have never done before. They all made their own designs first on the A4 paper then transferring it on the cloth. The exercise was a big success as they all tried to create something from their own imagination. After this exercise the lunch was served to all the participants. After the lunch I chose the best pieces and talked about them to the participants. It helped them in understanding what were the good points in their designing and what were the faults that they had made. Mubeen and Sadia sat with Ms. Shaghuta and chose the master trainers, which were 7 in number. These women are tentative candidates for master trainers from DG Khan. At around 4: 30 pm we left DG Khan and reached Multan at around 6:00 pm. 17 April 10: We started from the rest house to conduct our workshop at around 10 o clock and reached the Basti in one hour as there was a huge traffic blockade. Ms. Bushara who was coordinating this workshop for us was waiting for us on the spot. This basti consists of women who make embroidered uppers in tilla for khoosas and kolapuri chappals. The workshop venue was at one of the woman’s house. Around 20 women participated in the workshop. As the aim of the workshop was to contemporaries the work of these women and help them in applying the same skill to other products beside shoe uppers. Hence we started the workshop by explaining our goal to them and also explaining how it will help them in improving their circumstances. I enquired about their education status. They told me that all the older women were not educated but they were making sure that they educate their daughters. One woman told me that she had nine daughters and she is working hard to educate all of them. Her elder daughter had studied till 12th

After this discussion we explained to them that we are going to talk about developing their color senses as they all told me that they all use the colors in the tilla and ar embroidery themselves, as they have to buy the thread. We started by explaining various stages of colors; primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Then we talked about

grade and was now working as a teacher. She also told me that she is teaching all her daughters the skill of embroidery and stitching so that they have multiple skills in their hands. All the women were very emotional about their lack of education and one woman said that she feels very bad that her parents did not make any effort to educate her.


the effect of color on our moods and how the same colors also effect out customer moods like they will buy certain colors in certain weather and certain colors are associated with certain occasion. Then we asked them to select their own color scheme and explain why they did it. Most of them came up with good color schemes. And applied the concepts they had been taught in their color schemes. Then Mubeen and Sadia showed them pictures of handbags, belts and other leather products that they can make out of their same skill. The women after looking at all these images started to say that they are workers and if we want them to make these products for them then just bring the cut out items to them and they will make them why show them these items. Then we explained to them that we want to give them exposure to what the women are doing in other parts of the world and we want them to improve their design building sense and also want to help them in developing these products on their own and be able to sell them in the market on their own. For this purpose we will help them once in developing their products, show their work in big city like Islamabad and then it is up to them how much they work and develop their own businesses. Then they were all excited and were ready to cooperate with us but kept on saying that they are not all making shoe uppers but are also doing embroidery and are ready to work with us. When I asked about this fact to Bushara she said that she is herself confused by this fact because they all told her that they make shoe uppers. In the beginning many of them had also told me that they were paid very little by the Khoosa factory makers. They said that for putting the edging on the shoe they are paid Rs. 5 per shoe and for tilla embroidery they are paid Rs 90 for 12 pairs of shoes. This sudden change of stance that they were not making shoe upper was bit confusing for all of us. Then Saba came back from her exploration of the area and told me that she has found out from local people that all the people of this mohalla work for Khoosa factory owners and are not allowed to work for any body else. She tried to see some of the factories from inside but most of them were not very welcoming. I think that is why these women were afraid to commit to us publically. Then we served them lunch at 1:00 pm and then they all went home and brought their various embroidered products to show us. Mubeen selected five women from this Mohalla. We departed from the Mohalla at around 2:00. The arrangements made by Ms. Bushara were very good she followed the time to the dot and gave every woman their lunch boxes in their hands. Every thing went smoothly due to her good and efficient arrangements. After leaving the workshop we left for Sawi Masjid. Sadia was already at the site making a sketch of the masjid. We sat by her side and talked to local people. They were all saying that they want the masjid restored, as it is an important part of their lives. Then Saba and I talked to the local children on how to take care of the masjid and they were very interested in learning about it. We left the masjid site at around 4:00 pm. We did not get any lunch as the lunch boxes finished so we went to Zenzibar for our lunch. Then girls went for shoe shopping and we reached the rest house at about 6:00 pm.


