ethnography

ETHNOGRAPHY

Kuchcha- Drovana

COURSE OBJECTIVE : To understand the process of ethnography on field To experience the challenges and understand the process of getting access for in-depth cultural research To enhance communication skills in order to get correct data and insights DURATION: Theoretical inputs: 24 August 2012 - 28 August 2012 On-field research 4 September 2012 – 8 September 2012 PLACE: Bhuj, Kutchh District, Gujarat

1

Brainstorming and researching about the villages in and around Bhuj (Kuchh)

2

Visiting various villages to understand the scope of study

3

Mapping the communities of a region.

4

Dhrovana was finalized on the basis of easy access, interesting location and presence of two major religious communities living in the same region.

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Observation research In depth informal interviews Casual conversations Participatory observation

BHUJ BHUJ

GANDHINUGAM

BHUJODI

MOTA DINARA

AJARAKPUR AHMEDABAD

BHUJ

DROVANA

KHAVADA BHUJ

BHUJ DROVANA

KHAVADA BHUJ

KHAVADA BHUJ

BHUJ

MOTA DINARA ABOUT THE VILLAGE  Is 700 year old village  85 kilometer away from the Bhuj and  5 kilometer away from Khavda  Muslim and Harijan community stay in the village  Cattle rearing and farming is the main occupation  There are 800 household in the village.

OBJECTIVES :  To understand scope of ethnography research in the area  To get access to study culture of the village

OCCUPATION:  Villagers depended on dry farming so men of the house stay out for 2 – 3 months for earning  Selling Milk was other occupation of the village.  There was one milk center in the village where people collected their milk and sold in the city FOOD:  Bajra ka rotala ,daal ,rice, khichadi is the every day food of the village

ATTIRE OF PEOPLE:  Women wear Kanjra and men wear Pathani.  Women make Kanjra for themselves before marriage  Nowadays some women have started to wear Pathani ( Punjabi )  Women wears heavy jewelry  There is no change in the attire before and after marriage in the Muslim community

STATUS OF WOMEN:  Women stay in the house and do daily household work  Taking photographs of women after certain age is not allowed

EDUCATION:  There was one Madarasa till 8th standard after that students go to Khavda to study  After 8th standard girls are not allowed to study further  After 8th standard, boys from the village go to Maharashtra, Ahmedabad, Baruch for their further study (Vocational study, hand skill based study, agricultural study )

RELIGION:  Majority of population in the village is of the Muslim community.

SOCIAL INTERACTION:  Every day men of the village met outside of the Masjid after Maghrib.  Women met at Friday on Eid prayer in Masjid.  Most of the marriages are happened within village

GANDHINUGAAM ABOUT THE VILLAGE  Is 100 year old village situated  10 kilometer away from Khavda  Muslim and Harijan community stay in the village  There are 150 household in the village  Over 200 families reside in the village OBJECTIVES :  To understand scope of ethnography research in the area  To get access to study culture of the village

RELIGION:  Majority of population is Hindu in the village  Harijan and Marwadi is the major community in the village  Very less number of people are Muslims SOCIAL INTERACTION:  Muslim community live separate because of less space in the village  Marriages never happen within villages  First people feel shy to speak but after some time they speak freely  People allow to take photograph

FACILITIES:  For Daily need they have to go to Khavda  There were 7-8 bikes in the village  There was a underground water tank for drinking water.  House in the villages quite well and big

ATTIRE:  Women wore odhani, kanjari, ghagara, chuda  Men wore white pathani, black leather shoes, Gamcha.  New generation wore shirt pants.

OCCUPATION:  Main occupation of the people is wood carving  Sofa set, stool, stray are the main products  Women do handwork called Gurjari  Also Embroidery / patchwork on cloths is another source of income  Sale of craft work happen from house  Sometime women go out for exhibitions

STATUS OF WOMEN:  Men in the house take all the decisions  Women/girls don’t go to school after 4th standard

EDUCATION:  There was a primary school in the village after that need to go to Khawda for further study  From the age of 7-8 girls in the house start to learn craft work

BHUJ DROVANA KHAVADA BHUJ

PLACE: Dhrovana, Khavada District, Kutch ACCESS: We got access to the village through a school teacher in Bhuj travelling with us in the bus. He helped us get in touch with a man called Abdul Sattar who works for an NGO in that region. Abdul introduced us to the villagers, the school teacher of Dhrovana and a Harijan family in that village.

He helped us communicate with the villagers to explain our presence and agenda, to gain access an a villager’s (Kanha) house and make arrangements for our stay.

OBJECTIVE :  Getting access  Familiarize ourselves to the location and people  Explaining the scope of project to the informant  Making arrangements for stay  Understanding the research constraints in that area INFORMANT : Kanha and Sattar Bhai

WHY WE CHOSE DROVANA? 

