WATER HYACINTH
A CRAFT DOCUMENTATION ON
WATER HYACINTH
GUIDED BY: Mr. Vijai Singh Katiyar (Anchor Faculty, Textile Design, NID) DOCUMENTED BY: Akriti Gupta Eti Jain Kajol Shah Samriddhi Grover Ramila Mandal Yamini Sharma Vishakh Patel (Textile Design. M.Des, 2018)
First published in India in 2020 by National Institute of Design Paldi, Ahmedabad 380 007 This educational material does not contain any commercial value
ABOUT NID
Text and illustrations © Akriti Gupta, Eti Jain, Kajol Shah, Ramila Mandal, Samriddhi Grover, Yamini Sharma and Vishakh Patel. Photographs © Kajol Shah and Ramila Mandal All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. KMC Ref. no: Project Guided by : Mr. Vijai Singh Katiyar Sponsored by : The Earthwatch Institute Designed by : Akriti Gupta, Eti Jain, Kajol Shah, Ramila Mandal, Samriddhi Grover, Yamini Sharma and Vishakh Patel. Edited by : Marilyn Gore Printed at:
The National Institute of Design (NID) is a design school in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Gandhinagar, India. The institute functions as an autonomous body under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. NID is recognised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research under Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, as a scientific and industrial design research organisation. NID is accorded as “Institute of National Importance” by Act of Parliament, under the National Institute of Design Act, 2014. The institute has 3 active campuses, Main Campus - Ahmedabad, Post Graduate Campus - Gandhinagar and the third one is R&D Campus - Bengaluru. Other three new NIDs were established by Government of India in 2015 and later.
Paani meteka / Craft Documentation / Textile Design / National Institute of Design / 2020
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT From the very first thought of this craft documentation to its final outcome, there have been a lot of people who’ve helped us. Mr. Vijai Singh Katiyar, Anchor faculty, Textile Design, NID, not only introduced us to this course but also taught us the importance of such documentations. He helped us at each step of this course by his immense involvement and valuable inputs. I would like to thank him for accepting nothing less than our best efforts. We’d also like to thank Textile Department of National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad for allowing us, students to explore and study a completely new sphere within textiles of India. It broadened our mindset and helped us explore new areas of learning. Our heartfelt gratitute to Mr. Ashim Das, the Deputy General Manager of CSR Division, NEDFi (North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd). His pro-active attitude towards this project made our learning process quick and easy. His experience and knowledge about water hyacinth has been very helpful. We’d also like to acknowledge time and effort put in by the NEDFI staff in arranging all the data and information for us. Also, for planning our food and stay in such a comfortable manner. The document would not have been complete without the craftsperson who gave us their precious time and explained us each and every aspect of the craft practice along with their insights. We’d also like to extend our sincere gratitude to Mr. Amit Sinha (Head, ICNF), Mr. Raghu Saxena (CEO, Earthwatch Institute), Ms. Surbhi Sharma and Ms. Vriti Pandit. who initiated the project and helped in partial funding approval. Thank you Ms. Marilyn Gore, for bringing this document to its final stage and giving inputs throughout. Our sincere gratitude to National Institute of Design and the Earth Watch Institute for organizing and sponsoring the project and for giving us the opportunity to work with the local artisans to document this unique plant fibre in detail. Finally, we’d like to thank our family for their unwavering support and faith in us.
Paani meteka / Craft Documentation / Textile Design / National Institute of Design / 2020
PREFACE This document was a research initiative in collaboration between Innovation Centre for Natural Fibres (ICNF), NID and supported by the Eathwatch Institute. Our objective of this craft documentation was not only to understand and study the process of cultivation of water hyacinth plant, but also to widen the knowledge and perspective of people about the craft and to record the craft for future generations. Our visit to Assam gave us an opportunity to think from a designer’s perspective, develop an empathy towards the artisans, understand the fibre’s life cycle right from its cultivation to the finished product stage and analyse the drawbacks and the potential that the fibre holds. This document talks about Assam – its people, flora and fauna, culture, festivals, topography and art and craft. Further, the document will take the reader through the history of the Water Hyacinth plant, the germination of the water hyacinth craft as an idea and how it developed as a source of livelihood for the local people. The document contains a comprehensive study of the water hyacinth craft, from its cultivation, harvesting, drying, dyeing, product ideation, weaving, design elements involved to finished products. It also talks about the market reach of the craft and its future prospects. Image 1.5. The first workshop in NID on the water hyacinth craft yielded improvement in productivity and design. With the second workshop new weaving techniques and various other surface developments were introduced. Image 1.5. The first workshop in NID on the water hyacinth craft yielded improvement in productivity and design. With the second workshop new weaving techniques and various other surface developments were introduced.
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CONTENT HISTORY
1-9
ABOUT THE PLANT WEED TO CRAFT JOURNEY AND GERMINATION OF WATER HYACINTH CRAFT
GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
10-37
THE PEOPLE
38-61
ABOUT THE CRAFT ORIGIN SOCIOLOGY OF THE PEOPLE PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURE PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE THE CRAFT
62-89
MAKING OF THE PRODUCTS PROCURING RAW MATERIALS DRYING TREATMENT AND TECHNIQUES DYEING PRODUCT MOULDS TOOLS HAND WOVEN PRODUCTS WEAVING ON LOOM
PRODUCTS
90-101
DESIGN ELEMENTS
102-105
SEMIOTICS OF DESIGN ELEMENTS
FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE CRAFT REFLECTIONS EXPERIENCE BIBLIOGARPHY
106-107 111 112-117
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History
HISTORY
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History
ABOUT THE PLANT Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) also known as the “Cinderella of the plant Kingdom”, is considered to be a native plant of Brazil. Attracted by its beautiful flowers, water hyacinth later became naturalized by man in many warm areas of the world like Central and North America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It is believed to have been introduced in India during 1890s by the British colonials. Echhornia flowers generally in August – September in the tropics. As this plant is sensitive to cold and is unable to survive below 6.5 degree Celcius, flowering also seems to be influenced by temperature.
Image 1.1. Its Flowers are conspicuous and lavender, in groups of 8-15 atop a stalk reaching 16 inches. Flowers are 6-petaled, the central lobe of which has a yellow oval-shaped spot. While rarely observed, fruit is a 3-celled capsule, containing many seeds, found in a submerged, withered flower.
Image 1.2. The plant’s roots are dark and feathery, only extending into the soil during flowering. Plants float on and extend above the water due to enlarged-bulblike petioles. Leaves are thick, shiny, bright green, 1-5 inches in width, and are kidney-shaped, or slightly concave.
Image 1.3. Water hyacinth reproduces by seeds, budding, fragmentation and stolen production. Daughter plants sprout from the stolons and doubling times have been reported of 6-18 days. The seeds can germinate in a few days or remain dormant for 15-20 years.
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History
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION Kingdom Plantae – Plants Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons Subclass Liliidae Order Liliales Family Pontederiaceae – Water Hyacinth family Genus Eichhornia Kunth –Water Hyacinth Species Eichhornia crassipes - Common Water Hyacinth
USES Water hyacinth has the ability to absorb various pollutants and toxic metals released into the water bodies. This plant is also used for the removal of many heavy metals like cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and nickel and some other materials such as excess nitrogen, organic carbon etc. pertubing the acquatic environment. Water hyacinth is used for making textiles, handicraft products, paper and for camouflaging fish traps.
PROBLEMS CAUSED: • Loss of water is 2.3 to 3.5 times more through evapotranspiration • Reduces oxygen level in water, affects pisciculture • Presence of the mat like structure interferes with navigation • Becomes a breeding ground for Mosquito, etc.