18th

We started our workshop as usual by explaining why we are giving this workshop. Then I asked the women their education status and there were only few girls who were educated. There was one girl who had given her metric exam and was awaiting her result. She wanted to be a beautician. Another girl who had studied till 7

April 10: We started out at around 7:30 to reach Khairpur Tamiwalla, village Bheli. We got delayed as Sameer forgot to buy the missing supplies for the workshop. So first we went to the Bazaar and looked for threads and colored cloth for the workshop. We could not find any shop in Bahawalpur selling these items so early in the morning. We started for Bheli at around 8:00. We stopped in the main city and Sameer got all the supplies. We reached the village by 10:30. The women were waiting for us at the house of Zameer’s sister. She is a very organized woman. She had displayed the work of various women in the tent house we were supposed to conduct our workshop.

th was very intelligent and was interested in learning from us. We started by explaining about the colors and then I asked them to make their own color schemes. Once all the women made their color schemes I talked to them about their various chosen color schemes. Then I told them about various products which they can make with their same skills. Then I showed them various product samples, which we were carrying with us. Then I asked Mubeen and Sadia to show them various contemporary designs books so that they can see what kind of work is being carried out in other parts of the world. Once that exercise was done with them I asked all the women to take one small handkerchief of their own choice color and make a small embroidery design which is their own design and their own color schemes. They took to this exercise with great enthusiasm. All the 25 participants started making their own design patterns and tried to work in more thoughtful way. It took them around two hours to finish their embroidery. At around 2:30 lunch was announced and all the women left for the lunch. They returned by 3:15 and we sat with them and discussed various aspects of their designed embroideries. Then Mubeen, Sadia and Saba announced the best designed embroideries to the rest of the women and selected the master trainers from these women. After that we said goodbye to all the ladies and left for the house of the weaver who can weave in silk thread at around 4:00. We reached the weavers house and found that he was extremely old and was walking with the help of walking sticks. We sat with him and he told us that he has been making khais for last 50 years. But his children were not ready to take up this as their profession. One of his daughters was M.A. in Islamiyat and she said that it was a very bad profession and they are happy that they don’t have to carry it on. The weaver said that he used to make silk cloth but due to its expensive thread he has stopped making it but offered if we buy him thread he will make a sample for us. Hence I asked Muzamil to take money from Saba and buy the silk thread for the weaver and get a sample made for us. We left the house of the weaver at around 5:00 for Bahawalpur. We reached the Bahawalpur cit at around 7:00. I immediately collected my luggage and started for Multan by 7:45 with Afzal. I reached Multan by 9:00 pm. I was told by the rest house people that Sameer has taken their room key with them and they cannot let that room to anyone as it has no key. Hence I asked Afzal to ask Sameer to


return the key to them somehow. I called Saba and asked her to make Sameer TCS the keys to them. 19th April 10: I left for the airport next day at 8:00 am. Reached the airport by 8:30. My flight for Islamabad was at 9:30. Flight got delayed by one hour and left 10:00. We reached Islamabad at 12:00 in the afternoon.


ANNEX 5:

SECOND TRAINING WORKSHOP Report : Sajida Haider Vandal, Executive Director THAAP-CAS

Dates: : 1-7th May 2010 Objective: Follow on training with Master Trainers and discussions on outcome/response to First Training Sessions Distribution: All Core Team Members BAHAWALPUR Visit 2 May 2010 by Car Team- Imtiaz Lashari, Muzamal Yasin, Sajida Haider Vandal Bastis visited : Basti Khangah, Basti Derawar and Chak 28 (place where persons from Basti Menghwal were located for the harvest) and Chak DRB 110

1. Razia Mai,

BASTI KHANGAH Master Trainers (MT) met

2. Satho Mai, 3. Shamshad, 4. Parveen,

• Najma, the fifth MT could not be met, she had had a fight with the others and would not come to their house. Later Muzamal went to her house but Najma was not available.

