Aarthi HaneenaNeelakrishnanAbdulGafoorMohanaKArjunBRajAditiChaudharyTextileDesignSemesterVNiftChennaiCraft Research Documentation
Study and documentation of palm leaf craft at Manapad, Tutucorin, Tamil Nadu Documented by Aarthi Neelakrishnan, Aditi Chaudhary, Arjun B. Raj, Haneena Abdul Gafoor, Mohana Kannan Centre Name: Chennai Copyright @ National institute of Fashion technology, Year: 2019 All rights reserved. No part of the document may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form of by any means of electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise; without prior permission from National institute of fashion technology. Faculty guide/ Mentor (s) : ______________________
Our sincere thanks to Department of Handicrafts and Ministry of Textiles for giving us this opportunity to document the Manapad palm leaf society. We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Anitha Mabel Manohar, Director, NIFT, Chennai, Ms. Geetha Ranjani, Associate Professor & CIC, NIFT, Chennai and Mr.B.Karthikeyan, Associate professor & Centre Co-ordinator Textile Design Department, for facilitating our craft study. We would like to express our special thanks to our mentor Dr.G.Krishnaraj, Assistant Professor, Textile Design, our mentor for the instructions , motivation, constant feedbacks and also for guiding us throughout our craft documentation. We would also like to thank Manapad women workers of Palm Leaf Industrial Cooperative Society for cooperating and supporting us throughout our research. At last, we would also like to thank our friends and families for their motivation and support throughout our journey to Manapad.
A collection of products are developed from palm. Dried palm leaves are used to make a variety of products. Palm leaf crafts are practiced in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Craft research documentation helps in recording the specifics of the craft and the cluster. Graphics and written text are used to disseminate the collected information. In the document, the details such as production process, various products, artisans details and artisan living environment conditions are documented. Documentation of a traditional craft is important for preserving its identity and to communicate its details to the Thisaudience.document comprises of the credentials of Manapad Women Workers’ Palm Leaf Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd, Manapad, Tuticorin,Tamil Nadu. Palm leaves are utilized in making a variety of products such as baskets, boxes, trays, rattles etc. It also covers the conditions of the environment the artisans live in while practicing the craft
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 1
Handicrafts are a rich source which expresses the uniqueness of tradition and culture of any country. These are traditional knowledge of making craft with indigenous materials. Handicrafts are made manually with help of tools creatively expressing the country’s heritage by products that have aesthetic, function or both. Different varieties of handicrafts include textile, paper craft, wood and metal craft, pottery, glass craft, jewellery, basket weaving, toy making, leaf and bamboo craft.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |2 Primary •Artisan or system •Product or the object •Consumers or end users Ethnography by the following methods: •Observing : Culture, routine, time & conditions. •Interacting : One to one or Focus Group To Comprehend an Artisan’s lifestyle and occupation, we need to identify •Socio-economic•Psycho•Demographicsgraphics status •Achievements/awards•Problems•Skill•ExperienceMappingfaced etc., To understand the making and specifications of the Product •Raw •Marketing•Packaging•Quality•Production•Design•Pre-production•Toolsmaterialsandequipmentassurance End users •To get a clarity about the needs and wants of the consumers.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 3 S.No. Focus Ares Data Data Collection Method 1 ARTISANS SkillPsychographicsDemographicsMapping CaseObservationStudy- Sample size Interview - Sample size AudioPhotographsandvideo recording 2 PRODUCT- Palm Leaf Basket Secondary data Online sources PrimaryBooks Data Types / Techniques Raw PricePackagingFinishingMakingToolsmaterialandequipmentprocess MarketSketchesVideoPhotographsVisualInterviewFieldObservationvisit(Questionnaire)AnalysisAnalysis 3 END USERS SatisfactionQualityDemographics QuestionnaireInterview - data collection through google forms 4 SOCIETY Details / SpaceHierarchyFunctioningstudy CheckingIntroductionold VisualAudioPhotographyQuestionnairerecords/VisualrecordingAnalysis 5 MARKET Secondary Data SalesTypesCostand advertisement Primary Data SalesTypesCostand advertisement SamplingVisualAudioQuestionnaireInterview/Visualrecordinganalysistechnique-non-probability convenient sampling
Source - Barnard, Nicholas. Arts and crafts of India.
Crafts were important commodities in World trade and they were a part of economy in India in ancient times. Trade links between India and the rest of the world existed from ancient periods. Richly embroidered garments, woven shawls and household items are in vogue these days. There is a huge domestic market for a hoard of utilitarian craft items such as bed-covers, sheets, cushions, curtains, table-mats, bags, metal furniture, mats, boxes, cabinets, wood furniture, toys, utensils, garden pots, terracotta items, brass and silverware, leather products, papier-mâché products, cane, jute and coir items, carpets, rugs, durries etc. Most of the units producing utilitarian craft items have attained the status of small-scale industry. The popularity of these handicraft products is increasing in the domestic markets due to the increasing demand for traditional crafts.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |4 India is known for its rich culture and heritage. Based on the place they lived in, its geography and the availability of raw materials people developed skills in making a number of crafts for various purposes. Crafts practiced around India can be broadly classified into three, namely Folk craft, Religious craft and Commercial craft. Some of the numerous crafts manufactured in India include: Antiques, Art, Baskets, Paper Mache, Ceramics, Clock Making, Embroidery, Block Printing, Decorative Painting, Glass Work, Fabric, Furniture, Gifts, Home Décor, Jewellery, Leather Crafts, Metal Crafts, Paper Crafts, Pottery, Puppets, Stone and Wood Works.
With an uninterrupted classical heritage, Tamil Nadu has attained a high level of perfection in almost every craft form. Tamilnadu’s geographic location in the far south protected in from extraneous influences and made for a certain insularity of culture which strengthened the styles from within. At festival time, a unique set of crafts appear undoubtedly ephemeral but worked with great ingenuity and skill. Palm leaf basketry is practiced in clusters around places in Tamil Nadu namely Manapad, Vellore, Pulicat, Thiruvannamalai and Chettinad. Pottery in Vellore, Usilampatti, Panruti, Karukurichi. Wood craft in Virudhunagar, Nagercoil, Suchhindram, Karaikuddi and Devakottai. Silk sarees in Kanchipuram. Embroidery by Toda women in the Nilgiri region and appliqué work in Tanjore. Durries in Bhawani. Metalware in Nachiarcoil Tanjavur district. Stone craft in Mahabalipuram. Gold leaf painting in Tanjore. Bronze statues in Swamimalai, Madurai, Salem, Thiruchirapalli. Pattamadai mats made in Thirunelveli.1
Image Source-Krishna, Nanditha. Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu- “Tanjavur Paintings”. Source 1. Krishna, Nanditha. Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 7
Source 1.Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) “Indian Handicrafts” <http://www.handicrafts.nic.in/>, May 23, 2019.
The leaves of palm leaf when dried are used to make attractive products and are very popular among handicrafts. The Palm trees are basically found growing at tropical and subtropical regions. Several areas of the country produce a variety of articles woven from palm leaf. Creating handicrafts out of palm leaves provide livelihood for communities living in lands where there is dense cover of palm. Artisans choose leaves that are sturdy so that it can be further processed in the course of making the handicraft. Palm leaves are used to make baskets, boxes, trays, stationery items, laundry bags, rattles, purses etc.2
Handicraft is about processing materials by hand using tools. The results can be helpful things or decorative things. The materials utilized in the product are natural, industrially processed or maybe recycled. The models of the product are ancient, revised traditional or fashionable.1
2. Prof. Bibhudutta Baraland Sowmya B. N. “D’Source” <http://www.dsource.in/>, May 23, 2019.
The products made using palm leaves are eco-friendly and contributes a great value to pursue global environmental sustainability. Palm leaves can be dyed in various colours to make the products look more attractive. The craft employees numerous individuals especially women around India in making different form of products that are made using palm leaves. One such Group of members consisting of women workers in the southern part of the county makes baskets and boxes etc., out of palm leaves in a small village called Manapad, Tamil Nadu.
Fig 4 St. Guthlac Building his Church. he is depicted hoisting materi als in a basket Fig Egyptians1 carrying tree in a rod coiled basket, after a painting at Dier-El-Bahri, Thebes Fig Makah2 Basketmakers of Washington State, USA, in the 1890s.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |8
Fig 3 An Aztec Bridal couple sitting together on a mat, After the Sixteenth-Century
Image and Text source- Sentance, Bryan. Basketry- A world guide to traditional techniques
Basketry is in one sense the most modest of crafts, employed through the millennia to produce functional objects that feature in all aspects of everyday life of ordinary people. At archaeological sites around the world there is evidence of use of basketry since their first occupation. As basketry involves the use of perishable materials whey will normally disintegrate and only survive the passage of centuries under exceptional circumstances. The oldest known remains are fragments of coiled basketry used for the lining of grain stones at Fayum in Egypt, as shown in fig 1. People continued the art of basketry in various forms throughout the time. An evidence of women involved in basketry in the 19th century(fig 2). Mats were woven later through the evolution after 16th century(fig.3).
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 9
of Basketry
In spite of the lack of physical evidence, many sources of information about daily life in the past survive and we are able to glean a good sense of the important roles of basketry. For example, we are able to witness the agriculture methods of European farm labourers and building (fig.4) in medieval illuminated manuscripts, as well as the religious practices of the Aztecs in codices, an ancient manuscript text in book form compiled by the Conquistadores (a term which is widely used to refer to the knights, soldiers and explorers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires).
Fig 5. Sumerian Priest- King carrying a Basket
Botanical Name : Borassus flabellifer Linn. Common Name : Asian Palmyra Palm, Taar (Hindi), Panai (Tamil), Taala (Sanskrit)
Botanical Description
Religious Association
Distribution : Hotter parts of India Origin Palm tree was originally found in Africa from where it spread to India and other eastern countries. It is found in Africa, Asia, South America and Australia. At present, there are about 7 to 8 crore palm trees in India, half of which are located in the state Tamil Nadu, which makes this tree as its state tree.
Commonly known as palm comes from Arecaceae family of perennial plants. There are around 2600 species of palm trees. Human use of palms is as old or older than human civilization itself, starting with the cultivation of the date palm by Mesopotamians and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago
Source 1.C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre <http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/>, May 23, 2019
The Palmyra tree is revered by both Hindus and Buddhist, as most of their ancient religious texts are preserved on the palm leaves. On auspicious occasions, knotted young palm leaves or thoranams are used to adorn entrances at home and temples to signify good fortune. The Panai tree is the sthalavriksha at the Shiva temple at Tirupannaiyur, Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity here is Soundaryanathar, also known as Taalavaneshwarar. The palm tree is also associated with certain folk deities or guardians. The Panaiveriyamman or Taalavashini is one such deity named and associated with the palm tree.1
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 11 Beverages Toddy, Sweet sap Food Fruit, Edible oil, Sugar, Palm Jaggery, syrup, Jam Building materials Fiber, Thatch, Timber, Wood Industrial products Paper pulp, Bio-fertilizers Fuel Charcoal Household items Bags, Baskets, Brooms, Hand fan, Cup, Purse Games/toys Rattles Other uses Manuscript paper Fig 11. Palm Jaggery taken out of the coconut shell Fig 13. Palm candy in crystallisation process. Fig 12. Palm candy let to crystallise in aluminium container in a hut.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |12 in Human Culture
The legume family (Leguminosae): Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock forage and silage, and as soil-enhancing green manure. Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soy beans, peanuts, and tamarind.2
For the entire world, three plant families stand out in terms of their past and present utility to humankind:
Prior to the Industrial Age wild or cultivated plants and domesticated animals provided all of the food and most of the material needs of particular groups of people. Looking back to those past times it is apparent that a few plant families played a prominent role as a source of edible and non edible raw materials.