WEED TO CRAFT The handicraft sector of Assam is traditionally dominated by the Cane and Bamboo based crafts. Irregular supply of cane and high cost of procurement of bamboo have been a major cause of concern for the artisans associated with the Cane and Bamboo Craft. Hence, during the FY 2007-08, effort was made to identify alternative low cost raw materials where the existing skill of the craftsperson can be used to make products suitable for the contemporary market. This led to the identification of crafts, based on banana fibre and water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes). Raw materials for both are adequately free and products from them are eco-friendly. Water hyacinth which grows abundantly in the plain areas of the North Eastern Region is a menace to aqua bodies. Way back in 1926, Assam Water Hyacinth Act was introduced to restrict proliferation of this aquatic weed; the act is still in force, though very few people are aware about it.
It was observed that scope of value addition is much more in water hyacinth compared to banana fibre. Further, water hyacinth based craft helps to produce eco-friendly products for the modern day market requirement. As this raw material can be weaved as that of cane and jute , it was understood that its potential for use in bags , basketry, lampshades, slippers, mats, furniture and other decorative items was enormous. The availability of such a cost effective alternative helps the traditional craftsmen to be more competitive where their existing skills can be integrated to reap benefits of the modern market. Since, it possesses a high level of potential to emerge as an industry on its own, NEDFi has taken the initiative to popularize the use of water hyacinth for making handicraft products, which can be aptly termed as creating wealth out of menace. Visualizing the potential, NEDFi zeroed in on water hyacinth as the most appropriate alternative.
North East India Investment Opportunities Week was organized by the Ministry of DoNER, Govt. of India in Bangkok in October, 2007. Representatives from NEDFi also participated in the event. During this tour, the officials of NEDFi visited the handicraft centers in Thailand, where they were attracted by the high quality of the bags and basketry produced from water hyacinth. Pilot scale training programme on both the crafts were conducted in the FY 2008-09 engaging master trainers from Industreecrafts, Bangalore
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History
Image 1.4. Till date, four workshops have been held on Thai Technology - on weaving, mould development, product diversity and introduction of special looms.
Image 1.5 The first workshop in NID on the Water Hyacinth craft yielded improvement in productivity and design. With the second workshop new weaving techniques and various other surface developments were introduced.
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History
JOURNEY OF THE WATER HYACINTH CRAFT Year
Intervention
Outcome
2008 2010 2011
Development of flattening machine First workshop with NID Ahmedabad Second workshop with NID Ahmedabad
2012
First workshop with on Thai Technology
2013
Second and third workshop n Thai technology Fourth workshop on Thai technology
Reduction in processing time Improvement in productivity and design Weaving techniques, development of surfaces Thai techniques on treatment, use of mould and design Preparation of water hyacinth furniture and trendy bags Introduction of special looms
2014
GERMINATION OF WATER HYACINTH CRAFT 2007
Potential of the water hyacinth craft was observed during a visit to Bangkok at North East Trade and Investment Opportunity Week.
2008 and 2009
Comparative analysis of banana fibre and water hyacinth fibre
2010
Zeroing in on water hyacinth due to: • • • •
Image 1.6. This image shows how the products made out of water hyacinth fibre developed over time with changes in their colour, moulds and weaves.
High scope of value addition Abundance of raw material Better market response Creation of wealth out of weed
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Geographical Background
GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
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Geographical Background
GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND Assam is situated in the north-east of India and is the largest northeastern state in terms of the population while second in terms of area. Assam covers an area of 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq miles). A significant geographical aspect of Assam is that it contains three of six physiographic divisions of India – The Northern Himalayas (Eastern Hills), The Northern Plains (Brahmaputra plain) and Deccan Plateau (Karbi Anglong). The climate of Assam is typically ‘tropical monsoon rainforest climate’, with high levels of humidity and heavy rainfall. People here enjoy a moderate climate throughout the year, with warm summers and mild winters. Spring (march–april) and autumn (september– october) are usually pleasant with moderate rainfall and temperature. The state of Assam is a constituent unit of the eastern himalayan biodiversity region; one of the two biodiversity “Hot Spots” in the country. The climatic condition and wide variety in physical features witnessed in Assam have resulted in a diversity of ecological habitats such as forests, grasslands,wetlands, which harbour and sustain wide ranging floral and faunal species. Assam is home to 51 forest and sub-forest types, and the confluence of diverse patterns of vegetation. Rural setting
Image 2.1. Kaziranga National Park
Image 2.2. Manas National Park
Image 2.3. Orang National Park
Image 2.4. Dibru Saikhowa National Park
The Nalbari area is a rural area comprising of marshland and lush green vegetation. The residents usually stay in mud houses and rely on farming, herding, and fishing. Some of the locals have pukka houses. The surrounding area has small lakes, trenches for irrigation, and flatland is used for farming. There are no roads and only small lanes leading to villages. People usually walk or use two-wheelers for commuting. Certain areas are only accessible by walking. Everyone starts their day at 4 am and marks the end of the day by 5pm in the evening. Men usually go for farming while women do the daily chores, weaving, or water hyacinth craft.
Flora and Fauna Forests of Assam have rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. It has a wide range of forests; Evergreen and Semi-Evergreen forests, Mixed Deciduous forests, Sal forests, Riverine forests, Moist Savannah, Dry Savanna and Dry Miscellaneous types of forests. Since Assam is home to a lot of National Parks, there is a wide variety of animals, birds, and plants found. Elephants and rhinoceros found in Kaziranga and Manas National Park. Flora includes teak, bamboo, cane, castor, castor, pine, kesseru, som, murtha.
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Geographical Background
Harike lake
Ropar Wetland
Keoladeo National Park
Dipor Bil
Loktak Lake East Calcutta Wetlands
Chilika Lake Kolleru Lake
Water hyacinth is one of the most prominent aquatic weed plants found throughout the tropical and subtropical areas of the world and as well as India. It is found mainly in freshwater bodies ranging from small ponds and ditches to large lakes and rivers. The species has invaded almost all water bodies of India except the temperate areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, affecting directly irrigation, hydroelectric generation, and navigation besides drastic reduction in fish production, aquatic crops (lotus, chestnut) and increase in diseases caused by mosquitoes and other insects. In Assam, water hyacinth is seen in abundance in almost every river body of the state, right from big lakes to household ponds in villages.
Sasthamcotta Lake Ashtamudi Lake
Map 1. Major wetlands in India that are affected by water hyacinth growth.
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Geographical Background
Dhemaji Tinsukia
Nalbari
Kokrajhar
Jorhat
Darrang Nagaon
Image 2.5. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) is an aquatic plant which can live and reproduce floating freely on the surface of fresh waters or can be anchored in mud.
Map 2. The cluster of villages where water hyacinth craft is practised in Assam.
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Geographical Background
Khetri is a village in Dimoria tehsil in Kamrup metro district of Assam state, India. It is located 62 km towards east from district headquarters, Guwahati. It is 16 km from Dimoria and 41 km from Dispur. Sonapur ( 12 km ) is the nearby village to Khetri. Khetri is surrounded by Mayang tehsil towards east, Chandrapur tehsil towards west, Umling tehsil toward west, Marigaon tehsil towards east. Marigaon, Dispur, Mangaldoi, Guwahati are the nearby cities to Khetri. This place is on the border of the Kamrup metro district and Kamrup district. Kamrup district Kamalpur(pt.) is west towards this place.