• Another good craftswoman was Farzana d/o Satho Mai Venue Family House of Razia Mai ( First/Corner House in the Basti)

Razia Mai

Satho Mai

Shamshad

Parveen

Farzana d/o Satho Mai


Proceedings Deliberation Actionable point Resp. Persons a) Tried speaking with just the MTs but

unsuccessful. Our visit had generated too much interest and curiosity but the crowd was manageable about 20 women and children

Continuous effort of crowd control needed

All

b) Avoided buying anything. All items shown were of low quality. Tried to impress that quality is what we were looking for

Instill that no low quality stuff will be accepted/ paid for

All

c) Women had prepared samples of appliqué (28” long and 6” wide) as decided in the last joint meeting of Working Group. Material had been provided by FTL Muzamal. The samples lacked quality basically problem was in the cutting of design which is first prepared by cutting the cloth and then stitched onto another piece with fine hand stitching. Being geometric patterns it is difficult to maintain the geometry thus there were problems in keeping shapes intact, keeping borders straight. The samples were rejected for the purpose that they had been made for, as borders for shirts. We however decided to pay the agreed upon amount of Rs 100 per border with the proviso that in future only acceptable standard work will be paid for.

Improvement of quality critical

Muzamal will check work in progress. Send samples to Mobeen (MS) for her comments and communicate the same to the MTs. (Satho Mai’s contact no : 03472044972 if MS wants to talk to her directly.

d) A Design Kit (standard sized Copy book, box of Color pencils, one HB & one 2B pencils, rubber, sharpener) was handed over to all the MTs. They were asked to use the paper freely and try and develop designs and motifs in the book from which we can select to use. They were also asked to prepare small samples on cloth if they so wanted. Muzamal will follow this through with them

Muzamal to follow up and send drawing book to Lahore via Courier when some work has been done

e) Razia Mai cuts the designs out for the group. Muzamal will give her a pile of old newspapers so that she can practice cutting patterns

Muzamal to supply lots of newspaper to Razia Mai

f) Satho Mai is considered the leader and Need to work with Satho Mai Designers to follow


the one as the with the best design sense by the group.

through

g) Satho Mai showed us the embroidery work of her daughter Farzana which was of acceptable quality although could be improved. She was also asked to develop some designs in her mothers book. We gave her some ideas but left it to her. There were two tankas used, Benazir tanka and Sindhi Tanka

Need to work with Farzana. See if motifs can be used as embellishments

Muzamal to prepare a database of all the various tankas with photographs and names. Designers to check Farzana’s drawing book to see potential

h) Some more material was handed over to the group which had been purchased from the bazaar in Mithra for developing more borders which will be paid for if good workmanship is maintained. Two sizes were decided ( 3” width and 6” width of length 36”, 28”, 22” and 18” respectively covering range of large to extra small. Agreed Prices : Rs 120 for 36”/28” border,

6” width Rs 70 for 36” , 3” width Less by Rs 20 for shorter lengths (22” and 18”)

Mubeen to check if sizes are OK and inform Muzamal for onward communication

i) Context: Basti has 18 households/family each of 40-50 persons e.g. Razia’s family enclave has about 50 persons. They belong to a Pathan tribe which came with the Abbasi Nawabs from Shikarpur Sind about 5 generations ago. Razia started learning the craft much before she was married at about 10 years old. She was married at about 17 years of age. She never went to school but learnt the Quran. Now there is a primary school for girls and boys but the teachers only come about twice a week so there is not much that the children learn

Saba to note Sameer to give coordinates of all locations to Saba, wherever available

