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ICH Materials 95
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CENTRAL ASIA CRAFTS SUPPORT ASSOCIATION’S RESOURCE CENTER IN KYRGYZSTAN—KYRGYZ CRAFT HERITAGE SAFEGUARDING: ISSUES AND ACTIVITIESTraditional crafts have long been a part of the traditional nomadic culture of the Kyrgyz people, who have historically lived in close connection with nature. For the Kyrgyz people, the natural world was once seen as an inexhaustible source of raw materials and inspiration for the creation of handicrafts.Year2011NationSouth Korea
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Mongolian Culture and HeritageThe culture of the Central Asian steppes expresses itself vividly in the lifestyle of traditional nomadic practices. Mongolian culture has been in practice in the nomadic life and the traditions surrounding the nomad’s home (ger). And it is present in religious celebrations, national festivals, art and crafts, music and dance, language and literature, which form the backbone of Mongolian intangible cultural heritage of Mongolia. Mongolia is filled with valuable cultural properties and intangible cultural heritage of humanity that have been kept or practiced for thousands of years.\n\nGer, Mongolian Traditional Dwelling\nThe traditional architecture of the Mongols differed strongly from that of the settled peoples of Asia and other continents. Centuries ago, there the ger, also known as a yurt, appeared. It still offers shelter to nomads in particular places in Central Asia. Its development and fundamental principles are determined by the specific features of the way of life of Mongol tribes, which made it necessary to evolve a light and collapsible structure to be used as a dwelling or for public functions.\n\nMongolian Language and Literature\nMongolian is the language of most of the Mongolian population and inner Mongolia. By origin, Mongolian is one of the Altaic family of languages, and the history of the Mongolian language is long and complicated. Significant literary work of early Mongolia includes The Secret History of the Mongols, which was published in 1228).\n\nMongolian Religion and Beliefs\nThe Mongols have practiced several religions, of which Shamanism and Buddhism were the most common. The faith in Mongolia is Buddhism, though the state and religion were separated during the socialist period, but with the transition to the parliamentary republic in the 1990s, there has been a general revival of faiths across the country\n\nMongolian Art and Crafts\nMongolian arts and crafts have been passed down across generations from the Paleolithic times to today, leaving behind deep impressions on all facets of life and conscious, aesthetic, and philosophical thinking. Highly developed Mongolian arts and crafts come from the second millennium BCE. The works included sculptured heads of wild animals with exaggerated features. Other items include knives, daggers, and other items of practical and religious use.\n\nMongolian Music and Dance\nMusic is an integral part of Mongolian culture. Among Mongolia’s unique contributions to the world’s musical culture are the long songs, overtone singing, and morin khuur (the horse-headed fiddle). The music of Mongolia is also rich with varieties related to the various ethnic groups of the country. Among the most popular forms of modern music in Mongolia are Western pop and rock genres and the mass songs written by contemporary authors in the form of folk songs.\n\nHorse Culture of Mongolia\nIt is famously known that horses play a large role in the Mongols’ daily and national lives. Common sayings are, “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings,” and “Mongols are born on horseback” these are arguably true words. Even today, horse-based culture is still practiced by nomadic Mongolians.\n\nVisit https://www.toursmongolia.com/tours for additional information about Mongolian culture.\n\nPhoto 1 : Prairie meadow grass inner Mongolia traditional clothing © Batzaya Choijiljav\nPhoto 2~7 : © Batzaya ChoijiljavYear2020NationMongolia
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TAJIK EMBROIDERYEmbroidery is an ancient decorative and applied art of the Tajiks that is used for decorating dresses and homes. In the Tajik language, embroidery is gulduzi, which is understood as the process of using colorful threads to sew ornaments, flower images, and symbolic drawings on cotton or silk fabrics. Tajik embroidery practitioners are women. Embroidery art masters sew women’s shirts, men’s and women’s national caps, pillows, bedspreads, headscarves, towels, curtains, cradle coverlets, and wall decorations, known locally as suzani.Year2018NationSouth Korea
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Kalpak, a Traditional Headdress of Kyrgyz Men Drawing the Universe’s EnergyKalpak is the traditional headdress of Kyrgyz men. Symmetrically cut, it is purely made up of white felt, with black or red edges. Craftswomen describe the parts of the kalpak’s structure as fire, water, air, and soil, connecting to one another as north and south and east and west.\n\nThe top of kalpak is called the sun ray, a symbol of life. Tassels are added to the top to symbolize the roots of progeny. Lines and patterns, stitched on white felt, have their own semantic content. The kalpak’s color depends on the person’s age or status. Children often wear kalpak with green edges, the color of grass and leaves. Middle-aged men wear brown kalpaks, a reference to the color of soil and mountains. Young men of marriageable age wear red kalpaks. Very wise people or those known for their leadership and justness wear a white kalpak with white edges.\n\nHolders of traditional knowledge say that kalpak a headwear is not only to protect oneself from sun or rain but also to aid men in drawing energy from the universe. As an important part of the Kyrgyz people’s tradition, one can’t give another person his own kalpak, play with it, throw it up, or put it to the ground. It is treated with utmost respect and is usually presented as a gift to esteemed people and relatives.