Moreover, historical uses of products from individual palm species can be found in studies of major economic species such as the coconut or date palms. It should also be noted that in addition to being highly utilitarian, palms have a pivotal role in myth and ritual in certain cultures.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 13
One such use of palms was that it was the primary raw material in basketry.
Source:1.3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecaceae2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legumehttp://ausgrass2.myspecies.info/node/3330
The palm family (Palmae): The Arecaceae are a botanical family of perennial plants. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, trees and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree form are colloquially called palm trees. They are flowering plants, a family in the monocot order Arecales. Currently 181 genera with around 2600 species are known, most of them restricted to tropical and subtropical climates.3
The grass family (Gramineae) : It provides the major cereal crops and most of the grazing for wild and domestic herbivores. Grasslands are estimated to comprise about 20% of the world’s vegetation. Poaceae (Gramineae) is also one of the largest families of flowering plants with more than 650 genera and about 10,000 species1
Fig 7. Fruit Tray, FaridabadFig 5. Box with lid made by weaving splits are used in homes, Pulicat. Fig 6. Rectangular box with a lid woven with multicolour dyed palmyra fibre.
Fig 8. Palm leaf container with lid made by women in Nellore district. Fig 9. Dowry basket from Manapad
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |14
Fig 10. Conical Basket made by coiling technique from Nellore
SekharnagarKilakaraiRamaswaramDevipatnamChittarkottaiRamanathapuramThirupullani
Bijna – Hand fan, Chattai – mat Carry bag
Sonipat Sonipet Chakore - shallow circular tray, Sundhada - Narrow necked basket with lid, Boiya-Roti/bread basket with lid, Koop - Cylindrical basket with lid, Khara–Basket
Kanyakumari Kanyakumari Dowry Baskets, Winnowing Trays, Hand fans, Pouches, Storage Baskets, Rattles
3 Nellore Nellore VenkateshwarapuramMattempadu Vases,Wall hangers,Tray, Mat, Garland, Basket (fig.10) ,with handles Shopping baskets Jar cover- jadi Pen holders Beer mug holder,container with lid. (fig. 8)
Tuticorin Manapad Dowry Baskets (fig.9), Winnowing Trays, Hand fans, Pouches, Storage Baskets (fig.6), Rattles
Baksa - box Chattai - Mat, Brooms
6
Tamil
Vellore Vellore Waste paper baskets Flower baskets Shopping baskets Tray Christmas decora tions Rattles Hand fans Pouches Traditional Baskets
PradeshUttar Allahabad Allahabad Pankha - Hand fan, Dolchi - Square basket, Bhoki - basket, Baja - Trumpet
2 Kerala Thiruvananthapuram Anavoor ParassalaPurumkadavilaNedumangadNeyyatinkaraManvilSreeKariyam
Thiruvallur Pulicat Waste paper baskets, Box with lid (fig.5) ,Flower baskets, Shopping baskets, Trays, Christmas decorations, Rattles, Hand fans, Pouches, Traditional Baskets.
Karnataka Dakshina Kanada Mangalore Caps Plates Cups
Panipet Panipet Chakore - shallow circular tray, Sundhada - Narrow necked basket with lid, Boiya-Roti/bread basket with lid, Koop - Cylindrical basket with lid, Khara–Basket
4
Uttara Kannada Hasanagi Honkankeri Caps Plates Cups
PradeshAndhra
Ramanathapuram
Lucknow Chinhat Pankha - Hand fan, Dolchi - Square basket, Bhoki - basket, Baja - Trumpet
1 Nadu
5
Baksa - box Chattai - Mat, Brooms Reference- Ranjan, Aditi and Ranjan M P. Handmade in India.
Bijna – Hand fan, Chattai – Mat, Carry bag
Bijna – Hand fan, Chattai – Mat, Carry bag
Traditional square baskets, Shopping baskets, Storage baskets, Packing Trays, Handfans, and Garlands
Dowry Baskets, Winnowing Trays, Hand fans, Pouches, Storage Baskets, Rattles
Haryana Faridabad Palwal Chakore - shallow circular tray (fig.7), Sundhada - Narrow necked basket with lid, Boiya-Roti/bread basket with lid, Koop - Cylindrical basket with lid, Khara–Basket
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 15 S.No State District Place of Practice Products
Insight of
Thoothukudi Railway station comes under Southern Railway Division. Thoothukudi has direct daily rail connectivity to Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, okha, Tirunelveli. By Road
The Tuticorin Airport is at Vagaikulam, 14 km (9 mile) from the heart of the city. By Rail
The major roads within the city are NH7A connecting Palayamkottai, Ettayapuram road (also called Madurai road). National Highway 45B (India) connecting Ramanathapuram road or East Coast Road, Thiruchendur road. Thoothukudi being a harbour city has lot of container truck transport is also available.
Tuticorin, also called Thoothukudi city, southern Tamil Nadu state, southern India. The city lies on the Gulf of Mannar of the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Tirunelveli, to which it is connected by road and rail. Thoothukudi is known as “Pearl City” due to the pearl fishing carried out in the town. It is a commercial seaport which serves the inland cities of Southern India and is one of the sea gateways of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coramandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. The first wooden Jetty of this port was commissioned in 1864. This port was being used for export of salt, cotton yarn, senna leaves, palmyra stalks, palmyra fibres, dry fish, Country drugs etc. to neighbouring countries and for import of coal, cotton, copra, pulses and grains. Tuticorin is known for its macroons (baked snack made from cashew nut).
Tamil Nadu Tuticorin
17
REACHING TUTICORIN
By Air
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |18 Fig 14. Tiruchendur Murugan Temple Fig 15. Panchakurchi Fort Fig 16. Basilica of Our Lady of Snows Fig 17. Kalugumalai
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 19 Fig 18. Manapad Beach Fig 19. Holy Cross Church Fig 20. St James Church Fig 21. Holy Ghost Church
of
Insight
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 21 Manapad, the village in the district of Tuticorin is a treat to the eyes, especially for people from urban cities. The calm and soothing evenings are at the finest here. The olden day architecture makes it prettier. The old building and houses at Manapad are a sight to a lot of architecture aspirants. One would never miss to notice the frequency of churches in every street that are like the jewels that adorn the village with beauty. A number of movies were shot around Manapad’s iconic churches and beach. Manapad village is located in Thoothukkudi district in Tamil Nadu, India. It is situated 15km away from Tiruchendur and 60km away from Thoothukkudi. It is 654 km from Chennai. The total geographical area of village is 453.57 hectares. Manapad has a total population of 5,795 people. There are about 1,321 houses in Manapad village. Tiruchendur is nearest town to ManapadManapad.isaCoastal village situated at 70 kms from Tirunelveli and 18 kms from south of Tiruchendur. This place was visited by St. Francis Xavier in 1542. The Holy Cross church built on a cliff attracts thousands of pilgrims throughout the year and during the month of festival (1st September to 14th September) thousand numbers of tourists assembles here
All though direct buses are available from Tuticorin to Manapad, frequency of buses is comparatively high from Thirichendur and Thiruneveli.
REACHING MANAPAD By Bus
ManapadTuticorin
People of Manapad are engaged in fishing, construction works and palm related works such as palm climbing and women are engaged in household works and palm leaf craft.
RELIGION
OCCUPATION
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |22
The village has a mix of 3 religions, namely Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Being a coastal region and also taking in account the missionary activity of St. Francis Xavier during the 16th century, one can conclude that Christianity is the major practised religion by the public in Manapad. He lived in a grotto cavern on the seaward face of a cliff and held mass at a chapel of the Captain’s Cross, built from a ship’s mast after a storm in 1540. Holy Cross Church, built close to the sea in 1581, has a relic fragment believed to be from the True Cross of Jerusalem.
From 1 to 14 September, every year, the cross is publicly displayed for thousands who attend the festival season. The churches attracts a lot of visitors every year. The Sri Mutharamman Temple a 300 year old shrine is situated around a close proximity of 3 kms from Manapad in the village Kulasekarpattinam. Navarathiri festival is the grandest festival in this temple. More than 15,00,000 devotees celebrate together here.
FESTIVALS
Fig 22. fish merchant selling fish Fig 23. Boats parked after fishing.
Fig 24. Painting of fish curry meals PEOPLE
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 23
Remains of foreign invasion are evident in every corner of the village in the form of architecture and ambience. Most of the houses are in ruins due to the weather and salty winds that resulted in the corrosion of the walls.
The streets are windy during most hours of a day which is a relief from the hot weather.
ARCHITECTURE
The people of Manapad are sweet and approachable. They are also used to a lot of guests, results of a lot of foreign visitors and film shooting crews. The primary occupation being fishing, people there enjoy fish as their staple food. The people are mostly well educated but are most of them are struggling to get a good job outside the place. Still they never fail to mention their love for the history and exquisiteness of Manapad.
ATMOSPHERE
Fig 25. Macro mapping of Manapad Palm leaf Society.
PALMYRA is an important and significant tree of Tamil Nadu. Palm leaf products are eco- friendly. Hence, programmes have been formulated with a long term view to grow and protect palmyra trees and to develop products using skills that help sustain rural communities. The palm leaf workers in Manapad are all craftswomen from Christian Nadar, Hindu Nadar and Barnalalkkal communities who work from home. Green leaves are harvested and dried in the sun. The midrib is separated from the palm leaf and the leaf is cut into strips of varying widths. A section of the midrib is folded over and used as a dye to make uniform splits from the leaf. Strips are also dyed for ornamentation. Baskets and products are shaped either by weaving or coiling strips. The craft traces its origin to a rough palm leaf bag for storing onions which was exported in plenty from the Kulasai harbour. The Paravars a local fishing community who practiced palm leaf basketry, introduced new products deriving ideas from goods that were imported from Srí Lanka. These nesting containers, boxes with lids, bins and trays have come to be associated with Manapad. The palm leaf cooperatives in Manapad supply to export markets and to retailers in Chennai and Bangalore who have developed new designs in collaboration with craftspersons. Palm leaf baskets for storing rice, fish and agricultural products, winnowing trays and pouches for betel nuts are made in several southern districts.1
Source- Ranjan, Aditi and Ranjan M P. Handmade in India.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |24
Manapad Women Workers’ Palm Leaf Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd. is situated at a prime location of the beautiful village called Manapad and is a blessing for the home makers around the village. Unlike other homemakers around the state, women here have the freedom to work at home and are happy to spend their leisure time working on this craft. Women who were born and bought up in Manapad learnt the craft in their early ages and had been practising it through these years. The rate of increase in members was very high in the initial years, hence it was the prime occupation of the women in the village. It was a great aid to all the families as many women joined the society and the craft provided them money for their expenditures. On the contrary in the recent years the number of active members are descending, because of various reasons like less revenue, inadequate financial facilities, age or health issues. Training is also imparted to the artisans through the society, organised under “Integrated Rural Development Programme’’.