Benazir Tanka

Sindhi Tanka

Muzamal in dialogue


BASTI DERAWAR Venue : House of Zakia Master Trainers

1. Zakia (Contact 0344 2200679) 2. Naheed

Both girls did not want their photographs taken. They were both very young maybe 19 years old and very much under the control of the family which appeared to be conservative

Proceedings S Deliberations Actionable Points Resp. Person a) The girls showed us some work

which they were preparing on order. It was neatly done. For the front of the shirt they were being paid Rs 500. A long discussion ensued re color coordination, what other products could be prepared, quality control, time involved in preparing a product etc.

Potential exists Muzamal to follow up. Designers to note

b) They were not sure whether they will be allowed to participate in the Workshop. Lashari may be able to help. The girls appear to work for his aunt who lives in Dera Nawab and has a boutique

Muzamal to follow through Designers Note that we may face some difficulty in geeting all the MTs in Bahawlapur because of cultural practices. Muzamal feels that we should try our best and her previous experience proves that eventually when families see the benefits women are allowed to participate in such events, sometimes chaperoned by men. We will keep track and see how it develops

c) Cloth was left with the girls for preparation of samples.

Set a budget for the items to be purchased from each place for the Exhibition

Muzamal to follow through


BASTI MENGHWAAL This is the Hindu community. They were all engaged in harvest and relocated at Chak 28 on someone’s farm. That is where we met them. They were planning to go back to their Basti next day Master Trainers

1. Raja Mai 2. Bachal Mai 3. Sachal Mai 4. Mirah Mai 5. Roopa Mai 6. Kamu Mai

Venue : Chak 28 Proceedings The family including women and some men were met at the aforementioned Chak where they were working as daily workers harvesting wheat at the farms. They showed some of the rillis they were preparing. Bachal Mai’s was an exquisite piece which she was preparing for her son’s trousseau. The patriarch of

Raja Mai

Bachal Mai

Sachal Mai

Mirah Mai

Roopa Mai

Kamu Mai


the family is a skilled khusa maker, who prepared shoes from start to finish including the tilla work on the uppers. Chak DNB 110 New Location introduced by Mehboob Khan Baluch of Small Industries Handicraft Shop, Bahawalpur The Gohar Shaheen Center is run by two friends and they have about 37 girls working for them. The Center had participated in an earlier UNESCO project with good results Master Trainers (selected)

1. Adeeba (0343 7178292) 2. Rubina Kausar

Proceedings S Deliberations Actionable Points Resp Person The MTs showed us the work

that they had been doing ranging from embroidery, shadow work and appliqué work on dupattas. Work was of fine quality with potential of developing further. In our assessment both MTs were

Both were willing to come to Bwp for Training Session

Muzammal to include both MTs for training Workshop

Khussa placed on Rilli

Back of Khussa

Front upper of Khusa

Adeeba

Rubina Kausar


Bushra Bashir

skilled and one of them was also a “cutter”

The samples that we were carrying were shown to them and they were asked to develop some designs which would be suitable for these.

Designs will be developed by the MTs

Muzammal to collect and send them to Lahore Office for Designers review

A Design Kit was given to both the MTs and they were asked to develop some motifs and transfer some of them onto cloth. Two designs prepared by Mubeen were also given to them for preparing samples

Potential for design to be explored

Muzammal will visit them again and follow through; collect samples and design books when ready to transmit to Lahore office

BHELI & 2 Others, DISTRICT BAHAWALPUR

Visit 3 May 2010 by Car Tour Group- Muzamal Yasin, Sajida Haider Vandal Basti visited

BHELI : Bheli, Riazabad, Abbass Nagar

Venue : House/Industrial Home of Kulsoom

1. Kulsoom Hasan (owner of Industrial Home)- Master Trainers

(03067741477) 2. Bushra Bashir

Dupatta displayed by Rubina

Embroidery at DNB 110

Kulsoom Hasan


Other MTs identified by Kulsoom 3. Rubina (not present) 4. Munira (not present) 5. Nasreen (not present) 6. Irum (not present) 7. Sana (not present)

Proceedings S Deliberations Actionable Points Resp Person

1. Center was set up 5 years back by BRDB. Kulsoom has received training and works for Nur. Showed us some work. Finely done on designs supplied by designers. At full strength there are 15 girls in the Center.