\n\nTo popularize the national headdress, 5 March is designated as the National Day of Kalpak in Kyrgyzstan. Conventionally on this day, schools have lessons on the kalpak, museums and theaters hold presentations on the historical origins of kalpak, and various flash mobs are organized with the participation of activists of youth movements and students to demonstrate the importance of kalpak in Kyrgyz culture. Consequently, kalpak is very popular among men of different ages, backgrounds, and social belonging. The cultural relevance of kalpak is reinforced by a huge number craftswomen producing it, making it available in all part of Kyrgyzstan.\n\nPhoto 1 : Traditional Kyrgyz kalpak cc by-sa3 Prosopee WikiMedia\nPhoto 2 : Kalpak, traditional headdress of Kyrgyz Men ⓒAigine Cultural Research CenterYear2018NationKyrgyzstan
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The Art of Embroidery: Subregional Networking on Multinational NominationThe art of embroidery is one of the ancient traditions of applied and decorative arts in Central Asia. The uniqueness and beauty of Central Asian embroidery, the abundance and diversity of its ornaments and techniques testify to the rich traditions of this art. Embroidery is widespread mainly in trade and handicraft cities and large villages along the Silk Roads in Central Asia. Each existing traditional schools have a unique symbol, style and color balance based on local knowledge and social practices.\n\nEmbroidery is common activity among women in Central Asia. Traditionally, women and girls embroider individually and in groups. Embroidery is passed down from generation to generation, mainly from mother to daughter, in the form of master-apprentice schools. Indigenous population in Central Asia wear embroidered items, it serves as a symbol of their devotion to their homeland and culture. It is especially found at craft fairs, festivals, contests, weddings and social festivities.\n\nNetworking on elaboration of the multinational nomination “The Art of Embroidery” in Central Asia was initiated by the NGO “Living Heritage” of Uzbekistan (“Umrboqiy Meros”) in May 2019. Main objectives of the networking were to strengthen collaboration among scholars and artisans in Central Asia and to promote joint safeguarding activities by inventory of traditional schools on art of embroidery in Central Asia.\n\nAd hoc working group has been created, which consisted of representatives from ICH stakeholders (governmental and non-governmental organizations, artisans and scholars) from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Offline and online meetings of the working group were organized from May 2019 to March 2020 on the monthly basis. In every meeting experts exchanged views on current status, development perspectives and safeguarding challenges of the art of embroidery in their countries.\n\nIt has been observed that element is practiced and transmitted almost in all the regions of three countries: Uzbekistan (especially in the centers of artistic embroidery such as Djizak, Fergana, Namangan, Nukus, Nurata, Bukhara, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Urgut, Tashkent, as well as other rural areas), Tajikistan(mostly in Dushanbe, Khujand, Kulob, Istaravshan, Bokhtar, Panjakent, Hisar, Gharm, Darvaz, Khorogh, as well as other cities and regional centres) and Kazakhstan (Eastern/Altay, South-Eastern/Almaty and Nothern/Mangystau and since last century in Western parts of the country). Annually, traditional textile festivals in Central Asia are being organized in Kazakhstan (“Korpefest”, “Kazakhstan oneri”, “Altyn sapa”), Uzbekistan (“Atlas Bayrami”, “Silk and Spices”, “Altin Kul”, “Raks Sekhri”, “Boysun Bahori”) and Tajikistan (“Diyori husn”, “Taronai Chakan”, “Idi Atlas”), where many masters from these countries and also from various regions of Central Asia participate and display their handmade art products. This kind of cultural events are proper places for exchanging knowledge and establishing dialogue among societies, groups and individual masters.\n\nThe multinational nomination “Traditional embroidery of Central Asia” was successfully completed and submitted to the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in March 2020 by the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO. The nomination will be examined by the ICH Intergovernmental Committee in 2022.\n\nAs follow up activity, following institutional members of the working group became coordinators for ICHCAP/IICAS Survey Project on Silk Roads Handicrafts Workshops, which was started in July 2021: Kazakhstan National Committee for the Safeguarding of the ICH, Institute of Culture and Information of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan and NGO “Living Heritage” of Uzbekistan.\n\nphoto : © Lutfiya MirzaevaYear2021NationCentral Asia
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Traditional Practices for a Sustainable PlanetPlastic waste has become one of the biggest problems of the today’s world. The modern lifestyles we have accustomed to, generate tones of non-degradable wastes, which are polluting our environment and degrading it at the faster pace. If we look closer, many traditional practices in different parts of the world might have solution for sustainable environment.\n\nOne of such practices that are being used by the various communities of Nepal is plates and bowls made out of leaves. The leaves from tree known as Saal (Shorea robusta) is commonly used for this purpose. Broad leaves, shiny at the front with natural impermeability to water makes it ideal to make plates and bowls out of it. Saal is tree is native to Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Not only leaves but also the timber from this tree is also very valuable as it is considered to be strong for the building materials.