Image 2.6. Khetri, Assam
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Geographical Background
Duni Dimow Dhubri
Khetri
In the year 2007 during a visit to Bangkok: north east trade & investment opportunity, Ashim Kumar Das (DGM, Head CSR division) along with team observed the potential of water hyacinth and scope of value after the comparative analysis in 2009 on banana fibre and water hyacinth such as scope of value addition is more, abundance of raw material, better market response as it was a new product and it helps to create wealth out of a weed (water hyacinth) and later the centre was transformed into a craft incubation centre along with a common facility centre where the training is given to the community for skill development in craft product and handloom and also a space to the artisans for the production of craft and handloom, to support the beneficiaries with additional income, especially women.
Map 3. Four Common Facility Centres in Assam
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Geographical Background
The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) is a Public Limited Company registered under the Companies Act 1956 on 9th August, 1995. NEDFi has been entrusted upon the board of directors comprising representatives from shareholder institutions, DoNER, State Governments and eminent persons from the NE Region and outside having wide experience in the industry, economics, finance and management and provides financial assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises for setting up industrial, infrastructure and agri-allied projects in the north eastern region of India and also microfinance through MFI/NGOs. NEDFi is committed to their policy on corporate social responsibility and making an effort to make its CSR activities more effective, innovative, and meaningful and to channelize it in a manner which will enable this corporation to touch more lives and bring more smiles to people. The annual CSR policy of the corporation is promoting employment enhancing vocational skills, livelihood enhancement projects, women empowerment, handloom and handicrafts of the region and development entrepreneurship by taking up initiatives for promotion of employment enhancing vocational skills, livelihood enhancement projects in the rural areas promoting the traditional arts and handicraft sector including handloom of the north east region, by providing the necessary support to the artisans, weavers and craftsperson engaged in the sector through skill up-gradation, market linkage and/ or infrastructural support, wherever necessary and also to undertake projects and programes for the development of rural and backward areas through the promotion of entrepreneurship and income-generating activities.
Image 2.7. NEDFi Centre, Khetri
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Geographical Background
Image 2.8. The craft gallery
Image 2.9. The workshop area
Products made by the artisans are kept on display at the craft gallery of the NEDFi Centre. Various products such as bags, purses, containers, baskets, trays are available for sale at the gallery.
It consists of handlooms for weaving; design and production space for artisans. The artisans travel from nearby villages to the research and development centre daily to work. They are provided with raw materials and tools to work. The working hours are usually from 10 am to 5 pm.
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Geographical Background
Image 2.10. The social setting of the place
Image 2.11. The weaving space
Most of the artisans comprise of women of different age groups ranging from 25-45 yrs. The sitting arrangement facilitates dialogue among the artisans.
Two shaft looms are used for weaving stoles, dupatta, gamchha using fibre such as cotton, silk, bamboo, etc. They are currently experimenting with banana fibre.
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Geographical Background
Image 2.12. The centre has a washing pit used for the indigo dyeing process The indigo plant is pressed underneath water for 1-2 days. The water is stirred using a machine which converts the plant into a paste. The paste is left for sedimentation. After the paste settles down the water is thrown away. The paste is later boiled and cooled down to form indigo dye cakes which can be used later for dyeing.
Image 2.13. The natural dyes are cultivated in their farmlands followed by harvesting and processing of the dyes. Some of the plants which are used for dyeing are myrobalan(black), pomegranate(brown), lac(pink), etc.
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Geographical Background
Image 2.14. The workshop also dedicated a space to store raw materials (such as water hyacinth and other fibres), dyes (natural, direct, azo, indigo etc.), containers for storage, etc.
Image 2.15. The storage area in a house. The master artisans have store rooms at their houses to store the harvested fibre. It is either sold to other artisans or given to them as per order requirement.
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Geographical Background
Image 2.16. The nearby land is used for farming and water pits for irrigation.
Image 2.17. Houses made out of bamboo, cow dung and kachchi mitti, at Bharaltola village, Nalbari District
Usually, the men are involved in farming and women work with the fibre after doing her daily household chores. They cultivate a variety of crops such as rice, tea, maize, wheat, etc.
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Geographical Background
Image 2.18. Each household has a fenced common area in the middle to worship the Tulsi plant. Bharltola village, Nalbari District
Image 2.19. Backyard of a villager's house. Most of the people have a two shaft handloom at their house which is used for making gamchha and other woven fabrics.
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Geographical Background
Image 2.20. Water hyacinth in Bharaltola village.
Image 2.21. Lake near Bhartola village
Water hyacinth plant is found all over the Bharaltola village which makes it easy for the people to source the fibre. Water hyacinth grows during july-november. The raw material is prepared by sun-drying its stems; stems of 24-30 inches are preferably picked. They are sun-dried for seven to eight days.
Bharaltola village is mostly surrounded by the lakes and ponds filled with water hyacinth. People have started recognising it’s potential and with the help and support from NEDFi; they harvest and use this plant to produce a variety of products.
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The People
THE PEOPLE
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The People
ABOUT THE CRAFT ORIGIN A significant majority of the rural population of North East India are involved in handicrafts for their livelihood. Among the various forms of crafts, cane and bamboo work the most important crafts of the region. This importance stemmed from the fact that both bamboo and cane are locally available, and products produced from both bamboo and cane is environmentally friendly. However, not all species of bamboo are suitable for the handicraft industry. The supply of raw materials of cane is erratic and artisans purchase them from unauthorized traders who charge exorbitant prices which severely affect the artisans’ income. Moreover, extensive use of both has resulted in dwindling forest resources thus, imposing a threat not only on the traditional cane and bamboo sector but also on the ecosystem.
Mr Ashim Kr Das Deputy General Manager of NEDFi. During his visit to Thailand’s Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Center in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya in October 2007, he became fascinated by the beauty of the handicrafts created from the water hyacinth plant. He immediately thought of his native region, Assam, where an abundance of this plant was causing problems to the farmers. He thought that creating products from the water hyacinth plant would be an innovative solution to one of the many problems plaguing that region. Reaching Assam, he, along with his team members of NEDFi, decided to introduce this skill to the artisans of Assam and other north-eastern states of India. After assessing the potential of the water hyacinth as a raw material for handicraft items, NEDFi engaged experts from Industry Crafts Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, to train twenty-one artisans. The idea was that the first batch of trained artisans would initially serve as trainers to other craftsmen back in Assam. Thus, Das played the pioneering role in the water hyacinth craft revolution of India.
With the traditional handicraft sector facing a major threat, NEDFi took up the challenge of identifying an alternative raw material to replace cane and bamboo. This resulted in identifying water hyacinth as possible raw material. The rationale behind choosing water hyacinth as the possible alternative to cane and bamboo was its abundance and easy availability. Artisans who already had experience in braiding and weaving could easily pick up the trade. And more importantly, the products developed would be eco-friendly thereby, generating sustainable livelihoods and maintaining a balanced ecosystem by utilizing the problem plant as a resource.
Image 3.1. Mr Ashim Kumar Das played the pioneering role in the water hyacinth craft revolution of India.
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The People
SOCIOLOGY OF THE PEOPLE The Community Bodo Tribal Community of Assam is considered as the earliest immigrants of Assam plays a very important role in the culture and tradition of the state. It is the largest minority group of the state. It is believed that this tribe arrived in Assam from the Tibet through Bhutan passes. As, the primitive settlers of Assam valley, the Bodo community is the most traditionally and culturally rich community of the state. Language Bodo people speak Bodo language, for writing they use the Assamese script. Now they have taken up the Nagari script for their writing. The Economy of Bodo tribe Earlier, this tribe used to practice cultivation and farming. Among them rice farming, tea plantation, poultry and silkworm rearing were the main occupation. Bodo people are expert in Bamboo craft. Weaving is the main occupation of Bodo women. Majority of the artisans are middle aged, who work out of interest and also out of necessity, which is the reason the craft has thrived, competing with the machine-made products which is overflowing in the market. Women from the community sit together and weave baskets and bags while learning new techniques of braiding and weaving.