2. Showed our design samples. Gave both design kits and left two designs developed by Mubeen + the Shirt front with instructions to first prepare a color sample of one corner for approval. Two pieces of cloth were also left with them to work out design. One shell pink/peach cloth was left for preparing shirt in large size as per design shown (in self shadow work). Cloth was not sufficient for 48” length so more cloth for dupatta will be purchased and given to them by Muzammal. The cloth saved from the cloth piece will be used later for a scarf

Muzamal to purchase and dye thread for shirt/dupatta ordered And When samples are ready the same will be sent to Lahore for review of designers.

3. Design Kits were given to the two MTs. Others will be given the same later by Muzamal

Muzamal to follow through Send Design books to Lahore when ready


RIAZABAD The village specializes in Handloom cloth. This is the NRSP project area where weavers have been trained on the Amritsari/Kasuri loom (8pedals). Master Trainers (Potential)

1. Muhammad Ramzan (0342-5902136) 2. Jan Muhammad (uncle of 1 above)

Possible to get some women master trainers as well Proceedings S Deliberations Actionable Points Resp Person Met one family which has been

trained by NRSP but work is very much reduced with a lot of weavers sitting idle. They cannot prepare the cloth on this loom without the help of NRSP who prepare the waft on some sort of a machine. Weavers are still retain the skills to work on pit looms.

Explore potential of pit loom cloth

Designers

Exquisite pieces made on pit loom were shown as well as samples that they had prepared.

Explore potential of pit loom cloth

Weavers were asked to prepare sample of muslin cloth of fine quality as substitute for the Indian malmal which is currently being used for dupattas and shirts throughout the district. This will be done on pit loom thus of width about 15-20”. They will need thread which

Muzammal to follow through Designers to see sample to ascertain whether an order can be placed with weavers to fulfill need of project in Bwp area

Muhammad Ramzan

Jan Muhammad


Muzammal will procure and supply to them

A sample of sheep wool “looee” (chadar) prepared on pit loom was shown this was in two pieces which are to be stitched in the center thus the red borders are on three sides. An order was placed for preparation of two pieces of the chadar with the red edging on all sides which could be used as stoles.

Muzammal to follow through and get the sample prepared asap.

Discussion on developing silk hand woven cloth resulted in the possibility of getting a sample prepared which the weavers agreed to do. The yarn for this needs to be procured from the Multan market.

The potential needs to be explored as a product for Project

Muzammal to take one weaver with her to explore the Multan market and buy suitable yarn. Sample to be prepared for approval

Some samples of palm leaf work were shown.

This can be included in the Project if the handloom materializes.

Sheep wool Chadar in two pieces

Palm Leaf Work

Sample Stole

Samples prepared for client selections

Sheep wool woven chadar-close up view


Abbass Nagar

S Deliberations Actionable Points Resp Person 1. Saw some of the samples. Showed a piece

which we were carrying.

2. Order placed for the two suits which Muzamal had already given them earlier. They were asked to prepare the finest work that they could do which if approved would follow through with more orders. Prices were also settled

Muzamal to follow through and send samples to Lahore for approval.

SUMMARY Centers/ Villages to participate in the Project from Bahawalpur

1. Basti Khangah, Derawar Appliqué/Patch work 2. Basti Derawar, Derawar Appliqué/Patch work 3. Basti Menghwal, Derawar Appliqué/Patch work, embroidery,

khussa making 4. Chak DRB 110, Derawar Embroidery, Appliqué/Patch work 5. Behli Embroidery 6. Riazabad Handloom 7. Abbass Nagar Chunri 8. BC 28 Palm Leaf Work

1. The above situation reflects that an effort is being made to interlink the various villages in a joint program and inter dependency which will eventually offer the possibility to create an organizational structure to strengthen the crafts persons and sector.