MEMBERSHIP
All the members of the society are Women artisans, mostly belonging to Paravar and Nadar community. The women of the Nadar community, practise this craft as full time job and women of the Paravar community are engaged in the allied activities like fishing during the fishing season. So, majority of the active members who supply their output to the society throughout the year belong to the Nadar community. Most of them belong the tapper families. To be a member of the Society one must purchase share of Rs.10 from the society and must be at least 18 years old. At present even though there are 765 members, only around 160-180 artisans are active and only these members enjoy all the amenities provided by the society.
w | Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 27
History of Society
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |28
The Society was established solely for the welfare of the women artisans who make attractive decor and utility articles from palm leaves. It was registered on 26.9.1957 and started functioning from 1.10.1957 with Manapad and Kulasekarpattinam as its area of operation. Prior to the establishment of the society, the women artisans in the village prepared only the leaf baskets such as Pilapetti and Adukkupetti. As the first step, two training centres were established by the Government and initially 25 women were trained. The society took off with these artisans as they became members of it Till 10.7.1972, the Government appointed officials required for the administration of the society. From 11. 7.72, 5 of them were nominated by the members of the society and the remaining two by the Government. From 3.7.1987 to 31.12.1990, the society was administered by the special officer of Tamil Nadu khadi and village Industries commission. The senior co-operative inspector from Tuticorin supervises the working of the society. The society was controlled by the department of commerce and industries until the government of Tamil Nadu took charge on 01.10.1997. They eventually fell under the Tamil Nadu Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
Fig 26. Ex Prime Minister Pandit Jawarhalal Nehru at The World Agriculture Fair Trade, New Delhi on 1960 February
The specific objectives are
2. To forge links with established marketing agencies wherever necessary and feasible.
3. To assist the organisation for training the artisans engaged in these industries.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |30
6. To build up reputation for its products all over the world and to earn considerable foreign clients.
The main objective of the society is to solve the problems of poverty and unemployment and thereby improving the standard of living of the people on one hand and to promote thrift among the people on the other hand.
4. To guide the artisans through the supply of designs and other technical information.
1. To promote sales and marketing of the output by its members.
5. To ensure genuineness of the products and to set up standards of quality.
*KVIC- Khadi and Village Industries Commission
PROCEDURES
CURRENT SCENARIO
The society is well organised and the administration consists of 7 members which includes: the president, vice president and board of directors. The administration holds a meeting with all the members once a month where discussions happen and decisions are made. The society works with 2 employees, namely the manager and her assistant. They take care of the purchase and sales. The manager also takes care of the quality of the products. The accounts of the society are audited by the senior co-operative auditor at the end of a year.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 31
O
nce a member the artisans gets a small log book where all the data about each purchase is filed. Each time they bring in the produced to the Society, all details regarding the purchased is entered in the book by the Staff at the Society. The artisans collect the money for the products they deliver right away or sometimes they save it to get a cumulative value of money later.
PURCHASE AND AMENITIES
The society purchases the articles from its members only after collecting orders from its customers. The society distributes the output of its members to its customers who may be wholesalers, retailers from Tamil Nadu and other states. Export sales have been terminated in the recent years due to less production. The members prefer to sell their standard output to the society , as they are given share in the profit by way the of “bonus and divide”. Besides they also enjoy the benefits such as vessels for each member, note books to members’ school going children.
ADMINISTRATION AND EMPLOYEES
The artisans source raw materials from local sources, use traditional methods of production to produce traditional products. The product qualities are varying with respect to size and colour from artisan to artisan. The artisans have shifted to mainly use coarser palm leaves, hence the time and effort for making the product has greatly reduced. The reason for this is the reduced income the artisans get while making products with thinner leaves which certainly takes extra time and effort to produce . Since then the products made are facing a lot of variations and the ones made presently are easy and takes lesser time and effort, as the artisans are now keen on the money made rather than the beauty of the article.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |32 Topics Details Name and Address of the Society Manapad Women Workers’ Palm Leaf Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd., James street, Manapad, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu Registered on 26.9.1957 Average number of working days in a year 289 Types of products made Baskets, boxes, glasscovers, trays, purse, coin pouch, flower baskets with handle, rattles, coasters, stars for décor, Techniques used in making palm leaf prod ucts. Pithi (knotting), petti (interlacement), tray (winding) Number of registered artisans 765 Number of artisans active 160-200 Average earning of the artisan per day Min- Rs 50 Max- Rs200 Yearly turnover of the Society 2017 -18 : INR 8,60,113 (Previous year 2016 -17 : INR 4,79,583) Customers All over India to places like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Haridwar, Kanya kumari, Chennai, Coimbatore etc., Community of the artisans Nadar & Paravar
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 33 Hierarchy
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |34
J Flora The President
1/32480 5th
9487915363 WidowPrimaryParavar
The President Mrs. Flora was one of the first 25 women in the village to learn the palm leaf craft. The President heads the administration of the Society. She has been the President since 2009. She is responsible for all the financial transactions regarding the Society. She was the successor of Mrs. Rita Victoria, in whose period there were a lot of international orders. She is also an active member of the society and works on the craft regularly. She shares her experience working during the initial stages of the Society when production was just developing and the women got a hand on the technicalities of the craft. She also adds that the craft had upgraded many lives of the people of Manapad and that women are able to make a living out of this without being dependent on anybody. line, Raja street, Manapad
Mrs. Felcita has been working in the society since 1985, initially she worked as a clerk. There were 5 staffs; A supervisor, 2 clerks an attender and a packaging staff. Due to less production and decrease in salary all the other workers applied for voluntary retirement. Now it is only Felcita works in the society with Mrs. Panimay Selvi to assist her. She is great at multitasking at her work. She learnt it through experience after the Supervisor retired. She organises the purchase and sales really well. She makes sure the quality of the product is met. As most of the staff who were working along with her had retired she is the only one handling all the chores with the help of her assistant. This can also be a reason they are not able to sell and promote their products at exhibitions in other parts of the country.
TheFelicitaManager
3/15480 2nd line, Joseph street, WidowPrimaryParavarManapad
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 35
Awards
The society has been the best society in the district level and selected as the best in the state level from 8990 and is appraised by the Tami Nadu Co-operative Department and is given the Best Society Shields. The society seem to have 13 such shields from 89-90 to 2000 but the number of times they have won the award for best society at state level is more, because the employees weren’t able to travel for receiving the awards. Eventhough the Society’s production has declined, it is very organized and disciplined in every way. The production rate decreased because many artisans stopped working due to various reasons and eventually the staffs voluntarily retired because to less production and low salary. The Society maintains good quality control, interacts well with the clients and makes the best of what they can to meet with the clients needs.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 37 Fig.26 Floor plan of the society
The society purchases articles from its members. After collecting orders from its customers, the specifications of the order will be communicated. The time limit for production is also fixed by the society. The products are supplied by the artisans within the due date. If a new item is prepared by any creative artisan, the rate is fixed by the artisan, taking into account the material and quantum of labour will be accepted by the society. The payment to the artisans are made twice in a week, preferably Monday and Thursday.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |38
The revenue from the sale of the production constitute the source of income to the society. Initially the society sold its products only to the private merchants and so its profit was not of a noteworthy amount. From 1972 the society started exporting its production to various countries like England, America, Scotland, Singapore, Malaysia. Through export the society earned foreign exchange of more than Rs.1 crore every year. Its other sales consisted of exhibitions, showrooms and sales centres of Khadi products. The society had a show room at the entrance of the village, but it is to be regretted that such a show room remain closed at present, due to inadequate employees. At present orders taken are less in number, due to less active members and hence very less production. Frequent orders come from places like Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Haridwar, etc.,
SALES
PRODUCTION
QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM
Strict quality control is being enforced by the society. At times the artisans make products with the wrong coloured palm or uses unevenly coloured palm leaves. As such the quality takes a back seat defeating the very purpose and utility of the product. The Manager personally examines every product that is delivered by the artisans and checks it’s quality in terms of colour, shape and size if any defects found she informs the artisan to correct it the next time. If the product is in very bad condition or quality she doesn’t accept it.
Out of all the clients purchasing from the society, a huge majority of the orders they receive are in bulk compared to less than 10 customers per month walking into the society to buy the products in small quantities. So packaging and sending products safely without damage on time is important for the very existence of the society. So the packaging materials are chosen such that it delivers the quality at the same time very reasonably priced. Packaging in the society is done by the assistant with the help of the courier agent, were as 5 years back there were staffs who were specially assigned for packaging the goods. As the society receives maximum revenue through bulk orders from outstations like Haridwar, Bangalore, Chennai and more, when compared to retail sales. Hence, packaging is more important in order to avoid product damage during transportation. The society spends over Rs 17000 a year in purchasing the polythene bags for packaging at the rate of Rs 15 per bag. The products are arranged in a polythene bag and packed in carton boxes depending on their sizes at a rate of Rs 35 per box. The boxes are tied well with jute ropes and is taken away to courier after the address is mentioned on the carton boxes. The courier agent comes twice a week to collect the goods.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 39
Fig 28. products ready to be sent for delivery Fig 27. products are put in plastic bag and then into a carton box.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |40
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 41
Researching on the society, having started in the year 1957, has a very bright and prosperous history that has changed the society, its people, and also the products they produced over the years for half a century The society gives product specifications such as colour, thickness of leaf used, size, shape etc., to the artisans based on the orders they receive from their clients. Absence of bulk orders and need for mover variety from the existing clients, hence the artisans are practising limited type of products with coarse leaves, which is a reason for the highly evident change in the product varieties that has shrunk over the years. Another reason for increased usage of thicker palm leaves is due to the extra effort and skill that has to go into the production using finer leaves and the artisans being clearly unwilling to go back to finer leaves. The fact that products that go with the present trend were made over 20-25 years ago and intricate techniques were used for making them is absolutely fascinating. A reason for these not being practiced today and young artisans being clueless about these techniques is due to various reasons like almost same price range for intricate and simpler products alike and their efforts not getting paid off. The prime reason being the absence of trainings that were organised by the society for the artisans and experts during its early days.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |42 Round Tray Technique : Coiling Round Tray Technique : Coiling Round Tray Technique : Coiling Fruit Tray Technique : Coiling, Knotting
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 43 Container with lid Technique : Knotting, Coiling TechniqueBaskets:Coiling Oval TechniqueTray:Coiling Wall TechniqueHaning:Coiling
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |44 Round Tray Technique : Coiling Fruit TechniqueTray:Coiling Round Tray Technique : Podiolai Coiling Square Tray Technique : Knotting
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 45 Small TechniqueBasket:Knotting Square Box Technique : Interlacement Square Box Technique : Interlacement TechniqueGarland:Podiolai Coiling
The products are made in different shapes . For example they make boxes in three different shapes, namely round, oval and square. The boxes are also made with lids to make them a whole and the baskets are made with a handle. While making glass covers they use a wooden cylinder to give it the shape while interlacing the ends.
