It's that dark time of year again, where the sun sets early and the temperature can be quite cold, especially at night. This year, we've had several weeks of beautiful weather and little rain (worrisome for the dry summer and fall seasons ahead). The sun is welcome but not very warm, so inside projects and activities still have greater appeal. Over the years, one of those indoor activities has been to watch winter movies, typically with plants as the movie stars (we've seen a whole range of movies that fit that criteria). Last year we watched the documentary Tana Bana Wisdom of the Loom, by Maiwa Productions.
This winter we are watching the documentary Through the Eye of a Needle: Stories from an Indian Desert, also by Maiwa Productions. A login is required (create a free account), and then scroll to the bottom of Free Lessons & Documentaries). This documentary focuses on embroidery and its use to embellish fabric clothing and objects. It is also a success story about an embroidery collective in India, which has benefited women and their communities economically, and has distributed their legacy designs and skills to the world.
The documentary introduces the Kutch desert in Western India, which is a dry, treeless area where nomadic tribes live and to which people have migrated due to political unrest and natural disasters. Despite the desolate area and harsh conditions, the tribal groups have a rich culture and embroidery is one of their art forms. Embroidered pieces are used as clothing, dowry pieces, gifts to kings, and a type of insurance policy that can be sold in times of hardship. Many of the embroidery artisans are members of the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan co-operative (KMVS), which is a rural development project designed to connect tribal communities. The tribes work together and collectively set standards of quality, maintain traditions, ensure quality, provide business training, and build confidence in the artisans. Members vote on the direction the group takes, and share in the profits.
The documentary was made between 2002-2003 and used as part of a museum exhibit at the Vancouver Museum along with beautiful examples of traditional and modern embroidery. I was especially interested to see the intricate embroidery templates used to convey the designs, and the beautiful embroidered pieces produced from the designs. Thanks to KMVS, the artisans produce high-quality results, are encouraged to produce indigenous designs, and are taken seriously and compensated fairly. Additionally, artisans are able to work from home, helping to ensure income despite external hardships, and to pass knowledge to the next generation. KMVS is a testament to the collective power of co-operatives to support artisans and their communities.
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