2. All persons met were informed about the formula that if items procured sell at higher rates in the Exhibition their share in the profits would be assured i.e. between MT, craft person, overhead costs, seed money for common fund with the assurance that the major benefit would be of the craft person. This needs to be thought through as the Project proceeds.

3. Budget needs to be determined for each place as we proceed with Project


Khais on Pit Loom

4. Design Kits are to be provided to all MTs and dispatched to Lahore when ready for review of Designers.

5. Follow up Training of MTs by Designers needs to be finalized with dates and program. The training will be in Bahawalpur. Expected number of MT participants is 25-30 persons. Most were willing to attend. Muzamal needs to follow with those still doubtful and determine final number.

6. Examine Potential to train women in weaving in some of the villages where as yet there are only men weavers.

MULTAN 5 May 2010 Visit 5 May 2010 by Car Tour Group- Bushra Saghar FTL Multan, Sajida Haider Vandal Bastis visited

Note : On 4

: Basti Mooluk, Chah Usmani Bajay wala Near Chungi #09 Multan City

th May 2010, I visited Thatta Pavelian, (now Sadiqabad) and now in Dist. Khanewal. Accounts and records show that this was a major center of handloom in the region, (pavelian means handloom workers in the local language, Saraiki). I had been informed by Lashari and others that there were several persons still weaving cloth and the NRSP had also included this in their Project area. I found that by now most people had given up the craft and only about 10 houses existed which still prepared hand-woven cloth. It appears that this is primarily a women’s craft now. I met two old women who were weaving khais. They were selling these for Rs 200 and Rs 250. On enquiry it appears that their daily wages turn out to be Rs 25 per day. None of the younger women I met showed any interest in this because now they were involved in low quality embroidery work for contractors (labor paid for shirts Rs 100-Rs150). Considering that we are purchasing cloth from the market I think we need to explore whether we can get some made from these women weavers. Bushra Saghar FTL Multan, has been asked to visit the Basti and explore potential and interest and get some samples made.


Attached below is the Report of the FTL Multan, Bushra Saghar with my comments added at the end

5. Sughraan Mai,

FIELD VISIT-MULTAN (REPORT BY BUSHRA SAGHAR FTL MULTAN) CHAH USMANI BAJAY WALA NEAR CHUNGI #09 MULTAN CITY Master Trainers (MT) met

6. Khurshaid Bibi, 7. Yasmin Basheer

1. General information Type of Activity Meeting with the Master Trainers of Multan City

Objective achieved • Follow up Meeting with Master Trainer Of Multan

• Visit of Basti Malook for meeting with Khussa Makers • Order for producing the sample work to the master

trainer

Date of Meeting May 5, 2010

Duration 9;30AM -4PM

Report by Bushra Saghar

Date of report May 8, 2010

Location Chah Usmani Bajay wala Near Chungi #09 Multan City; Basti Malook

Participants Madam Sajida Vandal,Project Manager Miss Bushra Saghar , Field Team Leader, Sughraan Mai, Khurshaid Bibi, Yasmin Basheer, Master Trainers in Multan Muhammad Khadim, Jeweler, Haji Naveed Allah Bakhash, Khuusa Maker and Yasmin Bibi Embroidery Worker in Basti Malook

2. Meeting Detail • Introduction of the participants • Follow up of the Training


• Discussion about the Skills of the Master Trainer i.e. Embroidery on Upper of Khussa and Aarr work

• Shared the Samples of the Aar work , kinari / Gotaa with the workers and discussed the quality of the embroidery in Detail

• The Chain of Pearls and Leather with Aar work were shared with Madam Sajida Vandal • Seen the Variety of Khussa • Discuss about the Areas of Khussa making

3. General Discussion

Participants showed their interest to work in the new style and good quality. They shared that they are working on order by the local outlets, where their work is not much acknowledged in regard to their hard work. They showed their willingness to do the work with us. On the suggestions of the advancement and improvement to their work, they said that they want to do more good work if they will be paid better and in time. With the bulk order and limited time, it’s very difficult to maintain the quality.

