Tata Steel Foundation promotes age-old tribal weaving techniques

jamshedpur: Weavers from across the country came together to unfold the legacy and significance of the rich skill and craft of tribal weaving techniques.

As many as 37 weavers from six states gathered at the Tribal Culture Centre here to work towards the preservation and revival of weaving traditions and handloom in a five-day long weavers’ residency that concluded here today.

The weavers hailing from 10 tribal communities have collaborated to create unique pieces of fabric that reflect 13 weaving techniques that have been prevalent in India since years.

The weavers having an established body of work and a practice that reflects and incorporates the meaning and outreach of weaving techniques used to develop complex narratives came up with innovative identity patterns in their fabrics.

A curated piece of fabric, woven together by all different weavers from across India, was one of the notable outcomes of the residency. A number of interesting workshops on Toda embroidery, Dongria and Durua weaves, Santhal and Bonda weaves were conducted. A workshop on co-creating with nature, natural dye and weaving engaged the weavers in an intriguing session.

An immersive experience interwoven with cross-learning among the weavers and an attempt to map cultural identities through the act of weaving marked the residency.

Tribal Identity forms an integral pillar of engagement for the Foundation and one of the major elements that weave into this is Samvaad, an ecosystem to bring together tribal communities from across the world to discuss and develop solutions to their development challenges. The residency was a part of the yearlong narrative planned for Samvaad 2022.

In November, 2021, an eight-day tribal artisans’ residency was also hosted where artisans from across the country, participated to create canvases that were one-of-its-kind. During the residency, canvases consisting of 11 tribal art forms were made by 21 tribal artists from 9 tribes who participated from 7 states. Each canvas drew inspiration from within the confines of nature and brought onto the canvas during the Art Residency organized by the Tata Steel Foundation