Image 3.2. Anjali undertook training at Nedfi and now she trains other women in her village the nitty-gritty of the water hyacinth craft. On average 10 members earn upto 40,000 to 50,000 in a month.
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The People
PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURE Food habits of Bodo tribe They eat a huge variety of rice-based cereal with milk and yoghurt. They make special pancakes called Pitha from rice powder. Its is the integral part of their festival and food spread Xaak (local leafy vegetable) forms an indispensable part of Assamese cooking. It is a common practice to have fermented and dried Gaaz (bamboo shoots), dried kokum, rice powder, powdered lentils, and chilli pickle. Mas tenga (sour fish curry) is also famous in the region. Lau pani (Rice beer) is brewed rice beer fermented in the shell of a bottle gourd. This community is very fond of conventional drink called Zu mai. When people visit their house, they offer this drink as a kind of respect. Their main food consists of non-vegetarian dishes like pork and fish. Oma Bedor, Onla and Narzi are their main cuisines.
Image 3.3. Xaak,Intregal part of assamese cusine which consists of leafy vegetables
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Image 3.5. Tekeli is a different kind of Pitha, consisting of both Xaali and Bora Saul with a mixture of coconut, sugar, and milk powder. In some cases, there will be ground cardamom and dried orange with the whole combination on a hearth furnace for steaming. These are made early in the morning and carried by the farmers as their lunch.
Image 3.6. Tel Pitha is a snack in which rice powder is the main ingredient. It is available in many varieties varying from sweet to mint taste. The ingredients present in this authentic dish are rice, jaggery, oil, and aniseed. The whole batter is kept overnight for the process of fermentation and then deep-fried until there is an appearance of brown colour on it.
Image 3.7. Narikol Laru is made of locally available fresh coconut which is dessicated and mixed with sugar and milk powder. The perfect roundness and of similar size can only be achieved when the mixture is of the right temperature to roll it into balls.
Image 3.8. Khola pitha is rice flour rolls stuffed with a grounded black sesame seeds and jaggery filling. It is an essential part of the Assamese platter.
Image 3.4. Maas tenga, sour fish curry.
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The People
Art and Handicrafts Of Assam The richness of the art and handicrafts of Assam beautifully reflects the bountifulness of its culture. The craftsmen here have long perfected the art of creating wonderful objects from very ordinary products. The craftsmen make several handicrafts apart from the famous silk fabric and cane and bamboo products. Different regions of Assam are known for their different forms of art and handicrafts.
Image 3.11. Metal Crafts In Assam, two types of metal crafts are available, bell metal and brass metal. They are not only used for making utensils and other household items but also for jewellery. Hajo and Sarthebari villages of Assam have established their names in the world of metal crafts.
Image 3.9. Black pottery is an amazing art form practised here for ages. The Kumars and Hiras are the two famous communities of Assam who are perfect in the art of pottery. They make incense holders, clay pots, and several other decorative articles. Their black stone pottery is unique in a style that is made from weathered rock and serpentinite, found abundantly in the banks of the river in Longpi. Unlike most other kinds of pottery, Longpi Hampai (black pottery) is not shaped on the potter’s wheel. The final products have a distinctly earthy, yet contemporary appearance.
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Image 3.12. A wide variety of toys are made in Assam like clay toys, pith toys, wooden toys, bamboo toys, cloth toys and clay, and mud toys. The most famous themes picked up for making toys are the bride, groom, and animals.
Image 3.10. Bamboo and cane craft has been since time immemorial, making products from cane and bamboo is a popular art form in Assam. Bamboo and cane are grown in abundance here and hence most of the household articles in the homes of the Assamese are made of cane and bamboo. Even some of the houses are completely made from these natural products. Cane baskets, music instruments, Jaapi (sunshade) and several other accessories are fashioned out of bamboo and cane.
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Festivals Assam is a land of fairs and festivals. Most of the festivals celebrated in Assam characterize the spirit of accommodation and togetherness in the diverse faith and belief of her inhabitants. This perfect fusion of heritage of her numerous races has made Assam the home of the most colorful festivals reflecting the true spirit, tradition, and lifestyle of the people of Assam. The major festivals celebrated in Assam are Bihu, Baishagu, Ali-Ai-Ligang, Baikho, Rongker, Rajini Gabra Harni Gabra, Bohaggiyo Bishu, Ambubashi Mela and Jonbill Mela and so on. The people of Assam also celebrate Holi, Durga Puja, Diwali, Swaraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, Idd, Muharram, MeDam-Me-Phi, etc. The tribals of Assam have their own colourful festivals like the Kherai Puja of the Bodos, the Baikhu, and Pharkantis of the Rabhas, Ali-ai-ligang and Parag of the Mishing tribe, the Sagra-misawa wansawa and laghun of the Tiwas.
Image 3.13. Bihu is the most popular harvest festival of Assam. It is celebrated somewhere around April, the Bihu festival lasts for an entire month, marking the beginning of the agricultural season. Bihu brings the people of Assam together, irrespective of caste, religion, creed, gender, or race. People of Assam rest their faith on their supreme God, Brai Shibrai, locally known as Father Shibrai, pray for peace and prosperity in all the coming years. Other festivals celebrated are Ras Lila, Tea festival, Dehing patkai festival, and Durga puja.
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Image 3.14. Ali-Aye-Ligang is a spring festival associated with agriculture, especially with the beginning of the Ahu paddy cultivation. It is celebrated by the Mising or Mishing an indigenous tribe of Assam, India. The festival marks the onset of sowing seeds. The name of the festival is made up of three terms, ‘Ali’, legumes, ‘Aye’, seed and ‘Ligang’, to sow.
Image 3.15. Baishagu is celebrated in Assam with much pomp and enthusiasm. This festival is commonly celebrated by the tribe of Boro Kacharis of Assam and it is the famous festival of the Boros. Famous for its myriad colours and merriment, Baishagu is generally celebrated by the Bodo Kacharis during mid-April. It is the most cherished festival of the Bodo tribe. The Bodos also celebrate it as a springtime festival at the advent of the new year. In this festival of Baishagu many traditional musical instruments are used. Such music instruments are Khawbang, Jotha, Gogona, Siphung, Kham, etc. At the end of this Baishagu Festival of Assam, the Assamese people gather together in a specified place for a community prayer which is called Garjasali in the Assamese language.
Image 3.16. Ambubachi Mela is the most important festival in Kamakhya temple of Guwahati and is held every year during monsoon (mid-June). It is a ritual of austerities celebrated with Tantric rites.During Ambubashi the doors of the temple remain closed for three days. It is believed that the earth becomes impure for three days. During this time no farming work is undertaken. Ambubachi mela is held at the Kamakhya temple, after being closed for the aforementioned three days. On the fourth day, only the devotees are allowed to enter inside the temple for worship. Thousands of devotees from all over the country and abroad visit this mela.
