Preserving the heritage : a case study of handicrafts of Sindh (Pakistan)

Abstract

Sindh is known the world over for its various handicrafts and arts. Sindh has a rich heritage of traditional handicraft that has evolved over the centuries. The work of Sindhi artisans was sold in ancient markets of Armenia, Baghdad, Basra, Istanbul, Cairo and Samarkand. The diverse Sindhi cultures, lifestyles, traditions as well as geographical conditions have influenced Sindhi art, and for over a century handicrafts have been a source of pride and a livelihood for the people of Sindh. ‘What we know of customs, beliefs and culture of man throughout centuries, has came to us from surviving works of arts and crafts which lie scattered like a crystal bowl thrown on marble. One has to collect particularly these stray pieces to study and to know how arts and crafts developed in a particular era.

Sindh has a rich heritage of traditional handicraft that has evolved over the centuries. Perhaps the most professed exposition of Sindhi culture is in the handicrafts of Hala, a town some 30 kilometres from Hyderabad. Hala’s artisans are manufacturing high quality and impressively priced wooden handicrafts, textiles, paintings, handmade paper products, blue pottery, etc. Lacquered wood works known as Jandi, painting on wood, tiles, and pottery known as Kashi, hand woven textiles including Khadi, Susi, and Ajrak are synonymous with Sindhi culture preserved in Hala’s handicraft. However, with the passage of time the quality of craftsmanship has been diminishing. The value chain has been infringed and the traditional sense of handicrafts has disappeared. This sector is in dire need o f development and promotion in order to revive the culture and art of the Pakistani heritage.

Lack of patronage, impact of modern manufactures, change in tastes, paucity of raw materials, and failure to channel the traditional forms and designs into modern tastes have been the main factors contributing to the set back suffered by the traditional arts and crafts. Conservatism of the artisan and craftsman to stick to the traditional forms and designs, however, need not be disparaged. It has been as much an asset as a liability. But for his tenacity, the traditional designs might have been entirely lost. While new designs and forms conforming to modern taste need to be introduced, the traditional design motif must be preserved. It is more important to improve the technique and method of production, rather than replace the traditional designs with the modern one.

Traditional crafts are endangered. The attention focused on craft today attests that we recognize this fact. Artisans struggle to earn wages that may not even equal those of manual labour. The social status of the artisan is still sadly low. Moreover, the social mobility of artisans is limited by chronically low levels of education; and the perceived irrelevance of the education available perpetuates the status quo. A spectrum of Government offices programmes and schemes, as well as non-government organizations are trying many ways to save traditional crafts. There are various forms of subsidy, bazaars and fairs organized for marketing, awards, and seminars to raise awareness and respect. But something is not working. To foster genuine sustainability, to restore the vitality of traditional craft, these issues must be addressed by artisans themselves.

Realising these needs of the cottage industry, Aik Hunar, Aik Nagar (AHAN) [One Village, One Product], a non-profit organization, is working towards removing barriers faced by poor artisans and craftsman in rural areas. Primary objective of this project is to alleviate poverty in rural and semi-urban areas of Pakistan by supporting rural micro and small enterprises engaged in non-farm products. Thus, AHAN aims at providing the much needed non traditional work opportunities in rural areas by adopting and indigenizing the One Village One Product concept. AHAN Project was formally initiated in July 2006 after its approval by the Planning Commission. During a short period of one year it has actively started work in all four provinces in collaboration with Provincial / District Governments, RSPs, Microfinance Institutions and other stakeholders. The project has adopted two pronged approach. On the one hand it has started pilot projects in different clusters of artisans and poor producer groups while on the other hand it has also started research and analysis exercise to discover the potential in this area and to see how a long term strategy can be developed for creating sustainable income generation opportunities to a large segment of our society living in rural, semi urban and small cities and towns of Pakistan.

Artisans are surely a country's valuable asset. They work with devotion, and they must not be forced to walk away in search of greener pastures. The government must provide their craft a flourishing market, national as well as international. Bangladesh has made a village for the artisans where 4000 of them are living, working and exporting handicrafts, and prospering. I suggest that, we need a model like Art and Craft Village or Dilli Haat (see in last chapter) in Karachi also, which can boost up the economy of the artisans and respectively for country. Fairs and exhibition on yearly basis are good for the encouragement but not enough for the artisan’s better financial condition. By having a model like Dilli Haat in a cosmopolitan city of Karachi, will provide a permanent place for the crafts persons to exhibit their masterpieces. It would be easier for the Sindhi artisans to come to Karachi to exhibit and gain profit, it may take time to establish , but sooner the better because already we are losing international market , so to revive and handicraft culture and promote our artisans locally and abroad government have to start working on this very project. The flood in 2010 has caused huge destruction to the houses and workshops of people, they are left with no money and no place to live, the only thing they have with them is there craft and with it they sure can live and built everything that, they have lost, but only if they get appropriate support and mostly financial help by the government and other organizations, which has been given at some levels but it is very small, it needed to be on big scale in order to save this intangible heritage.