Follow ups: Sample of Block print with new designing on khaddi cotton /lawn will be given to the

workers for manufacturing Sample of Aar Work with Gotta / Kinari will also be given to the manufacturers Order will be placed for manufacturing of the Khaddi Cloth Distribution of Master Trainer Design Kit to the master trainers of Multan Conducting the 10 Days Training of Organic Color die for the women of district Multan

and D.G Khan in Multan City Identify the Manufacture of the products of Camel Skin and Arrange a meeting with

them Meeting with the Mr, Chuhdary Sajjid Nadeem, Community Development Officer of

Jalal Pur Peer Wala and Shuja Abad District Multan (formerly PVA Supervisor Cultural Mapping Multan)

Collect the Sample of lacquer work from Jaam Pur Mapping of Cultural Assets D.G Khan and taken the Coordinates of G P S.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS/ INFORMATION (SV)

1. Mr. Muhammad Ali Wasti, Director Arts Council offered to help in the Project. He is an excellent contact and has been working in the crafts for a considerable period. I had detailed meetings with him. He is now going to get some samples prepared. I gave him


some seed money for the same. Bushra FTL needs to meet him asap and follow this through with him

2. The following Crafts had potential of inclusion in the Project S Craft Follow on Action Responsible Person a) Khussa making crafts for use

in different objects a) The samples prepared by

the women following the Training Session 1 by designers are ready and can be collected from SV

b) Designs as examples by Sadia need to be sent to the craft women

c) Need to prepare training program for Session 2

a) Sadia to collect samples and convey further instructions

b) Sameer to forward Sadia’s email to Bushra for onward discussion with craft women

c) Sadia to prepare training program

Ghugoo Ghoras Bushra to see when the objects can be prepared Designers to see whether these women can be included in a training program Designers to see what othr

Ar & Gotta Work a) Samples were shown to the women to discuss how these two have been used in the contemporary designs. Bushra has been given a sample for future use as well

b) MTs were asked to develop same designs and suggest what can be highlighted in gotta within that. This needs to be follow

a) Bushra to show sample to other MTs not met by SV and pursue discussion

b) Bushra to check progress and when some patterns are ready send these to Lahore for review of Designers

Block Printing a) Bushra has been given a sample suit for discussion when crafts women are identified. Muhammad Ali Wasti is helping with this

b) Organic Dyeing techniques will be imparted to identified master block printers.

a) Bushra to meet Muhammad Ali Wasti, Director Arts Council who had located some block printers and get a sample prepared.

b) Bushra to follow through with Wasti Sahib re organic dying workshop.


1. Please note that we need to plan for the follow on Training Session with MTs asap.

All designers are requested for their inputs. The Session will be held in Multan and some or all MTs from DG Khan will also attend. We can expect about 25-30 women.

2. Bushra to prepare a list of villages/mohallas from which participants are expected and a List of MTs

Training will be given by Ustad from Keror Pacca. This will be a one day workshop. Other MTs from Bwp and DG Khan can be asked to participate if they so want. Mr. Wasti will request Ustad and Bushra is to make the necessary arrangements

Camel Skin a) Mr. Wasti is going to get a sample prepared using traditional techniques but new forms.

a) Bushra to keep in touch with Mr. Wasti and keep SV informed

Palm Leaf Objects & Toys a) Bushra needs to locate areas where this can be done

a) Bushra to follow through

Naqaish Kari Boxes (Trunks) and Ozek Kari shopping bags with THAAP-Crafts Logo

a) Mr. Wasti is going to get a sample prepared for approval of the boxes and costs etc. Only to be used for carrying exhibits and display to enable orders to be placed

b) Shopping bags (~200) need to be prepared. Mr. Wasti has been asked to get a sample done using recycled paper using in some way the paper cutting craft used by khussa makers.

a) Bushra to follow through

Examine Potential in Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad

a) With our former Supervisor Sajid posted in the Social Welfare department the potential of seeing whether women from here also needs to be explored

a) Bushra will visit both places and send here report.