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The People
Attires of Different Tribes in Assam Women in Assam wear Mugha mekhla (draped skirt and blouse) and Pat chaadar(mulberry silk wrap) and men wear a shirt and dhoti with Gamocha(red and white scarf worn around the neck) and Eri silk shawl. Even though this is the majorly worn attire, it might vary according to the tribe people belong to. There are many known tribes in Assam; Dimasa, Bodo, Thai-Phake, Mishing, Rabhas, Deori, Kuki, and many more small tribes. They have different attires, colours, and languages but in some or the other form or style, all of their attires include Chaadar (a cloth piece wrapped around their upper body). The local languages spoken in Assam are: Assamese, Bodo, Dimasa, Rabha, Karbi, Miri and Mishing.
Image 3.20. Dimasa Tribe, the people of Dimasa tribe wear very colourful dresses especially the womenfolk who like to wear bright coloured Rigu, a form of Mekhela Chador which is worn from the waist down reaching the ankles. Another piece of Rigu also called the Bathormai which has only one design on the whole piece of cloth and is worn widely during summers. The male fraternity of the Dimasa tribe has very simple clothing with Gamocha.
Image 3.18. The Rabhas, have a unique sense of dressing which can be witnessed from their colourful display of colourful clothing with exquisite patterns running criss-cross around the garment. While women wear the Koum Kontong which is a skirt resembling clothing wrapped around their waists and Labok tied around the abdomen which is a belt made of beautiful shells and pearl balls. The men, however, wear the common dress that is the dhoti and Gamosa on all occasions.
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Image 3.21. Thai Phake Tribe,the traditional costume stands for the lighted with respect and it has its attractiveness. A woman of Thai Phake uses a beautiful striped girdle, known as Chairchin. Women love to use it so that they look stunning. Girls also wear the same costume but of different size, which is known as Fafek. Men of this tribe wear a loincloth with red and black stripes, white or yellow lining, known as Fatong. A short is also worn with Fatong which is known as Sho.
Image 3.19. Bodos of Assam live in the lush green area of the northeast state of India. The tribe females accept Mekhla as the customary dress. The upper wrap is known as Riha worn with Chaddar. Most of the rustic folks of Assam wear this type of costume. Men wear Dhoti and Chaadar.
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The People
Image 3.23. Dressed in their traditional clothes woven by the artisans themselves. The garment is 2 pieces and draped and tied around the body. Langha is worn during weddings. 3-4 meters in length and handwoven. It is worn along with a stole called Fasra. Dakna is worn casually. The edge of the cloth is joined in a tube-like structure. Width of the fabric is 1 m and length is 1.5 m.
Image 3.21. Mishing Tribe, the men of the Mishing tribe wear a special type of dhoti called the Gonru Ugon worn from the waist down and a shirt called the Mibu Galuk covering the upper part of the body. The Mishing women unlike other tribes have a very simple clothing style and mostly wear the Mekhela Chador also called the Yakan Age-Gasar which is mostly black.
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Image 3.22. Deori tribe, the male community of the Deori tribe prefers a simple dressing style mostly wearing an Ikhoon a kind of dhoti and a shirt or a sporting complementing with the Ikhoon. The beautiful Deori ladies wear a piece of a garment which is a long wraparound like skirt called the Ujaduba-Lgoon which is tightly held around the breast letting it fall loosely. The Ujaduba Lgoon is then held at the waist with a single piece of the sheet called Jokachhiba which is then complimented with a Riha adorning their shoulders.
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The People
PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE THE CRAFT NEDFi’s initiatives are focused on women empowerment, livelihood enhancement projects, employment enhancing vocational skills and development of the craft sector and rural and backward areas through promotion of entrepreneurship. The three-year-long water hyacinth project as a part of the CSR programme of NEDFi was popular among the artisans as well as the common public. The project brought significant developments during 2011 and 2012 that covered 1,294 benefciaries till the financial year 2013. A significant portion of the beneficiaries were underprivileged women from rural areas. The income that was earned through their engagement with NEDFi helped them to realize their needs and dreams by providing an opportunity for sustainable livelihood. The changes that were brought into the lives of rural women could be visualized from the experiences of Anjali Boro and Deepika, two women artisans of Assam. Anjali and her husband ran a small electronic shop in Marigaon, district of Assam with a petty income. She came to know about the water hyacinth craft training initiatives of NEDFi in 2009 and fortunately got a chance to be a participant in the training programme at NID, Ahmedabad. Creatively gifted, her natural skills were further polished by the training received. The training helped her to become a master trainer and she started training the local women to produce and market water hyacinth crafts. Anjali’s association with NEDFi helped her to receive funds to set up her own business. Moreover, she became a mentor later on and enjoys a comfortable and respectful life as a successful woman. The second example is of Deepika. Deepika had joined a training programme on water hyacinth craft preparation at NEDFi’s research development centre at Khetri in 2011. Gradually, with her creativity and skills, she became a master trainer, which helped her live a dignified life. She confidently spoke about the craft: ‘Our products are no less good looking and utility-driven than those made in Thailand. The only things that our artisans are not endowed with are a lot of accessories to add value to the products.’ The proudest moment of her life was when she was financed by NEDFi to start her own water hyacinth craft retail outlet.
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Anjali
Deepika
Anjali is 28 years old and has been practicing the craft since 2011. She lives in a kutcha house made out of bamboo, cow dung and mud. Anjali along with 9 other women from her village share a common facilitation center setup by NEDFi where they have all the raw materials and machines required for making hand crafted products out of water hyacinth.
Deepika is 30 years old. She has been practicing the craft since 2011 after receiving vocational training from Nedfi. She lives in Chilling village in a pucca house. Her husband has a business of pig farming. She has a storage unit of dried water hyacinth stems in her house. She receives orders from NEDFi, GIC office and exhibitions.
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Dinku Koch, Head Instructor
Ankur Patar, Head of Dying Department
Junmani konwar, a trainee
Geetika, Head Instructor
Dinku is 35 years old. He has been working at NEDFi form 2012. He undertook water hyacinth training program in 2008. Previously he used to make molds made of cane to weave baskets but over time and after undergoing several trainings he learned how to make thermocol molds and the use of pins.
He is 33 years old and has been working for NEDFi since 2012. His expertise lies in the area of dying the natural fibres namely water hyacinth,banana fibre and soft grass.
Junmani is 34 years old. She was one of the new joinee at NEDFi and like any other newcomers she was learning how to make a coin purse. She would be training for a month. She has basic learning in weaving,tailoring as well as knitting. She joined NEDFi for her love for crafts.
Geetika has been associated with NEDFi for a very long time. She is the trainer at the center. Her expertise has led many artisans to learn the craft more efficiently.
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Dullu Boro, Head of Weaving Department She undertook 10 days training at NEDFi and now she assists and trains other weavers on how to weave Chador and stoles with banana fibres at Nedfi. She lives in Guwahati with her two daughters and 2 sons.
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He is the tailor master at the NEDFi centre. He stitches the individual parts of the coin purse and other also other products to add the finishing touches.
Joyti, a trainee
Lolita, a trainee
Joyti started learning the craft out of interest.She had recently joined the centre. She intents to be financially independent, so she was training to become a skilled artisan.
Lolita had joined the centre so that learn the craft and practice it in her leisure time. But she has now realised how the demand for the water hyacinth products is increasing in the market and now she aspires to become an entreprenur in the future.
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Image 3.24. and Image 3.25. All the Artisans at NEDFI who pratice the craft of water hyacinth. The craft requires lot of patience just like any other crafts but they all learn with eagerness, as a team to make NEDFi a success story.
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Making of the products
MAKING OF THE PRODUCTS
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Image 4.1
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Making of the products
PROCURING RAW MATERIAL Image 4.1. Water hyacinth is a free floating plant found commonly on aquatic bodies in Assam. The Boro community in Nalbari use sickles for harvesting fresh water hyacinth plants from the water.