Design Aspects Forms
Pink & Yellow Green & Pink Violet & Green Orange & Green Yellow & Red Yellow & Violet Brown & Yellow
The artisans prefer making round and oval boxes rather than square ones, the reason behind is that there is leniency in making a circular form using pithi technique, on the contrary it is hard and time consuming when planning to achieve a square. Size Each product has their own size range depending on the shape and function. They are made as small as 2 inches to as big as 15inches. Colour Combination They combine contrasting colours for the products that need 2 or more colours. Boxes with lids and pouches with covers are made in with 2 different colours. At times they use the natural colour of the palm along with contrasting colours. For example combinations like : pink-yellow, pink-green, green-violet, green-orange, red-green, yellow-red, yellow-violet, blue-orange, blue-green, orange-red are used.
Pencil Box Price - Rs30 Size - 1.5*1.5*8 inches Technique - Petti Colours - Combination of 2 contrasting colours. - Big checks in the body, Small checks in the body
5*1.75in
Basket Price - Rs30 Size - 8*6 in, 5*5 in Technique - Petti Colours - All solid colours available. - Rs120 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, Technique - Pithi Colours - All colours, Combination of two colours, Completely undyed also available.
5*1.75in
Pattern
Price
Set of Three Oval Box Price - Rs120 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, Technique - Pithi Colours - All colours available, alsoavailable,CompletelyMulticolour,undyedalsoovalboxwithlidavailable
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 47 Set of Three circle Box Price - 130 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, 5*1.75in Technique - Pithi Colours - All colours, Undyed body with colour in cap and bottom ridge and center, Completely undyed also available.
Set of Three Square Box Circle Box Price - Rs 40 -90 Size - 5*3 in, 6*3 in, 7*3 in, 8*3in, 9*3 in. Technique - Pithi Colours - All solid colours available with contrasting cap and bottom.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |48 Glass Cover Price - Rs10 Size - 5 in Technique - Pithi Colours - All solid colours, Undyed body with colour in cap and bottom ridge and center, Completely undyed also available. Purse Price - Rs30 Technique - Pithi Size - Colourscombination of 2 contrasting colours. Pattern - All colours with contrasting cap and bottom. Basket Price - Rs30 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, 5*1.75in Technique - Pithi Colours - All colours available. Price - Rs40 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, 5*1.75in Technique - Pithi Colours - Contrasting colours with undyed leaves. Circle Box Price - Rs 60 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, 5*1.75in Technique - Pithi Colours - All colours available. Set of Three Square Box Square Box Price - Rs30 Size - 5*5*5in, 1*1*2in Technique - Pithi Colours - All solid colours available, undyed with multicolour available.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 49 Costers Rs.15 - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, 5*1.75in Technique - Pithi Colours - All solid colours. Rattle Price - Rs30 Size - 1.5*1.5*8 inches Technique Interlacement,Colours - Multi colour Pillapetti Price - Rs25 Size - 7*3in, 6*2.5in, 5*1.75in Technique - Pithi Colours - All colours available. Price - Rs 45 Size - 7*3 in Technique - Pithi Colours - All solid colours Tray Price - Rs80 Technique - Pithi Colours - Undyed with colour in ridge. Flower Basket Fruit Basket Price - Rs70 SizeTechnique - Pithi Colours - Undyed with colour in ridge.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |50 Fig 30. Dye PowderFig 29. Palm Leaf Fig 31. Car Seater Beads
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 51
Sturdy matured leaves could be collected in abundance while the young and tender leaves are not cut frequently which explains its high price in the market. Cutting young leaf from a palm results in decreased health of the tree itself, so to maintain healthy growth of tree, only one tender leaf is cut from each palm in a single year. Artisans source palm leaves from the market. Each tender leaf costs about Rs.50 - Rs.60 and the other about Rs.30 - Rs. 40. Price varies according to the availability of the material. Leaves are stored away from moisture as it is prone to fungal attack. Dye Synthetic dyes of various shades are used by the artisans. The dye powder, it is sourced from a local store at Pudhukudiyetru. Stocks to this store is brought from ‘Hariram’ and ‘Chitra’ stores at Udangudi. Artisans use seven different colours for the entire product range. Each dye packet weighs 10g and is sold at Rs.10 each except for the colours yellow and pink which is Rs.8 and Rs.18 respectively.
Embellishments Beads are used to ornament the baskets. The society uses beads that are dismantled from car seat covers made using black and brown beads.
Palm leaf Leaves are reaped from palm farms around nearby villages of Manapad, workers climb to cut leaves early mornings. These leaves are then sold in the local markets of Udangudi, Pudhukudiyetru and Thesienvelai.
Made of iron, is used to separate the leaves into sections. It is also used to cut and finish the raw edges of the product. The longer and pointed end of the knife helps in passing a new strip of leaf through previously made knots. Sizing Machine
For knotting and weaving technique, blades are placed for every 5th count of wooden slots and in every 3rd slot and 2nd slot for baskets and trays respectively. Measuring tool/Shaper
A wooden cylinder is used to maintain the exact dimension for glass cover making.Fig
34. ShaperFig 33. MachineSizing Fig 32. Knife
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |52 Knife
The machine is used to cut the leaves into strips. It has blades placed at regular intervals to maintain uniform width of the strips. Palm leaves are passed through the blade and pulled from one end while firmly holding the leave pressed against the machine so that the leaf doesn’t slip away and give an uneven Distancecut.between the blades decides the width of the leaf strips. Width of the strips are determined by the product. The machine has multiple thin wooden slots to keep equal distance between two successive blades, where increasing or decreasing the number of slots in between each blade determines the width of the cut leaf.
Yellow Orange BrownVioletGreenDarkGreenLightPinkRed
During the society’s initial years only details were added to the product using dyed palm leaves and only sometimes completely dyed products were made. Leaves then were generally not dyed. Now they use combination of colours as per the clients requirements. Earlier dye stuffs were provided from society and recently due to inadequate staff members, the society is not able to provide the same. The artisans are asked to personally buy it from local stores or markets where they usually buy their palm leaves.
Artisans are instructed to use certain colours for the products from society according to the client’s order. Artisans are generally instructed to use bright colours such as yellow (manjal), rose (pink), pachai (green), blue (neelam), light green (elai pachai), violet (oodha) and red (sivappu).
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 53
Fig 35. Different colour dye powder in box
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 55
Palm leaves are sun dried before crafting them into different products. Once the leaves are dried the mid rib called “Eeki” is separated by using a knife. Further, the outer edges of the leaves called “Perani” are split and separated (fig 8). Both eeki and perani are used for handle of baskets.
Fig 37. Artisan sizing palm leaves by hand
TheSIZINGbroad leaves are sliced to the required width using a slicing machine or with a knife. Width of the leaves sliced, depends on the end product. The slicing machine has blades placed at regular intervals to maintain the width through out the entire length of leaf thus making uniform strips.
PREPARATION OF PALM LEAVES
Palm leaves utilized for the craft include both young and matured leaves. Younger leaves are locally called “Kurutholai” which is used to dye for brighter colours and matured leaves called “Saarolai” are used for dying darker shade and they are sturdier.
Fig 36. Artisan separating “eeki” from the palm leaf
Fig 38. Artisan sizing palm leaves by machine
Kurutholai is dyed to obtain brighter colours. Synthetic dye powders purchased from local store are used to dye the leaves. Dye colours available to the artisans are green, pink,yellow,blue,purple and brown. The dyes are used directly as a single colour or mixed to get more variations in colours. To obtain orange dye, yellow and red dye powder are mixed in the dye bath and to get red brown dye is added to the orange dye bath. Different combinations are carried out to get the desired colour. Artisans keeps a vessel filled with water to boil, dye powder is added to the water only when the water reaches boiling point. Colours are added and the palm leaves are immersed in the dye bath for a few minutes and stirred occasionally so the dye adheres to the leaves. Once the leaves absorbs the colour, it is removed from the dye bath and dried in the sunlight. Once its dried its stored in a bag and kept in a dry place.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 57 Fig 40. Vessel with water being Heated Fig 41. Artisan preparing the dye bath Fig 42. Dye is put inside the water bathFig 43. Palm leaf is put in dye bathFig 44. Palm leafs are taken out after 5 mins and are dried in the sun Fig 39. Illustrton of a Artisan dying.
Interlacement (Petti) : Pencil pouch, rectangular pouches, square boxes, rattles, Purse. Coiling (Podi olai) : In coiling Technique only finer sized leaves are used. Fruit tray with intricate designs, round and oval trays.
Glass cover : It is a cover with holes to hold a glass when its hot. This technique was also used to make bigger products like flower vases. but since only glass cover is made now. it has become more of an product than a technique.
1.TechniquesKnotting-Pithi 2. Interlacement- Petti
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 59
The products made in the society are constructed using a number of techniques. The techniques are called using common terms that are being used by the artisans fro years. The techniques involves coiling, knotting, interlacing and sometimes combinations of 2 or more techniques.
Knotting (Pithi) : round, oval , Square and rectangle boxes with and without lids, basket in all sizes with handles and without handles.
3. Coiling- Podi olai 4. Glass cover Products made using each technique
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |60 Fig. 47. The base is completed. Fig. 48. Final Product using pithi technique Fig. 45. The eeki is coiled. Fig. 46. Few knots are done
Undyed eeki strip is coiled to three or four rounds and held in hand. Take one strip of the younger leaf and loop across the previously coiled eeki, twist and bring one loose end of the strip upwards through the loop. This end is knotted over the loop to secure it.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 61 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 Fig 49 Fig 50. Fig 51. Fig 52. STEP 5 STEP 6 Fig 53. Fig 54.
Continue steps1,2 and 3 until the required dimension for the base of the box is achieved. Matured leaf strip is used to make the walls of the box. Younger leaves are used to loop over the matured leaf and each loop is knotted to secure it. One or two leaves are used according to the depth required, width of the leaf decides the depth. These are attached and knotted together.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |62 Fig.55 Base of Petti Fig.56 During the process Fig 57. Petti untrimmed Fig 58. Finished pettis with lids.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 63 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 Fig 59. Fig 60. Fig 61. Fig 62. Fig 64. STEP 6 Fig 63. The left over ends of these strips are turned and inserted into the weave to finish the edge. Raw edges that are left after finishing are neatly cut with a knife. After the corners are done, the required height is achieved by continuing interlacing the strips . The ends of the strips that hangs down are held up and from the centre of each side, the strip ends interlaced perpendicularly forming the corner of the box. Two more strips are added and interlaced with the first two. Two strips of the prepared leaf strips are interlocked. Required number of strips are interlaced such that the weave is formed in center and the remaining length of the strips hangs down to make the base of the box.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |64 Fig.65 Coiling Fig. 66 Bending to coiling along and start a new row Fig 67. Ornamentation called rekhu. Fig 68. Finished product
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 65 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Fig 69. Fig 70. Fig 71. Kurutholai or the younger leaves are sized into finer strips to make tray. Process begins with six to seven strips of thicker leaves held together and a strip of thinner leaf is used to loop This process results in the base of an oval tray. Same technique is used to make the sides of the tray keeping the base and the sides secured together. Once required depth is achieved, raw edges are cut and the ridge is coiled and finished. This is done for about four to five inches and then it is turned to coil around while securing each new row to the previous row in the coil by looping the rows together.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |66 Fig.72 Glass cover baseline. Fig.73 Securing the base by weaving through the leaves Fig 74. Base of Glass cover Fig 75. Glass cover finished.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 67 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 6 STEP 5 Fig 80. Fig 79.Fig 78. Fig 81. Fig 76. Fig 77. STEP 4 Eeki is used to make the base of the glass holder. Two sets each having four eeki is placed perpendicular to each other. Two sets are secured by tying with leaf strips. Both coloured and uncoloured strips are used. Alternate strips are twisted over and under each eeki, simultaneously spreading the eeki. Make sure the eeki is spread at equal distance from each other. Continue step 3 until it form a circular base of the required size of glass holder. Longer eeki is fixed into the space between each eeki in the base. A set of three eeki each is inserted into these spaces. This forms wall for glass covers. From the newly inserted long eeki, each eeki set is crossed over alternately with the near set of the long eeki and pulled down through the base. The process is done to complete the product. Loose ends at bottom are pulled to correct and finish. Raw edges left are cut neatly with knife.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |
OBJECTIVES OF CASE STUDY
4.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 69
1. To understand the techniques and design involved in the craft and how each individual artisans interprets them. To observe the process of the products they produce. To comprehend their skill and experience in the field. To understand the socio-economic conditions of the artisans To study their lifestyle. To know their needs and expectations towards sustainability of craft
3.