ANNEX 7 MANAGEMENT: WORK ORDER & TRACKING FORMS

This is a Consolidated Form but for the Report has been shown in two parts. The form is shared with the craftswomen to ensure transparency and fair price to all

Consolidated Form


PART 1: WORK ORDER FORM

ID

REF CODE

Item

No

Loca

le

Mat

eria

l

Col

lect

ion

Col

or

Sche

me

Mat

eria

l (N

os+

Dt

il)d

Ta

nka

BWP-CH-001

Style: SA-WB

SARI 2 Abbas Nagar

Silk @ Rs 440 per yd

Indigo Turquoise base (1089) with indigo (127) and white (1),

green (230). Add other colors if design

demands

7 yds Chunri

BWP-CH-002

Style: SA-B

2 Abbas Nagar

Silk (Grip Silk 80 grams) @ Rs 440 per yd

Tooti Nama Red Base color (46) with black (403), gold (304). Add other colors if design demands

8.25 Chunri

BWP-CH-003

Style: SA-B

2 Silk (Grip Silk 80 grams) @ Rs 440 per yd

Tooti Nama Black Base (403) with green(238) and red (46).Add other colors if design demands

8.25 Chunri

BWP-CH-004

Style: D Dupatta 1 Abbas Nagar

Chiffon @ Rs 185 per yd

Tree of Life Orange base with Shocking pink

3 Chunri

BWP-CH-005

Style: D 1 Chiffon @ Rs 185 per yd

Tree of Life Green base with Brown

3 Chunri

BWP-CH-006

Style: D Dupatta 2 Abbas Nagar

Organza Tooti Nama Orange Base 3.5 *2 yds

BWP-CH-006

Style: D 2 Organza Tooti Nama Purple Base 3.5 *2 yds


PART 2: WORK ORDER FORM

S. ID REF CODE

M

ater

ial C

osts

Chu

nri

Cos

t

Bord

er

Cos

t

Bord

er S

t. C

ost

Dye

ing

Cos

t (Bo

rder

)

Iron

ing

Cos

t

Cou

rier

Pack

& T

ag

Cos

t

Tota

l Lab

or &

M

ater

ial

Final Rate (40%)

Dates Craft person

Ord

er

Com

plet

ion

Dat

e as

agr

eed

App

rova

l Dat

e

1 BWP-CH-001

Style: SA-WB

3080 1000 1050

100 100 30 10 20 5390 7545 18-Jun-10

18-Jul 22-Jul

Nusrat MT, Zarina, Parveen

2 BWP-CH-002

Style: SA-B

3630 1000 1050

100 100 30 10 20 5940 8315 19-Jul 22-Jul


3 BWP-CH-003

Style: SA-B

3630 1000 1050

100 100 30 10 20 5940 8315 20-Jul 22-Jul


4 BWP-CH-004

Style: D

555 350 300 80 60 0 10 20 1375 1925 18-Jul 22-Jul


5 BWP-CH-005

Style: D

555 350 300 80 60 0 10 20 1375 1925 18-Jul 22-Jul


6 BWP-CH-006

Style: D

525 350*2 300*2

80 0 0 10 20 1205 1675

28-Aug 12-Sep


7 BWP-CH-006

Style: D

525 350*2 300*2

80 0 0 10 20 1205 1675 28-Aug 12-Sep


EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH CRAFTS

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