There are primarily two types of plants short and long which are found. Long stems, which range from 24 to 30 inches in length are used in handicraft products.
Image 4.4. & 4.5. Since the plant is a weed, it grows in abundance is hence easily available to serve as a raw material. Local men are hired to bring the plant to the shore, where artisans harvest the length that they require. The task is toiling and the individual is paid around 1000 rupees for a day.
Image 4.2. The cut stems are bundled up and left out to dry.
Image 4.3. These are the sixes of sickles that are used in the same.
Image 4.6. & 4.7. The cut stems are left in the sun to dry for around 5 to 7 days. The price of dried water hyacinth stems are 70 Rs per kilogram including transportation from the source to the destination. The cut roots end up as waste and are thrown away.
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Making of the products
DRYING Water hyacinth undergoes manual processes such as drying, washing, and stripping, dyeing, braiding, flattening and coiling. The process from sourcing to finishing often occurs in the same place the production occurs. The product is constructed on a mould and is finished by hand or machine stitching. The artisan rely on the community and members of the household for support in the storage and procurement of the fibers. They usually work in teams and harvest the plant together and divide the stock amongst themselves equally. The government and organizations such as NEDFi have helped many artisans to establish a system by training one or two women with all the required skillls for the same. Harvestation of the plant is illegal as per the state’s guidlines as it is a weed and destroys aquatic life and nutrient levels of the water. They therefore encourage artisans to remove the plant from thewater bodies without any interferences as long as they dont replant the seed of the plant.
Image 4.8. The stems are sun-dried, bundled, and then stored in a cool dry place. Since the reeds contain a lot of moisture, they need to be dried for a long time to protect them from insects. The stems turn brown and shrink unevenly both in width and length while drying.
Image 4.9. Artisans Anjali Boro and Deepika Boro outside their stock room in the backyard of Anjali Boro’s house in Nalbari district. This room was a granary when agriculture was their primary occupation. Today it holds dried water hyacinth fibres. Paani meteka / Craft Documentation / Textile Design / National Institute of Design / 2020
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ILLUSTRATION OF TECHNIQUES
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Figure 4.5. Folded fibre trimmed for centre knots in a weave structure.
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Figure 4.3. Braided fibres made using even sized strips
+ Figure 4.6. String made by scraping flattened fibre and twisting.
Figure 4.1. Naturally found fibre when cut and dried shrivelled up in length and width marginally.
Figure 4.2. Dried fibre trimmed to give an even width and tapered edges
The Process is done 80 % manually and 20% with the aid of tools and machines. Every product is made from a combination of differently treated fibres. Once a product is planned, Mr. Dinku. a master artisan makes its mould, and decides the colours and weaves it will use. Some artisans improvise in designs later on after they have learnt the basic structures themselves. The stems are flexible, spongy and highly absorbent giving the material a lot of scope in design. Figure 4.4. Flattened fibre is longer and wider and flat like a strip of paper Paani meteka / Craft Documentation / Textile Design / National Institute of Design / 2020
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Making of the products
TREATMENT / TECHNIQUES
BRAIDING
Image 4.10. & 4.11. The dried stems are then washed and wiped with a cloth to make them pliable. Depending on the design requirement, the stems are treated in the following ways.
Image 4.14. & 4.15. Braiding: Some products call for fibres to be braided before construction. Artisans in this region use six different braiding techniques which have been taught to them during an exposure programme at NID in 2010.
Image 4.12. Flattening of fibre: The process that once used a hammer, stone and bamboo has now been mechanized.
Image 4.16. A braid or sutli that is used in the products made by twisting 2 strips of the fibre
Image 4.13. Scraping: The cut strips are opened up, flattened out, grazed with the sharp edge of the scissors, and then twisted to form very thin strips that are used in the chocolate-box.
Image 4.17. A braid that is used in the products made using 6 strips of the fibre
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Making of the products
DYEING
Image 4.19. & 4.20. Preparation of dye stock occurs in house at the NEDFi centre. These skills have been taught to them during a training program organized by NEDFi and later passed on to other artisans.
Image 4.18. Since water hyacinth fibres have a thick cellulose layer, they do not readily absorb natural dyes. So, they are sometimes chemically dyed before being used.
Image 4.21 & 4.22. The dyed fibre is bundles up and dried under the sun. The fibre is also dyed by the artisans house individually for their own production and left out to dry in the fields. They use chemical as well as natural dyes.
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Making of the products
PRODUCT MOULDS
TOOLS A system adopted from the product design discipline at NID who use thermocol moulds for their product prototypes. Mould are wrapped with duct tape to increase life and longetivity of use. Currentlly Mr.Dinku Koch, one of the master artisans and manager at NEDFi is in charge of making new moulds or replacing worn out moulds.
PUNCHING NEEDLE
RIVET SCEREWS
RIVETS
MEASURING TAPE
BLADE NEEDLE
Image 4.23. & 4.24. Thermocol blocks glued and stacked before making the moulds and left in the sun to dry.
SCISSORS
MEASURING TAPE
WATER SPRAY
Image 4.25. The tools like scissors, rivets, screw drivers, thumb pins aid in the making of water hyacinth products. The stem is sun dried during various stages which also constitutes an important part of the process.
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Making of the products
HAND WOVEN PRODUCTS
COIN PURSE Product Construction
Image 4.27 & 4.28. The first step towards making the coin purse which is one of the more popular products of water hyacinth fibres starts with 4 flattened, folded and tapered water hyacinth fibres.
Image 4.26. Unfinished coin purse structures woven using color patterns near the center and on the edges.
Image 4.29. & 4.30. The basic knot, after the knot is tighened the flaps are pulled apart to form 8 radial edges. This structure is then mounted on thermocol moulds with the help of thumb pins.
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Making of the products
ILLUSTRATION OF WEAVE
Centre knot
Figure 4.7. Weaving of the coin purse in concentric circle with the addition of additional weft radially.
Image 4.31. 4.32 & 4.33. Water is constantly sprinkled on to the fibres to retain the flexibility of the structure. Concentric rings are woven with alternating weaves depicted on the page on the left. Section of weave
The finishing edge is pulled down through four to five rows of the braid to lock it using a long needle with a large eye. Structure of weave
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Making of the products
Image 4.34. 4.35. & 4.36. After the fibre structure has been completed it is sent for further finishing additional linings.
Image 4.38. The tailoring master of department at NEDFi research center finidhing the coin purse.
Depending on the product, final finishing may use one or more of the following techniques:
❇ Machine-stitching or hand-stitching with fabric lining and zips.
❇ Attaching cords, belts, rivets, buttons and loops. ❇ Surface ornamentation with embroidered cloth and wooden beads.
Image 4.37. A master artisan at the NEDFi centre attaching the inner lining of the coin purse.
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Making of the products
CHOCOLATE BOX
Image 4.40. & 4.41. The chocolate box is made on a mould for even sizing. The first step is to pin down the edges for stability to make a plain weave base with flattened water hyacinth fibres.
Image 4.39. Finished chocolate box before being distributed in the market
Image 4.42. & 4.43. After the base is complete dried and unflattened fibres are cut into even strips and woven on the mould with the vertical strip to create a different pattern on the side edges of the box.
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Making of the products
JEWELLERY BOX
Image 4.44. & 4.45. The top of the box is made using unflattened fibres pinned in a grid and later on fastened with each other using the thin strip shredded and twisted to make a string.
Image 4.48. & 4.49. The circular box is made on a cylindrical mould using the simillar kind of weave that is used in the coin purse.