5.
6.
2.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |70 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Murugesan Husband 55 Higher secondary Other Details Skill in the field : Knotting Experience in the field : 5 years Working hours per day : 5 hours Monthly Income : Rs.2000 Raw Material Sourcing : Thesenlevai, Manapad local market Floor Plan Mrs.Nalini Married12thNadar9015195939ManapadPudhukudiyetru,4/32,43Grade
FINANCIAL STAUS
had been practising the craft only for less than 5 years now, she didn’t involve herself in practising the craft, as the family had a good income from the store but, now she has been doing it to manage the small expenses. Most of the day she spends working on the products. She dyes the leaves once in a weak
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 71
HerFAMILYnative is Thesaiyenvelai a village nearby and she had shifted to her husband’s native place Manapad after marriage. Unfortunately they weren’t blessed with a child, so it’s only them two in the house.
Mrs.NaliniWORK
The family owns a small provision store at theirs house. Their house is more facilitated with fridge, TV, table fan while other houses only has a TV. Her husband goes for construction work also, to manage the expenses. As the money made from all this isn’t sufficient to run the family they are planning to expand their store. She said she is saving money to improve their small business. She seems to be contended with her present life with and also says they enjoy going on tour every once in a year with the her family.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |72 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Selva Kumar Husband 54 Primary Muthu Pavithra Daughter 29 UG Graduate Shakthi Vijayan Son 27 Higher secondary Muthu Rajan Son 24 UG Graduate Shakthi Sindha Daughter 21 UG Graduate Muthu Darshini Daughter 12 Secondary Other Details Product Category : Glass cover Experience in the field : 20 years Working hours per day : 1 hour Monthly Income : RS. 300 Raw material Sourcing : Udangudi Market Floor PlanMrs.Shanti Married3rdNadar9698589446ManapadPudhukudiyetru,4/20,46Grade
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 73
Mrs.ShantiWORK work on glass covers only. . She had learnt the craft from her mother and was taking private orders. She registered as a member of the society in the year 2105. It’s been 4 years now and she had been making only the glass covers.
SheFAMILYhas 5 children, the youngest daughter Muthu Darshini stays with Shanti and her husband and studies in the elementary school nearby. Her daughter also assists with making the products.Others are married and had shifted to different places around. Her husband was injured recently and had stopped working.
FINANCIAL STATUS
The only income to their family is from this craft, which is less than 500 a month. The glass holders make very less money in purchase because it requires less raw material and time to produce. Her sons are unemployed even after graduating. They have no income to support the family. The only property they have is the house they live in and a vehicle, still the house is almost empty unless for the TV and cot in the hall which is also used as their bedroom. The income is clearly not enough to meet the expenses
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |74 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Rajadurai Son 25 UG Graduate Prabha Daughter 23 UG Graduate Robert Son 22 UG Graduate Other Details Skills in the field : Knotting Experience in the field : 39 years Working hours per day : 6 to 8 Monthly Income : RS. 2000-5000 Raw material Sourcing : Udangudi Market Floor Plan Mrs.Jhansy Widow5thNadar7550363750ManapadPudhukudiyetru,4/88,49Grade
Mrs.WORKJhansy
FINANCIAL STATUS
All the expenditure for the family is handled only with the income she gets making these baskets. Comparatively her pace in making the baskets is high. She had paid for her son’s college fees by taking loan and is in a lot of debt already. Her house is compact and small. The house is her brother’s which he gave it to her family without charge. Even though she makes more money than most of the members in the society, it is inadequate to manage a family of 4 where 2 graduates are unemployed.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 75
SheFAMILYisa mother of 3. She lost her husband 4 years back, he was murdered under suspicious circumstances. Only one son works in the sea as a fisherman, the other son and daughter stay at home. Still she won’t let them practise the craft or even assist her in making it. She is strong with the thought that her kids shouldn’t be involved in the craft. She is firmly rejects their involvement in the craft.
is a hard worker, she makes a good number of products each day. She is able to get good bonus. She has been awarded thrice under the title “made a bonus” which is the award the society specially honours artisans who greatly influence the rate of production. She learnt the techniques from her mother and yet is now not willing to teach her children. Her late Mother too was a member of the society during its initial period, Mrs. Jhansy had been practising the craft since her childhood. She is pretty fast as she is finely skilled at the craft.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |76 Other Details Skill in the field : interlacement, knotting Experience in the field : 38 years Working hours per day : 3 hours Monthly Income : RS.2000 Raw material Sourcing : Pudhukudiyetru Floor Plan Mrs.Selvam 1/288,54 Raja street, SingleIlliterateParavar9095817367Manapad
is single and lives alone. Her work duration is very less, she doesn’t totally depend on the craft for her expenses, she does it to pass time. Rest of the day she wanders the village spending time with the other villagers and helping them with their daily chores. Sometimes she helps the manager in the society as a substitute whenever the assistant is ill. She has learnt all the techniques involved in making the products to sell to the Society. She is a kind hearted and supportive. She had visited NIFT Chennai in 2017 as part of the craft research documentation done by Master of Fashion Management students. She is the person who everybody needs while they are helpless and needs a hand.
FINANCIAL STATUS
She is single and lives in a room at her friend Iline’s place who is also an artisan. The place she stays is a just a room near at the backyard of her friend Iline’s place. Her nephews helps her financially. She has a small TV at her place. She loves staying up late at night watching TV and sometimes working along. She lives a very simple routine but she seems contended and happy about the gift of life.
Mrs.WORKSelvam
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 77
HerFAMILYfamily
shifted to Manapad from Sri Lanka as refugees and settled here in Manapad when she was young. Her parents passed away and her sister was married, she lives with her friend making products out of palm leaves for a living. She visits her sister and her nephew’s place which is not too far from where she lives, her expenditures are met only with the money she makes with the palm leaf products she makes and the financial aid by her nephew.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |78 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Vasanth Son 32 UG Graduate Jones Son 31 UG Graduate Sesoraja Son 30 UG Graduate Nisha Daughter in law 29 UG Graduate Other Details Skill in the field :Interlacement Experience in the field :35 years Working hours per day :7 hours Monthly Income :RS. 3000 Raw material Sourcing :Pudhukudiyetru Floor Plan Mrs.Geetha 4/231,59 Married9thParavar8675244349ManapadGrade
has been practising the craft for almost 35 years now. She learnt the skills in the society along with her neighbours. She also encouraged her sister Mrs. Iline to learn and practise the craft. She works till 9 at night to finish her orders. She visits the church daily in the mornings and works the rest of the time.
SheFAMILYhas 3 sons and one of them is a Marine engineer and is married. His wife stays along with Geetha and manages the house chores and is also preparing for exam to become a teacher. Another son is married and lives in Chennai with his family. Her middle son met with an accident and had damaged his head. The accident caused severe problems to his mental health and he couldn’t act normal from then. He stays at the house along with Geetha as he couldn’t help the
AsFINANCIALfamily.STATUShersonisamarine engineer the family is Financially stable. Their house is located in a comparatively developed part of the village. All houses around are well constructed and maintained. She has power back up at her house as which is a very rare case in the village. She also grows pets. She has a bird cage right at the entrance of their house. They also own a bike. Their expenditure is well balanced with her income along with her sons’ contribution.
Mrs.WORKGeetha
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 79
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |80 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Meril Daughter 37 PG Graduate Mexilda Daughter 36 PG Graduate Other Details Skill in the field : Interlacement Experience in the field : 5 years Working hours per day : 3 hours Monthly Income : RS. 1000 Raw material Sourcing : Pudhukudiyetru Floor Plan Mrs.Iline 1/288,60 Raja street, Widow9thParavar8824858203ManapadGrade
Mrs.IlineFAMILY was sweet, she was also equally excited as we were to have visitors to her house. She lives alone, travels to Chennai occasionally to visit her daughter and her family. Since her husband’s death she had been devastated and lived alone. She slowly moved on and started working for the Society to while away her time alone at the house. Her house is big enough to accommodate a family of 4. She also has a small room at her back yard where her friend Selvam stays, Selvam is also an artisan who has been a member of the society for a very long time now. She had given Selvam the room to stay for SheFINANCIALfree.STATUSisabletomanage all her expenses as her daughter sends her money every month and she also uses the money she gets from the craft from small household expenses. She owns a TV, she spends most of her time watching Christian choirs in her TV and works along rest of the day other than the time spent on cooking.
Mrs.WORKIline
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 81
has been a member of the society since 2014. She started practising the craft just to wail away her time alone at her house. Her working hours in a day is very less. She watches TV while making the articles. She loves listening to the Christian choirs and chants that are streamed in the local channels. She hardly leaves her house. The finished good are taken to the society by her sister Geetha who is also a member of the Society.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |82 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Mikal Husband 57 Primary Gabriel Son 35 Secondary Jaipal Son 32 Secondary Sharmila Daughter 30 Secondary Daisy Daughter 27 Secondary Mikal Son 26 Secondary Other Details Product Category :Knotting Experience in the field :40 years Working hours per day :8 hours6 to 8 Monthly Income :RS. 5000 Raw material Sourcing :Pudhukudiyetru Floor PlanMrs.Ramuna Married4thParavar7736643864ManapadPudhukudiyetru,4/70,53Grade
HerFAMILYdaughters
The house is well built, tiled veranda and has a back yard. They have a TV in the living room, she works in the living room and has a dye bath the backyard. They also own cattle. Mrs. Ramuna is facing a lot of health issues recently like ulcer, severe knee pain and body pain. She consults doctors and often gets pain killer shots to continue working. Her family expenses solely depends on the income from practising the craft, as her husband had stopped working as a tree climber.
Mrs.WORKRamuna is one of the Directors in the administration of the Manapad Palm Leaf Industrial Co-operative Society. She had been involved in the craft for 40 years and is very skilled with her work. She works almost every time of the day. She works hard and finishes the orders very fast as her income is the only contribution to meet the expenses of the Family. She and her husband stays at the house. Whenever she leaves for sourcing she makes sure she spends maximum money on the raw materials and stacks them at her house, for further use. Mrs. Ramuna works all day on the craft and is very quick with her work. She dyes the leaves once in a week, right after she sells her order to the society. She also stocks some of the dyed palm leaves as she dyes them in bulk each time.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 83
Daisy and Sharmila are also members of the society. They are married and live in with their husbands’ families in the same village. They visit her often, sometimes cooks food for Mrs. Ramuna and her Husband, as she works all time of the day.