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Interesting location : one of the last villages to IndiaPakistan border Presence of both Hindu and Muslim community A high security region We had got access to the village We could make arrangements to stay

DROVANA KHAVADA BHUJ

OBJECTIVE: Conducting detailed observation research over 24 hours.

OVERVIEW: We took an early morning bus to the village and met Kanha and his family Before that we wandered around to explore the village Our 24-hr cycle started at 11:32 am From there on we allocated areas of observation and started recording Data Collection in the form of transcriptions, audio and video recordings and sketches We stayed with Kanha and his family till 11:30 am the next morning

KANHA Kanha is a musician who plays flute. He is the elder son of the family in which we stayed. He was wearing a cricket outfit for both the days, owns a bike and smoke bedi. He is looking forward for a city exposure for performing and has done a few too.

WATER TANK

SHOPS

HINDU HARIJAN WOMEN              

Lehenga and long kurta, with dupatta Kurta (long top) was different for married and unmarried women Hand made clothers Lots of hand embroidery on clother Vibrant colors, and big floral prints Synthetic fabrics mostly Bangles - glass and plastic White bangles for the upper arm Jewellery - Local names Kadi - Anklet Sasri - Nose ring Siri - Flat and round nose ring Thodiya - Earrings Vindo - Nose ring for the bride

HINDU HARIJAN WOMEN - MARRIED       

Married women wore backless top with lehengas (long skirt) and a dupatta (wide stoll) The backless long top - called Kanjri Heavily ornamented and embroidered Made by the bride herself before her marriage, and brought to her new house as part of her dowry The skirt (lehengas) - either plain or printed, synthetic fabrics, with heavily embroidered or gota borders The dupatta was not a regular rectangle shape, but a rectangle with a square piece attached for covering the head Covering of head is mandatory, especially in presence of other men

HINDU HARIJAN WOMEN - UNMARRIED     

Hindu Harijan - unmarried woman Wore a stitched long top over the lehenga Dupatta worn only when going out Covering the head not mandatory Lots of bangles - glass and plastic

MUSLIM MAALDARI WOMEN            

Two piece stitched clothing - like salwar and kurta, common for all age groups Extra piece of cloth for covering the head Very little embroidery on clothes More earthy colors, and less bold prints The top/ kurta (called frack) was stitched in a way that it looked like two pieces - lehenga and choli All hand stitched clothes Very less jewellery Only one bangle in each hand Ankle bands in legs No toe rings Head covered all the time, irrespective of age or marital status Chain in neck- golden color

MEN HINDU HARIJAN  Wore regular pants and t-shirts  T-shirts looked old and worn out  Cricket jerseys common  No specific color pattern visible MUSLIM MAALDAARI  Kurta and pyjama (pathan suit)  Carried an scarf - printed - bold floral prints  Blue a common color in their clothing

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100 Hindu houses, 500 muslim houses Multiple structures in a compound Separate room for each couple Kitchen (2 windows, a cut out in the roof for the smoke to escape, a drain in the corner), mud chulha Verandah Washing area outside Toilet

HINDUS  Pakka(concrete)  Wall art – Hindus  Colours: Blue, green, yellow, red  Motifs: peacocks, flowers, horses, plants, girls MUSLIMS Thatched huts, Bungas(round mud houses)+ concrete

BELONGINGS:               

Sewing machine Television Stereo Furniture: 2 woven cot, Chair Utensils Water pots stacked upside down on one wall Godri (hand made fabric filled quilt/bed cover) Framed photographs on walls First aid kit Mounted and laminated pictures of gods Ceiling fans Big storage boxes Table 1 Goat

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The village has 4 schools One basic healthcare facility in one of the school’s complex School is up to 7th standard only IT teaching facility with 3-4 computers also available in the school Language of teaching – Gujarati or Kutchhi English and Hindi sparingly taught Hindu Harijan kids more regular for school Lesser number of girls in higher classes

School facilities for children of both religions and communities.

Medium: gujrati Difference in the sitting pattern: kids of a community tended to sit together More number of Harijan than Maldari students Male and female teachers

SOURCES OF INCOME : The men of the household were builders and masons Harijan women did bead work for themselves but also to sell outside.

One part of the house was given out on rent to a female teacher

ENTERTAINMENT: 

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Men gathered at the top of the hill in the evening to talk Television Inter village/ community cricket matches Singing/Playing musical instruments Listening to radio/songs on phone Gathering in the temple Embroidery/bead work Visiting neighbors Smoking

Women were observed shop keeping for a certain time in the afternoon.

A Gujrati educated woman also lives in the village running an individual shop.