Image 4.46. & 4.47. The cap is made over the base so that the lid fits perfectly over it. The finished box is coated with varnish and left under the sun to dry.
Image 4.50. & 4.51. The box and its cap are shaped over the mould and finished with a knob handle on the top.
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FINISHING
Image 4.52. & 4.53. After the product is complete, a coat of varnish or lacquer is applied on its surface to give it a shine and to enhance its durability. Mr Anwar is also in charge of the natural dyeing that is done at NEDFi he is currently looking after the indigo cultivation for in-house indigo vat dyeing.
Image 4.54. Finished products coated with varnish and sun dried on a tarp. They are finished with a coat of lacquer, packed, and distributed to exhibitions, markets, and retailers. The most popular products are coin purses and yoga mats.
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Making of the products
WEAVING ON LOOM
Image 4.56. The weaving studio at the NEDFi training center.
Image 4.57. Water hyacinth loom reed.
Yoga mats and the table mats are woven on the special water-hyacinth loom developed first by artisans in Thailand and imported to India.
The reed of the water hyacinth loom is unique and made specifically to aid the process of a simple plain weave required of yoga mats and table maters made for the fibre. These reed were introduced after design intervention of a team in Thailand that practices the craft. It has alternate holes on on top and one in the groove which provided a shed to enter the weft when the reed is tilted diagonally.
Some local terms associated with weaving water hyacinth stems are raas (reed), khutte (warp), khaal (frame of handloom). The standard warp is 4m cotton yarn (2/10s), while water-hyacinth fibres are inserted as weft. The structure is a plain weave. The width of the loom is 24 inches (approx. 60cm) and can produce two yoga mats at a time. Image 4.55. A loom at an artisans house in Nalbari.
Image 4.59. The reed tilted downwards to open a lower shed alternate to being tilted upwards.
Image 4.58. Close up of one surface of the reed.
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Products
PRODUCTS
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Products
PRODUCTS Since water hyacinth can be woven, much like cane and jute, artisans have long since used this fibre to create a variety of decorative products. NEDFi’s intervention has led to an introduction of various new product lines and has helped standardize the products. Today, artisans use water hyacinth fibres to create value-added products including handbags, purses, mobile covers, file covers, hand fans, sofa sets, pencil stands, dustbins, lamp stands, wall hangings and jewelleries. Prices of these ecofriendly products begin at INR 60. Fig. 5.1. Dimensions: Length: 10 inches Height: 5 inches
Image 5.1. Coin purses are both the simplest and most common products made using water hyacinth fibre. The weave is folded laterally and sewn along with a non-woven lining and a plastic zip closure. A braided handle is also added to the product. The weave used here is a circular weave, done using flattened water hyacinth fibre. An addition of coloured weft at varied intervals is also present to give it an aesthetically pleasing finish.
Image 5.2. The artisans produce a wide number of handbags. It is one of their major product lines in the market. These bags are made in different sizes and shapes. Many display experimental weaving patterns as well. The handles are generally made of a braided rope of the same fibre, or even trims like bamboo or wood handles or leather straps. The bags have a non-woven lining depending on their shape and closures; some of them are open totes and are made of just water hyacinth. The aligned handbag has circular wooden handles and no closures. The structure is woven out of a fish tail weave at intervals.
Fig. 5.2. Dimensions: Length: 12 inches Width: 4.5 inches Height: 11 inches
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Products
Image 5.3. These dining table mats are woven with a plain weave structure. Here, the warp used is a 2/10s cotton and the weft is flattened water hyacinth fibres. These mats are usually sold in a set of six, along with a table runner. The ends are finished by braiding or knotting the additional warp.
Image 5.4. The artisans produce a couple of laundry baskets in varied sizes. These baskets are woven into a three dimensional structure using a mould. Here, the basket is woven in a fish tail weave over a mould to give both depth and flexibility. The weft is flattened water hyacinth fibre, which is then tied and finished onto two circular wooden handles of the basket. The laundry basket is available in three different sizes in the market.
Fig. 5.4. Dimensions: Large - Length: 17 inches Width: 18 inches Height: 13 inches
Fig. 5.3. Dimensions: Table mat - Length: 19 inches Width: 13 inches Table runner - Length: 40 inches Width: 13 inches
Medium - Length: 15 inches Width: 16 inches Height: 12 inches Small - Length: 13 inches Width: 14 inches Height: 11 inches
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Image 5.5. A hat woven out of flattened water hyacinth fibre. The hat is woven using a traditonal form of basketry weaving, which towards the end is then flattened to make it a floppy hat. It is easily available in the local market, attracting tourists and visitors in the region. One size only.
Image 5.6. A variety of storage containers and boxes are made from water hyacinth fibre. These boxes vary in size and shape, and can be used for multiple purposes. The artisans also produce chocolate boxes for gifting. The box on the left is a circular storage box made using dried water hyacinth fibre as both warp and weft. An addition of the red-dyed water hyacinth fibre can be seen in the weft. All the products are finished with a varnish coat.
Fig. 5.5. Dimensions: Height: 4.5 inches Outer diameter: 15.5 inches Inner diameter: 7.5 inches
Fig. 5.6. Dimensions: Body - Height: 3 inches Diameter: 13 inches Lid - Height: 1 inch Diameter: 13.25 inches
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Image 5.7. The aligned storage container is made entirely out of water hyacinth fibre along with a knob shaped lid. Both the lid and the body have an inclusion of a coloured weft as an added detail to the finishing of the box. The artisans create multiple numbers of these boxes as per the demand in the present market.
Image 5.8. Along with various containers and storage boxes, a few trays are also produced in the lifestyle product category. This tray has a metal skeleton on it, which is then covered by weaving water hyacinth fibre to it. The skeleton acts as a mould to the fish tail weave done on the base and sides of the tray.
Fig. 5.7. Dimensions: Body - Height: 5 inches Diameter: 3.5 inches
Fig. 5.8. Dimensions: Length: 15.5 inches Width: 10 inches Height: 2.5 inches
Lid - Height: 3 inches Diameter: 3.75 inches
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Image 5.9. Yoga mats hung out to dry in the sun after a final coat of varnish over them. A variety of home and living products like chairs, table runners, table mats and yoga mats are made by the artisans. These mats are woven on a 2 shaft loom with a basic weave structure, here the warp used is a 2/10s cotton yarn and the weft is water hyacinth. These mats are finished with a non-woven fabric border on all sides. Dimensions are length - 72 inches and width - 24 inches.
Image 5.10. The gallery at the NEDFi R&D centre, Khetri exhibits an impressive array of water hyacinth products made by local artisans as well as those of the artisans from nearby villages. An umpteen number of choices are available for products like hand bags, baskets and storage boxes. A few products are also woven onto a metal/bamboo/wooden structure using weaving techniques like plain weave, crazy weave, etc.
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Design Elements
DESIGN ELEMENTS
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Design Elements
DESIGN ELEMENTS Dried water hyacinth is used to create products like containers, handbags, pouches, mats, hats, and many more products. These products are created using different structures. Different kinds of braids and weaves are used to create these structures. Water hyacinth is dried under the sun for several hours which decolorizes it and makes it soft and flexible. Initially, it was then woven or braided directly in its natural form to create products but due to an increase in demand and competition people started using chemical dyes to attain different colors possible. Mostly used chemical dyes that were easily available to them were pink, blue, and green. They started using these colors and made a few samples that were accepted by the market, so they continued using the same set of colors. They did not use dyed water hyacinth for all the products and even when it is used the percentage of it is much lesser than the original dried stem in its natural color and form. Hence, they wanted to retain the essence and authenticity of the craft by not using too many chemicals or other artificial elements. Different kinds of weave structures were used to achieve various textures and stability. Mostly plain weave was used since it is the most stable structure that can hold the shape well. Due to it’s soft and flexible form and texture, they started experimenting with different braids too and using them to weave the structure. Flattened dried stems were also used to weave interesting structures. To achieve different forms of products, they used thermocol molds which were prepared in the workshop itself. Thermocol pieces were cut into cuboids and cylinders and then covered with fevicol and brown tapes so that it can be used for a longer period of time. Cubes, cuboids, and cylinders were used since these are the most stable, simple, and convenient forms to hold and build the desired shape of a product.