FINANCIAL STATUS
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |84 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Alex Husband 52 Primary Jasmine Daughter 29 Higher secondary Subash Son 27 UG Graduate Kavin Son 24 Primary Rubisha Daughter 21 Secondary Other Details Skill in the field :Interlacement Experience in the field :30 years Working hours per day :6 hours Monthly Income :RS. 3000 Raw material Sourcing :Pudhukudiyetru Floor Plan Mrs.Jermila Married5thParavar7550363750ManapadPunidhakovil,535,49Grade
HerFAMILYgrandson.family is well populated and are most of them work in the sea to support the family. One of her sons have studied Information Technology in Nasrath College of Technology. But still he is unemployed. She is upset about his unemployment as the family took loan to pay for his fees and also the others stopped their education maximum by secondary stage and didn’t opt for higher education too. Her daughter Rubisha is married and has a boy who is a year old now. Her husband Mr. Alex works in the sea and uses the foyer as a room to fix his fishing net. Mrs. Jermila takes care of her grandson and so manages to work on the orders with the rest of the time left. From the interaction with the family one can know that they are Rajini fans and her husband is a diehard fan of Rajinikanth. The family gets together happily to watch his movies.
FINANCIAL STATUS
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 85
She lives in a rented house and pays Rs. 1000/ month. The house has a foyer and rooms on both the sides. The family manages their expenses with the money they get from fishing and also from the craft. She believes that it would be better if her graduate son started working in a company that fulfils his education.
lives very close to the society. She works during her free time as she is sometimes caught up while taking care of her
Mrs.WORKJermila
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |86 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Joseph Husband 60 Primary Silviya Daughter 37 Higher secondary Thenava Daughter 39 Secondary Valan Son 40 Secondary Trulin Son 42 Secondary Mary Daughter-in-law 39 Primary Other Details Product Category : Interlacement Experience in the field : 42 years Working hours per day : 8 hours Monthly Income : Rs.4500 Raw material Sourcing : Pudhukudiyetru Floor PlanMrs.Perkmans 3/168,55 Married7thNadar9976691731ManapadSanathiPeriyakovil,street,Grade
Mrs.WORKPerkmans
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 87
HerFAMILYSundays.daughters are married and shifted to other villages with their husbands’ place. Her sons work in the sea as fishermen. Her daughter-in -law takes care of the house and her child, while Mrs. Perkmans is involved in the craft all day.
The only property the family owns is the house. The expenses are met using the collective money of the family’s income which includes Mrs. Perkman’s income and also her sons’ income. She is happy practising the craft as she is able to help her family with their financial issues.
has very good experience in the craft. She is fast and skilled in making the products. Working from home also gives her the liberty to take rest and work whenever. She makes these square boxes using petti technique in natural colour and add a lid with dyes leaves. She has health issues like body pain and takes pain killers often. She also visits clinicians in Thiruchendur regarding this health issue. She also faces difficulty while sizing the palm leaves as she doesn’t own a sizing machine. She does it manually using a knife. She dyes the palm leaves once in a weak and takes a break during
FINANCIAL STATUS
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |88 Family Details Name Relationship Age Educational qualification Laxy Daughter 31 Primary Arun Son 30 Primary Vimal Son 29 Primary Other Details Product Category :Knotting, tray, glass cover Experience in the field :46 years Working hours per day :6 hours Monthly Income :RS. 4000 Raw material Sourcing :Pudhukudiyetru Floor Plan Mrs.Rubina Meenavar3/282,58 colony, Widow5thNadar8526309076ManapadGrade
FINANCIALproducts.
STATUS Her house is comparatively big and tilled. She temporarily stopped working for a few months as her husband passed away due to some illness and she needed a break. She started working again during January 2019. They own a TV and she works in the living room watching it.
Mrs.WORKRubina lives on the other part of the village from the society. She is well experienced and is immensely skilled in the craft. She had worked on all categories of products produced in the Society and is currently working only on interlacement technique. She says the production rate has decreased in great percentage as the number of active members keeps diminishing. Her experience and understanding in the craft is great, she is able to make new products using the techniques she has learnt.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 89
SheFAMILYworks pretty fast and also gets help from her sister who visits her often. Her husband’s absence has affected her in a great worth. She was devastated and now has gathered her will to move on with life. All her sons work in the sea as fisher mans and they manage the expenditure with the income from fishing and these palm leaf
Children are not appreciated to practise and continue the craft, as the income is inadequate to run the family and the artisans prefer their ward to study well. The case study also discloses that many graduates are at home without a job, still the artisans do not want them to lend a hand in the craft.
We have highlighted the working space of each artisans which is mostly the prime part of the house where they work on constructing the product and dyeing is done outside the house.
On visiting various artisan’s houses and grasping their lifestyle and status, we are able to conclude that the status of most of the artisans are below average and are struggling to meet with their monthly expenditures.
The financial status of some artisans have never met a decent value for generations and practising the craft also doesn’t help in elevating their standing. Almost 80% of the artisan’s residences are ancestral properties.
Artisan earn a meagre income from the craft society. Raw materials for the craft are not provided to the artisans by the society and hence they have to source it themselves and the hike in price of these materials makes it hard for the artisans to cope up with their expenditures. Although they have orders through all sea son of a year, storage of the products in wet whether is a risk as it might trigger fungus growth and damage the products. Transporting products to the society during rains is difficult situation to be dealt with. Those artisans who are no more an active member of the society due to reasons such as old age, doesn’t receive any allowances or assistance from the society.
Whereas some artisans practise the craft as a hobby or to use the money they get from this for small house hold purchases.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |90 CONCLUSION OF CASE STUDY
PROBLEMS FACED BY THE ARTISANS
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design |
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |92 Melance Suma Viji SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.1000-2000Family0-5KnottingSecondaryMarriedManapadParvarChristian37yearsSalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: 64 Rs.1000-2000Neighbour25KnottingPrimaryMarriedManapadParvarChristianandabove SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family15-25CircleSecondaryMarriedMabalatiNadarHindu28boxyears
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 93 Helen Kasturi Selvi Porkodi SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Rs.1000-2000Neighbour25TraySecondaryMarriedManapadparvarchristian71andabove:::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Rs.2000-5000Neighbour15-25BasketPrimaryMarriedThesienvelaiNadarHindu40years:::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Rs.500-1000Family5-15pithiPrimaryMarriedManapadParvarChristian38years::::::::::
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |94 Muthulakshmi Vanaja SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.1000-2000Family5-7KnottingSecondaryMarriedManapadNadarHindu48yearsSalaryKnowledgeExperienceSEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatuskill :::::::::: 36 Rs.1000-2000Family25basketsPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarHinduandabove Buvaneshwari SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: 26 Rs.2000-5000Family5-15KnottingHigherNotManapadNadarHindumarriedSec.years
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 95 Seeta Rani Arul Cily Joshephine SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: 61 Rs.1000-2000Family5-15KnottingPrimaryMarriedSathaankulamNadarChristianyearsSalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family25Knotting,PrimaryMarriedManapadParvarChristian54trayandabove SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family25KnottingSecondaryMarriedManapadNadarHindu59andabove
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |96 Radhika Muthulakshmi Sundari SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: 36 Rs.1000-2000Family25KnottingPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarHinduandaboveSalaryKnowledgeExperienceSEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatuskill :::::::::: Rs.5000-7500Family15-25KnottingPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarHindu34Years SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Training25KnottingPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarHindu59andabovefrom society Rs.2000-5000
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 97 Vijaykavitha Anandhakani SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.Family25KnottingPrimaryMarriedAllagappramNadarHindu57andabove2000-5000SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family25KnottingPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarHindu40andabove Daisy SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family0-5KnottingSecondaryMarriedManapadNadarChristian27years
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |98 Peramu Ammal Mary Vadivu SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus 68 Training25KnottingIlliterateMarriedRettarkulamVanarHinduandabovefrom society Rs.5000-7500:::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Training25KnottingPrimaryMarriedKallamozhiParvarChristian43andabovefrom society Rs.1000-2000:::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Training5-15BasketsIlliterateMarriedSathaankulamNadarHindu42yearsfromsocietyRs.2000-5000::::::::::
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 99 Leema T. Charles Melin SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Training25AllPrimaryWidowManapadParvarChristian43productsandabovefrom society Rs.2000-5000:::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus 65 Training25Knotting,PrimaryMarriedParvarChristianManapadtrayandabovefrom society Rs.2000-5000:::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus Training25WeavingPrimaryMarriedManapadParvarChristian58andabovefrom society Rs.5000-7500::::::::::
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |100 Tamilarasi Antony Ammal Saroja SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family15-25KnottingPrimaryMarriedNazrethNadarHindu49yearsSalaryKnowledgeExperienceSEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatuskill :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family5-15KnottingSecondaryMarriedManapadNadarHindu34years SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family15-25KnottingSecondaryMarriedNazrethNadarHindu44years
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 101 P. Selvi Rosita Perkmans SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: 64 Rs.5000-7500Society25AllSecondaryMarriedManapadParvarChristianproductsandaboveSalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.2000-5000Family25AllPrimaryMarriedManapadParvarChristian58productsandabove SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Rs.100-500Society25WeavingPrimaryMarriedManapadParvarChristian55andabove
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |102 Rs.1000-2000Neighbour25Knotting,PrimaryMarriedManapadParavarChristian48trayandabove65 Rs.2000-5000Neighbour25KnottingPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarHinduandabove Training25Knotting,PrimaryMarriedManapadParavarChristian48trayandabovefrom society Rs.2000-5000 Parasakthi Sweeta Francisca SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus ::::::::::SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatuskill :::::::::: SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus ::::::::::
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 103 Training25AllPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarChristian70productsandabovefrom society Nil 76 Training25AllPrimaryWidowThesienvelaiNadarHinduproductsandabovefrom society NilNilSociety25AllPrimaryMarriedManapadNadarChristian70productsandabove Cecil Mary (Not Active) SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: Annalakshimi(NotActive) SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus :::::::::: (NotMaryActive) SalaryKnowledgeExperienceSkillEducationMaritalHometownCasteReligionAgeStatus ::::::::::
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |104 27
Artisans out of the interviewed 50 artisans are of the age group 45-65 making it the common age group of the society. 13 of them are between 30 and 45 years of age. 7 artisans including the president of the society are above 65 years old. The society has merely 3 young artisans below the age of 30. Ma jority of the artisans belongs to the age group 45-65 years where they relatively have more time to spend for the craft after their day to day household works
In Manapad, majority of the people practicing the craft are Christians who belongs to Paravar and Nadar commu nities. There is a very significant number of Hindus also engaged in the craft who are mostly a part of Nadar community and has a very small percentage of Hari jans. Majority of the artisans live in their own houses they built while a very few of them live in rented houses. All the arti sans except a very small minority of ar tisans are not satisfied with the income from the craft.
There are 765 artisans registered in the society out of which almost 150 to 160 are active members. During our visit for documenation to the society, 50 active artisans were interviewed for artisan analysis. Event hough the minimum age for joining the society is 18, the percentage of artisans below 30 years of age is very narrow showing the hesitation of the younger generations to indulge in the craft. Avery few artisans eventhough have passed their craft to the next generation.