\n\nThese leaves are arranged and stitched with hands using thin stick made out of bamboo. Many communities have different names for these objects made out of leaves according to their frequent usability. The plates made out of leaves are called laypya in Nepal basha, bowl shaped structures made out of leaves known as duna and tapari in Nepali, bota (Nepal Basha)\n\nStill today these plates and bowels are used for many rituals, feasts and other purposes.\n\nIn past these plates made out of the leaves were the only options for the feasts when needed to feed large number of people. In old days, before the start of festivals families gathered to sew the leaves for the feast. Especially during the big feast like weddings, it was a common practice for the family members, relatives and neighbors, to lend hands for making leaves plates or laptya several months ahead. But now a days due to the cheaper, readily available and commonly available option of plastic and paper plates these leaves are being replaced. Due to the catering services and party organizers, these community engagements is fading out.\n\nBut due to the religious and cultural significance, in the ritual practices these leaves are still used. It may be due the belief associated these leaves being pure. In the markets the green leaves rolled together could still be seen.\n\nBut there has been comeback of the leaf plates and bowls not only in the traditional rituals and feasts but also in the fast-food restaurants. The fast way to sew the leaves plates and bowls with the machines makes it easier to produce many plates in a day. It is not only easier but also the leaves plates are available all around the year in market. It’s really interesting to see the roadside food stalls using leave plates and bowls in Nepal.\n\nThese traditional practices if integrated in today’s modern lifestyle can help to combat many problem today’s society is facing.\n\nPhoto 1 : Process of sewing leaves to make plates. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPhoto 2 : Vendor selling the leaf plates in the market. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPhoto 3 : Traditional food in leaf plates Laptya. @Monalisa MaharjanYear2020NationNepal
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Crafts of Sonipat, HaryanaHaryana is a state in the Northern part of India. The region is famous for its historic connection with the ancient Indus valley civilization, stories of Mahabharata, and the three famous battles of Panipat. The state also boasts of a rich cultural heritage and is home to the Suraj Kund Mela held in Faridabad every year, one of the largest cultural gatherings in the world.\n\nThis article focuses on the craft of basket-making undertaken by the members of Self Help Groups, functioning in Tanda village of Rai block, Sonipat district, Haryana.\n\nIndia has a long tradition of basket weaving and it is a very popular craft in rural India. Basket weaving is the process of sewing or weaving materials into a shape with a cylindrical, circular or square base. The craft of basket weaving was introduced to Haryana by women of the Multani-speaking Audh community who had migrated from Pakistan during Partition and taken up this craft as a means of supplementing their meagre earnings. Traditionally, the raw materials were the locally grown date palm; phoos, a wild grass; and pula, thin leaves of the sarkanda plant—these were made into coiled baskets intended for domestic use by the womenfolk of the household. The products include a range of round-bottomed, cylindrical, and shallow baskets with and without lids. Some of the cylindrical baskets are nearly three feet high and have lids. The leaves are also plaited into strips and formed into bags and mats. The dry palm leaves, some of which are dyed so as to achieve a coloured pattern, are wound around a bunch of phoos or pula and sewn in place by threading the leaf through the lower coil; a big blunt needle is utilized to push the leaf through. (Ranjan, Handmade in India)\n\nPyari (name of the artisan), a resident of Tanda Village originally belonging to Punjab, moved to Haryana with her family in the late 1980s. She has inherited the skills to make beautiful baskets from her mother. Pyari, called Ammi (meaning mother in Hindi) by everyone, shared her techniques to make them and how she innovates with the designs during the process.\n\nThe basic raw materials used for the craft include Sarkanda or moonj grass– a type of grass grown abundantly in Haryana during winters, Khajur leaves(date palm leaves) that are soaked in water overnight to make them soft. To make new designs, colored Khajur leaves are also used as it adds unique patterns to the baskets.\n\nPyari is proud of her traditional skills and believes that they should be continued by the next generation. She is also concerned about the sustenance of the craft as most of the young people aren’t interested in such skills and may never understand the importance of the same.\n\nIndian crafts sector is the second-largest employer in the country after agriculture and the Sonipat administration is taking many active steps to keep the cultural heritage alive. It further aims to promote handmade crafts and make them accessible at the local, district, and national levels.\n\nHaryana has a rich cultural history that reflects inter alia in its crafts, textiles, and food. What’s interesting to witness about all the above crafts is the knowledge preserved by women who are involved in continuing these crafts.\n\nphoto 1 : Pyari bai (Artisan), Tanda Village, Sonipat, Haryana © Jyoti Shukla\nphoto 2 : Map of Sonipat district in Haryana, India\nphoto 3 : Basket Makers of Punjab(Courtesy of Special Collections_University of Houston Libraries)\nphoto 4 : Pyari bai (Artisan), Tanda Village, Sonipat, Haryana © Jyoti Shukla\nphoto 5 : (Left)Sarkanda leaves / (Right) Khajur (Date palm) leaves © Jyoti Shukla\nphoto 6 : Colorful Khajur leaves © Jyoti Shukla \nphoto 7 : Sarkanda baskets in the making © Jyoti Shukla \nphoto 8 : Final products: Sarkanda baskets © Jyoti ShuklaYear2022NationIndia