Image 6.3. Braided and dyed water hyacinth
Image 6.4. Woven yoga mats
Other than weaving they also make different types of braids using three, four and six-ply. Different sizes and thickness of braids are created and then mixed with other techniques of weaving to make products. Still weaving is more popularly used technique in products than braiding.
These are woven on small two shaft looms. The warp is made using Cotton (2/10s) yarn, and water hyacinth stem is used as weft in its natural form. Sometimes the material is flattened and then used for weaving as weft. Plain weave is used to create yoga mats.
Semiotics of Design Element
Image 6.1. Basket weave
Image 6.2. Creating mesh
Image 6.5. Coin purse weave
Image 6.6. Random weave
Initially basket weave was used a lot to create products using flattened water hyacinth. Products like coin purses and simple containers were made using this technique. Now more techniques have been tried to provide a different identity to water hyacinth products.
Using braids and, flattened and thin stripes of water hyacinth to develop a product. Bags made out of this technique have a layer of brown colour poplin fabric lining inside with an open zip closure on top. Fabric lining is usually given to have zip closures in bags, containers or purses.
A combact radial structure created using the natural material and dyed material to make coin purse out of it. Four strands of material are used to make a knot to start the making of this structure and then as the circumference increases, more strands are added to keep the structure close and tight.
The material is randomly interlaced with each other to create a unique and chaotic surface which in turn gives a different texture to the product. It is usually mixed with other simple techniques to give a sturdy form to a product.
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Future prospects of the craft
FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE CRAFT
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Future prospects of the craft
SYSTEM MAPPING OF CRAFT
PROSPECTS As products made from water hyacinth are not a form traditional craft, some new construction(design) techniques can be added. The weaves and techniques practiced at NEDFi Centre are limited. They could add more techniques and variations of the weaves to create new variants of products. Exploration on the loom with water hyacinth will also make new varities of product. The artisans can be given some designing traning. Different traning centers can be made in different parts of the country where water hyacinth is available easily, and people should be trained to make prototype exploratory with water hyacinth. This will help the water hyacinth market to grow and spread in various parts of the country.
ARTISIANS IN THE RURAL AREA
Sourcing in Guwahati
products
Packaging Tools Dyes Finishing Material
aquatic sources around villages
products
WATER HYACINTH
If we talk about Assam, bamboo is easily available and people also know how to handle bamboo and also know pottery, so it can be incorporated with the water hyacinth craft. As it is not a traditional craft people are not much connected to it, by incorporating their local crafts and techniques in water hyacinth craft it will add cultural value. More different products should have experimented in various areas. Products should be designed in such a way that it can look unique and different from other fiber products, a lot of other fiber products are available in the market.
Organization Craft Development
More products like a coin purse and yoga mat should be produced which are more accepted by the customers. The major customers of the Coin purse are the locals of Assam. If we analyze the coin purse, it is more accepted because of its size, easy to carry, handmade (connects more to themselves as they are more into basket weaving and other crafts), and inexpensive. So keeping these factors in mind more products should be designed according to the target market which will reduce the product failing and brings the correct direction to the work.
NEDFi Local studio COMMON FACILITY CENTRE (Khetri) Distribution in bulk MARKET / RETAILS
Online order (Amazon)
Exhibition (Run India)
sales outlet (Guwahati)
Local(Art\Craft Emporium)
Water hyacinth products can be sold locally as well as in the mega malls if the product is well designed and can reach all segments of the society. Brands and designers should collaborate with the water hyacinth craft artisans. This will help the products to reach the higher class and will add more value to the water hyacinth products and broaden the market. Currently the craft products have begun to tap into the online stores and retailers which sets a succesful precedent for the same.
Craft gallery (Guwahati)
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The Craft documentation has been a great experience and learning about their cultural activities, lifestyle, skills, and techniques of the people of Khetri has truly been insightful. We spent so much time amongst them, eating their cuisine, following their routine which was such a contrast to our usual livelihoods and turned out to be extremely peaceful.
REFLECTIONS
We are indebted to Earthwatch Institute and NEDFi for providing us with this opportunity which enabled such an in depth learning about the life and people involving the craft. Apart from the academic exposure, the life in Khetri, simple, understated, fulfilling and immersive enriched us with knowledge and understanding that we normally would have never fathomed to gain. The craft itself is a beautiful example of creating a sustainable cycle from a plant otherwise known to be a weed and hindrance to aquatic life. The process of creating something beautiful from the unwanted or excess is an inspiration in itself. The artisans lead life with simple needs and in humble environments. Giving back as much as there is to take from the environment. The concept of living in and with what is instead of falling into the mass consumer trap truly sets them high on the community building models whose foundation lies in supporting one another for the benefit of the whole. These are concepts we have only learned on and debated on theoretically however experience etches a mark on your thinking no other document can.
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EXPERIENCE
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NALBARI
Wo subah subah flight se utar ke, Dur chal ke gaadi wale k pass jaana, Khetri ke kheton mei ghoomna, Wo aunty ko lemon grass deke , special chai banvana, Wo pop kha kha k Khush hona, Wo cake khake bachpan ko yaad karna, Wo dar dar ke flash chalu kar kar ke ek saath highway cross karna, Do hafte taazi hawaon mei guzaarna, yaad rahega humein.
RA PUT A HM BRA
- Exerpts from Vishak Patel’s ‘Assam ki yaadein’
GUWHATI
KHETRI
JORABAT
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Anon., 2019. Assam traditional costumes. [Online] Available at: https://indiathedestiny.com/india-society/costumes/assam-traditional-costumes/ Anon., 2019. Assam tribes. [Online]. Anon., n.d. Art and craft of the Northeast. [Online] Available at: https://easternroutes.com/northeast-india/assam/art-and-craft/ Anon., n.d. Assam handicrafts. [Online] Available at: http://www.incredible-northeastindia.com/assam/art-handicrafts.html Anon., n.d. Assam Handicrafts. [Online] Available at: https://www.camelcraft.com/assam-handicrafts.html Anon., n.d. National Parks in Assam. [Online] Available at: https://www.globaltourismindia.com/blog/top-5-national-parks-in-assam.html Assam, G. o., n.d. Cultures of Assam. [Online] Available at: https://assam.gov.in/en/main/CULTURE%20OF%20ASSAM Assam, G. o., n.d. festivals of Assam. [Online] Available at: https://culturalaffairs.assam.gov.in/frontimpotentdata/festivals-of-assam Assam, G. o., n.d. National Parks. [Online] Available at: https://assam.gov.in/en/main/NATIONAL%20PARKS Das, M. A., 2019. Deputy General Manager, NEDFI [Interview] (2 December 2019). Das, M. A., 2019. Format for estimation of Water hyacinth training 10 days, Guwhati: NEDFI. Dutta, M. K., 2017. Paani Meteka Shilpa - Prashikshanar Hatputhi. [Online] Available at: https://www.asomi.biz/wp-content/uploads/book/handbook.pdf
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