The artisans visit the society on two days to give the ordered products and take new orders for the coming week. The visit usu ally happens on either Monday or Thurs day even though over 40% of the artisans visit society twice.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 105
43 artisans out of 50 work for more than 3 hours a day and 22 out of 43 works for more than 6 hours. 7 artisans spend only less than 3 hours for the craft. 29 out of 50 artisans earn between 20005000 rupees per month from the society. 15 people earns below 2000 Rupees than can go up to even 300 rupees a month de pending on value and number of products made. Only 6 artisans earns more than 5000 rupees.
A huge majority of 47 people out of 50 are satisfied with what the craft gives them while the rest 3 are unable to make ends meet with the craft
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |106
Artisans of Manapad are highly experienced in the craft. 25 artisans have more than 25 years of experience working with the craft. 9 and 6 of them are practicing the craft for over 15 years and 5 years respectively. Only 3 of them joined the society in the last 5 years. 31 artisans out of 50 do products using the knotting(pithi) technique and 6 of them do weaving(petti). 3 artisans do a product called glass holder that involves a unique technique. Only 1 artisan we analysed, worked with podiolai and made trays. 9 of them knew how to do all the techniques and can adjust according to the orders. Only 35 artisans out of 50 has the artisan card issued by the government of india. 15 are unaware of it. The textile ministry of India has issued artisan cards for the artisans. Over 70% of them possess the card but most of them have not gained anything out of it
There are 765 artisans registered in the society out of which almost 150 to 160 are active members. During our visit for documentation to the society, 50 active artisans were interviewed for artisan analysis. Even though the minimum age for joining the society is 18, the percentage of artisans below 30 years of age is very narrow showing the hesitation of the younger generations to indulge in the craft. Avery few artisans even though have passed their craft to the next generation.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 107
Theworks.artisans visit the society on two days to give the ordered products and take new orders for the coming week.
The visit usually happens on either Monday or Thursday even though over 40% of the artisans visit society twice. Majority of the artisans live in their own houses they built while a very few of them live in rented houses. All the artisans except a very small minority of artisans are not satisfied with the income from the craft.
In Manapad, majority of the people practicing the craft are Christians who belongs to Paravar and Nadar communities. There is a very significant number of Hindus also engaged in the craft who are mostly a part of Nadar community and has a very small percentage of Harijans.
Each artisan is specialised or skilled in doing certain products and techniques. Most of the artisans are practicing the knotting technique (pithi) some of them do the weaving technique (petti) and a very few percentage does glass covers and trays. More than half of the studied artisans are of more than 25 years of experience. A very significant percentage of artisans have been practicing the craft for over 10 years. The income of the artisans from the society depends upon the number of products they make and the value each yeilds. Few artisans are practicing the craft for passing time so end up doing very less or more products depending upon their free time off from household
CONCLUSION OF ARTISAN ANALYSIS
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |108 S.No BRANDS PRODUCTS COLOUR TECHNIQUE PRICE RANGE PRODUCTS 1 Naanjil Coin holder,multipur pose basket, box, organic pouch, coasters Natural colour, green pink, yellow, purple KnottingInterlacement, Rs350-900 2 Grand ShoppeOrganic Coasters, jewel box, plates, utility trays, kids toys, pooja trays, hats, hand fans Natural Colours, min imal us of pink, blue and green use of Thin leaves for idiappam Plate Rs200-600 3 Pachaa Hand fan, gift boxes, win nowing baskets, pooja baskets, cot, coin holder, bag with handle, baby rattle, coasters, fruit tray with handle, wedding saree box, pencil box, sweet box. Natural colour, pink, yellow, purple, red, green Interlacement, Coil ing, Rattles (Knot), Coaster (Looping) Rs40-8000 4 FabIndia Coaster set Natural colour, peach Coaster Rs490 5 HandicraftsHasmi Gift box, fruit bowl, shop ping basket, thamboolam bag, jewellery box, choc olate/dry fruit box, jiggery box, hamper basket Yellow, blue, red, green BeadsInterlacement,Knotting,used. Rs60-350 6 Sai Kalyan Crea tions Trays, pouches,tissue,dry fruit tray Bright colours and heavily blue,redpink,yellow,green,ornamented, lacesmentsKnotting,Interlacement,Embelishwithfancyandglitters. Rs90-400 Online Market Analysis
All these brands altogether cater to a variety of utilities and are of extreme diversities. Brands such as Naanjil does more of traditional kind of products whereas brands like Pachaa sells a whole variety of products of relatively cheaper price range. Hasmi Handicrafts sells products like thamboolam box that are not common among all the brands. The colour palette of these brands also vary as much as their product ranges. Brands such as Sai Kalyan Creations sells their products in Bright colours and heavily ornamented, pink, yellow, green, blue and red colours whereas FabIndia uses natural palm colour and peach colour for some of their prod ucts. Prices also vary through a range of 40-60 Rs to a little more than 1000 Rs depending on brand and value of product. Pachaa also sells cots made of palm leaves that are of 8000 Rs.
Manjal store visit in Chennai Artisans are told to use certain colours for the products from society according to the cli ent’s order. Artisans are generally instructed to use bright colours such as yellow (manjal), rose (pink), pachai (green), blue (neelam), light green (elai pachai), violet (oodha) and red Earlier,(sivappu).only details were done with dyed palm leaves and if fully dyed darker colours were used. Leaves then were generally not dyed. Earlier dye stuffs were provided by society, but now as there are not enough staff members to manage and organise production and sales, the society has decided not to supply raw materials.
Online Market Analysis
Brands like Naanjil, Grand Organic Shoppe, Farm Crane, Pachaa, FabIndia, Hasmi Handicrafts, Sai Kalyan Creations are studied based on websites and online stores of respective brands.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 109
HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT FROM SOCIETY PRODUCTS. These products are very much different and simple compared to the ones made in the society except few products like pilapetti. The prices are cheaper in the market but the products in the society are made with finer thickness of palm leaves that are dyes and finished in better quality
PRODUCTS There were products like big baskets(koodai) Rs 60, sleeping mats(Paai) Rs 100, brooms, fruit baskets(pilapetti) Rs 20 in different sizes, winnowing basket(muram) Rs 90, handfans Rs 40 , idiappam plates Rs 10 and even baskets with lids.
of all varieties are available in the market ranging from vegetables, fruits, household items, food items, crockery, fish, and handicraft items. The merchants and businessmen have fixed stalls in the market but on normal week days, much business does not happen.
Visiting Manapad and seeing the variety of products made by the artisans of the society, customers can be easily confused comparing the products sold in the society and other local markets. There are varieties in products and also the way they are Udangudi,produced.anearby
town 8 km away from Manapad is where most of the business of that area of the district takes place. All the local merchants and craftsmen line up in Udangudi for the weekly Monday market that is highly popular among the people. People from all nearby villages gather with their families for the weekly shopping.
MARKETProducts
PALM MerchantsLEAF buy the palm leaf and bamboo products from artisans across villages or the artisans themselves sell it in the market. Products sold in the market are very different from those sold in the society. The main difference being the undyed nature of products and the usage of thicker palm leaves for products.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |110
Fig 41. Merchant selling palm leaf products in monday market
Almost half of the proportion were aware of handicraft products in the market, with 87 people among them having better understanding about the products and 73 people being aware of it. 18 of the total surveyed consumers had only a vague awareness about handicraft products. Another 18 disagreed on their awareness toward the product and a very few, that is a number of 4 individuals did not know about the such products at all.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |112
Similar to awareness of handicraft products, among the total number of the surveyed group , almost half which is 82 consumers were strongly aware, 73 were aware and 29 were neutral in their understanding towards palm leaf products. A equal number of 8 disagreed and strongly disagreed on their awareness of palm leaf products.
43 of the surveyed group had strong agreement as newspaper and magazine being a media as a source of awareness of the craft while 82 of the group agreed and 35 had neutral opinion. From rest of the proportion, 23 disagreed and 4 strongly disagreed. A survey was conducted among a consumer group of 200 individuals to study about consumer’s awareness to handicraft in general as well as their awareness towards palm leaf craft. The study collects important data that reflects to the individuals preference and needs while looking for a palm leaf product.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 113
A major proportion of the consumers surveyed earned an income of Rs.50,000 to Rs.1,00,000 which counted up to 61 individuals. Least number of 33 individuals among the surveyed group earned more than Rs.1,00,000. Those who earned less than Rs.25,000 counted up to 58 while those who earned between a range of Rs.25,000 and Rs.50,000 counted up to 48 individuals. Majority of the sample group(78 strongly agree and 69 agree) prefer physical store purchase.26 were neutral and 12 did not prefer physical store and 2 strongly disagreed with physical store purchase. Among the sample consumer group,55 of the proportion agreed and 40 strongly agreed stating they prefer to purchase products through online store.49 were neutral. 25 disagreed online shopping and a least number of 18 consumers strongly disagree purchase through online websites.
For the following pie charts, both options ‘strongly agree’ and ‘agree’ are added to show the total preference for purchase of palm leaf products among the consumer group analysed.
More than half the sample, which is a total of 150 consumers agreed that they buy palm leaf products due to its aesthetic appeal while 6 from the group disagreed aesthetics as their preference. 31 people considered aesthetics but not was not a major reason for preference.
122 among the group preferred to purchase the products due to its functionality and 15 disagreed and 5 strongly disagreed on functionality as cause for purchase. For 45 people, prefered functionality but on as a prime aspect.
MajorCONCLUSIONproportion of the analysed group earned an average of Rs.50,001 to 1,00,000 per month. Half of the group were aware about handicraft products and also about products made of palm leaf. Among the group more than half of the consumers were aware about palm leaf craft by means of print media. Consumers prefer to buy the products due to its environment friendly nature which tops the preference list followed by aesthetic appeal, functionality, colour and last durability. Hence, can be inferred that consumers, do not buy palm leaf products for a long term use. Consumers chose visiting physical stores over online shopping websites to purchase products.
Total of 87 consumers preferred to purchase due to durability of the product while 66 people were neutral about durability being a preference for purchase and 34 consumers of the group did not agree palm leaf products are durable enough while 2 of them strongly disagreed durability as a preference.
Palm leaf products are preferred due to colour by 104 of the total sample surveyed while 22 disagreed and 16 strongly disagreed. 45 consumers had neutral response.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |114
From the total number of consumers, 155 prefered to buy palm leaf products due to its environment friendly nature while 3 people did not. For 29 of the group, environment friendliness was not a major cause for preference of purchase of the product.
WEAKNESS
Provides artisans with annual bonus apart from regular payment.
THREAT Expertise workmanship is diminishing. Less number of younger people practicing the craft . Competing clusters having wider product range. Competition in domestic market. Difficult to compete with other material fitted with modern technique. Availability of palm leaf has decreased over the years resulting in increased price of raw material. Artisans practice the craft for livelihood rather than out of their interest or passion.
The society is well organised in all terms, like division of work for on time production and quality control Samples for innovative ideas are developed and experimented.
Lack of storage facilities, air tight room provides better preservation of the product for longer period of time.
Increased awareness of handicraft products among the consumer opens a huge demand in the market. Emerging preference of eco-friendly products will enhance the scope of the craft.
Artisans are well experienced.
Easy enrolment of new artisans to the society.
OPPORTUNITY
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 115
Customization of products can be done by varying colours and sizes of existing product range.
STRENGTH
Lack of co-ordination with government bodies. Not enough artisans to meet the order requirement within the time limit. Lack of adaptation of new product design development Might develop mistake with colours while dyeing. Intricate works done in the past are not done anymore as it requires more effort.
The products develop fungus when exposed to continual moisture which also weakens the stiffness and du rability of the product.
The Society maintains records of all orders, purchase and sales, which will provide sufficient information to the future generation to effortlessly comprehend and continue the society’s work.
Online portals for sales of products provides axis to a wider range of consumers. Development of domestic and international tourism sectors increase the possibility of international market. Promotion of the craft through media creates better awareness.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |116
The society as a matter of fact, not only takes care of the family engaged in the field, but also constructively contribute to the well-being of the surroundings, as this industry do not have the notoriety of adding to pollution and creating conditions for the ecological destruction of the environment. Most of the artisans are women who do not have adequate financial facilities at their disposal aid at low rates of interest and allowing reasonable subsidies when the industry is hit by constrains. The individual creativity of the artisans is totally missing because of lack of proper encouragement. Therefore the whole production process has to be modernised embracing beautification coupled with creativity. For this the artisans are to be trained through intensive training programme in the training centres. Encouragement must be in the form of State and National awards to recognise talents. Decline of palms will be a threat to this industry, the bright coloured leaf cut for this is a prime part of the palm which is not usually cut as it causes great danger to its life. But people cut them cause selling it provides them a lot of money when compared with the other parts of the palm. This greatly reduces the number of palms. The price of palms have hiked in a great value in the recent years, this leads to decline in production as the members move to alternate job because of less profit from practising the craft.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 117 Pithi Petti Kuruthuolai Podiolai Sarolai Perani Eeki Randhu Kathi Panaiolai Chayam Manjal Sivapu Nelam Oodha Pachai TenderBasketKnottingPalm Leaf Fine palm Leaf Matured Palm Leaf Outer edge of the Leaf Midrib of the palm leaf Border decoration PalmKnife Leaf PanaiVioletBlueRedYellowDye
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |118 Biblography Books • Sentance, Bryan. Basketry- A world guide to traditional techniques • Barnard, Nicholas. Arts and crafts of India. • Krishna, Nanditha. Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu • Ranjan, Aditi and Ranjan M P. Handmade in India. Internet Sites • Prof. Bibhudutta Baraland Sowmya B. N. “D’Source” <http://www.dsource.in/>, May 23, 2019. • Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) “Indian Handicrafts” <http://www.handicrafts.nic.in/>, May 23, 2019. • C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre <http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/>, May 23, 2019 • Simon BK. “Importance of the grass family” <http://ausgrass2.myspecies.info> , May 23, 2015
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 119 1. Name 2. Contact Number 3. Address 4. Gender - M/F 5. Age 6. Religion Community 7. Hometown 8. Are you married ? Yes/No 9. Family size - Male ( ) Female ( ) children below 13 ( ) 10.Do you live in your own house or rented? if rented, Monthly Rent? a)yes b)no 11.Ration card type a)white b)pink c)green 12.Educational Qualification a) Illiterate b) Primary c) Secondary d) College 13.Do you have a Artisan Card a) Yes b) No 14.Skill in the field 15.Source of Knowledge 16.Experience in the field a) 0-5 years b) 5-15 years c)15-25 years d) 25 and 17.Averageabove number of hours devoted to the craft per day a) 0-3 hours b) 3-6 hours c)6-8 hours d) 8 hours and 18.Areabove you engaged in any other activity apart from this craft? 19.HowYes/Nooften do you visit the Society ? 20.Income per month a) Rs. 100-500 b) Rs. 500-1000 c) Rs.1000-2000 d) Rs. 2000-5000 e)5000-7500 21.What products do you make? 22.Do you face any health issues a) Yes b) No 23.Job satisfaction a)Satisfied b)Not satisfied 1. Name 2. Contact Number 3. Address 4. Age 5. Religion 6. Community 7. Hometown 8. Are you Married ? a)Yes b)No 9. Family size - Male ( ) Female ( ) children below 13 ( ) 10. Do you live in your own house or rented? if rented, Monthly Rent? A)yes b)no 11. Ration card type a)white b)pink c)green 12. Educational Qualification a) Illiterate b) Primary c) Secondary d) College 13.Do you have a Artisan Card a) Yes b) No 14.Skill in the field 15.Source of Knowledge 16.Experience in the field a) 0-5 years b) 5-15 years c)15-25 years d) 25 and above 17.Average number of hours devoted to the craft per day a) 0-3 hours b) 3-6 hours c)6-8 hours d) 8 hours and above 18.Are you engaged in any other activity apart from this craft? a) Yes 19.Howb)Nooften do you visit the Society ? 20.Income per month a) Rs.100-500 b) Rs. 500-1000 c) Rs.1000-2000 d) Rs. 20005000 21.Wheree)5000-7500doyousource your raw materials? 22.What products do you make? 23.Do you face any health issues a) Yes b) No 24.Job satisfaction a)Satisfied b)Not satisfied 25.Are your children practicing this craft? a)Yes b)No
9.
PROCESS AND RAW MATERIALS
4. How do you transport the raw materials ?
7. What all tools are used for the craft?
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |120 24.Are your children practicing this craft? Yes/No 25.Time Table 26.How many rooms do you have in your house? 27.Do u have electricity? Yes/no powerback up yes/no 28.Water connection a)inside the house b)shared with neighbor c) shared with houses in the street 29.Are your children studying in public/ private school? How do they 30.Dotravel?youhave any: vehicles, land, cattle, smart phone, gas connection, computer 31.How do you commute to Society? 32.Do you have a bank account? 33.Do you suffer any occupational health issues? 34.Do you have medical insurance? 35.Do you have an artisan card? 36.Is the craft passed on to you from your fore fathers? Family record in 1.PSYCHOGRAPHICScraft?Areyouhappypracticing the craft? 2. Is it physically exerting? 3. Is it mentally stressful? 4. What motivates you? 5. What do you want to achieve? 6. Are you satisfied with your income? 7. How do you manage your expenditure? 8. Do you work on the craft on all seasons of the year? 9. Do you have any government schemes? 10. How the society does helps you and your family? 11. Are your children interested in practicing the same craft? 12. Do you have TV in your home ? 13. What movies/TV Serials do you like to watch ? 14. Do you travel during vacation time ? how frequently do you travel? SKILL MAPPING 1. What are your expertise in the craft ? a. Knotting b. Weaving c. Braiding d. Dyeing e. Packag ing f. Finishing 2. What other skills do you possess other than palm leaf craft? 3. Have you received any training for improving your skills in the craft? Specify if any. 4. Does the training improve work opportunities? 5.Do you practice any new techniques in development of craft? 6. Who gives the design for products?
10.
1. Where do you source raw materials from? Do you face any problem buying raw materials ?
3. What different qualities of palm leaves are sourced? What are product ranges they are used for?
6. What is the recipe for dye bath?
7. Style of products developed:- traditional design, latest design or market demand design? you use technologies such as computer and internet? Have you received any awards? Do you know who buys the products you make? you know market prices of the products you make?
8.Do
8. Where do you source these tools? How expensive are they? Have they evolved over the years?
11.Do
2. What is the price of the raw material?
5. Where do source dye stuff? How much does the dye cost? What are the colours used?
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 121
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |122
Fish Curry Stories was an attempt to comprehend on detail about the attributes of the Place, Manapad. The team had interviewed various sections of people from Manapad to arrive at a clear view of the place and natives of the land.
We face different situation while at the sea, there are days where we find loads of fish that will pay us a lakh and somedays, we might return from the sea empty handed too, one can never tell. Once when we got lucky, we sold fish for 2 lakh rupees in just a day.
Tell us about your work at the Society ?
Tell us about Manapad Manapad is dainty and uncontaminated. The beauty of nature is at it’s best in Manapad. I’ve visited other places in Tamilnadu, I’ve been to chennai too, but never found a place as peaceful and calm as my home town,Manapad.
About your business
RITA AGESOCIETY’SVICTORIAEX-PRESIDENT-89JAMESFISHERMAN
Earlier the beach was so clean that one can nap an entire night under the stars, now there are minor differences in terms of cleanliness still Manapad hasn’t lost it’s serenity.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 123
I’ve been working at the Manapad Palm leaf Society since it’s day one. I remember it was on October 1957. I can recollect Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to Manapad and villages nearby. I was the President of the Palm leaf Society for more than 10 years and have witnessed thousands of active members working at a time and a lot of orders from abroad.
Why did you retire from the job at the Society? My work at the Society was packaging. I voluntarily retired from my work as my private business got better and paid me more money than the salary from the Society, now I’m able to give job for others and people work under me at my shop.
How was the performance of the Society while you were working Tthere?heyProduction and sales went so well, there were a lot of orders from different parts of the country and some orders from abroad too! All the male staff from the Society would travel all around India attending exhibitions to sell and promote our products. I didn’t know the language (Hindi) but still managed to make the sales pretty well and survive the way back to Manapad
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |124
When the team entered the Church, we heard a singing voice and mistook it to be a recorded voice played through the speakers but later found it to be the echoing voice of a native, singing so passionately about his Almighty. He was so involved in singing and praising that he didn’t notice us at all. We captured the scene to present the essence of devotion that the people of Manapad posses.
EXMADASWAMISOCIETYSTAFFTHESINGING MAN
I’ve helped a lot of college students with details about the village, the people here and the craft practiced. What do you do for a living? I used to collect shells from sea banks which was an age old occupation of the Manapad masses. Unfortunately after the tsunami hit in 2004, there are no shells found, since then many men and women lost their jobs. As many houses were destroyed by tsunami, the government had built 153 houses for the people in need. Since the Tsunami my life has been dull and i keep trying to find good job for a living.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 125
Tell us about Manapad
NATIVEPOONKODIOFMANAPADKANDHANOwnerofaPalm farm
Manapad is the place I was born and brought up, it’s has the beautiful sights and beach. A lot of movies were filmed here at the location, directors and college students often visit this village.
Tell us about the Palm and it’s uses Palms are used for various purposes like for making palm juice, palm candy, palm jaggery etc., but these can be made only during a particular season. Young leaves called the kuruthu olai is used for making baskets and other products by dyeing it and knotting and coiling. Do you harvest Olai? No, a owner of a farm will never allow the young leaf (kuruthu olai) being cut, because it’s the prime source of sunlight for the palm and once cut will take a month to grow. Cutting the young leaf off the palm hinders it’s growth and health.
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |126 Palms found around Kulasekarapattinam, a village near Manapad School going girl admiring the products made in the Society Products ready for packaging at the Society.
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 127 Manapad beach Local Market near Manapd Old products made during 1960s in Manapad
| Craft Research Documentation | Textile Design | 129 Artisan Working Working women at Manapad Customers at the Society
| Craft Research Documentation | NIFT Chennai |130 Aarthi MohanaHaneena ArjunAditi Content Writer Publication DesignerIllustrator and Data Analyst Watercolour Artist and Content writer Graphic Designer and Photographer
