IndiaPost.com - Woven into Indian culture

India Post News Service

Instead of a Pravasi, this week we introduce to readers a "pardesi" who came to India and was conquered. Judy Frater, a student from Pennsylvania came to India in 90s as part of the Dastakar Project in Kutch, Gujarat.

She was intrigued as well as mesmerized by the embroideries of Kutch. And her association with craftsmen from Kutch was accidental and a result of series of events. Gujarat quake and modern competition of art and machines made her sit and think what is the point being just a student as well as a mere witness to what is happening to these precious arts.

Judy joined hands with a bunch of humble craftsmen who wanted to work and let these traditional arts and crafts sustain the market. That's how "Kala Raksha" (art preservation) was conceived. This project began in Kutch in 1991and it was an interlink of preservation of age-old traditions and income generation via contemporary work. Judy has never left India since.

Sumrasar Sheikh, a village 25 km north of Bhuj has the Center which is modular, comprising separate "bhungo" units arranged with local landscaping to create a living-scale, inviting atmosphere. The Trust aims to preserve traditional arts of the region by making them culturally and economically viable. Trust activities are artisan driven.

Without artisans there can be no traditional arts. As far as possible, positions from office managers, to coordinators to tailors are drawn from the immediate local communities. The Trust provides training as needed to make this possible. Kala Raksha began with the understanding that the first priorities of village people are earning a fair wage and having a steady income.

But income generation alone does not constitute development. People must learn how to use their income. First and foremost, they must become aware of their choices and their capability of making decisions. Kala Raksha is working toward self determination, step by step.

All artisans participate in determining their wages. Artisan Trustees help determine Trust operations. Of late it has been decided that adequate health care is the next priority. The Preventive Health Care Program began in 1997.

The primary focus of the program is nutrition and hygiene. Goals established are- creation of an effective patient-doctor system, awareness of Nutrition and Hygiene, ability to be responsible for health of self and family, knowledge of body systems and critical symptoms. Baseline surveys were conducted to ascertain the existing situation and belief systems.

A curriculum relevant to the artisans was developed, and weekly education programs were conducted to raise consciousness among artisans. Today, the program continues to function on a weekly basis in nine of the villages in which Kala Raksha works.

Specialist doctors are called upon to present programs explaining body systems and related problems, and to examine producer group members and their families. For example, eyes have been given special care and spectacles provided when needed.

Kala Raksha's basic education program originally focused on literacy, utilizing a Shiksha Karmi approach: readying local people to work with their neighbors as teachers. Local teachers were identified and trained in an innovative practical program called "Learning for Earning," at Jiva Institute in Faridabad.

After three years of training, the local teachers have gained poise and confidence. Artisan producer groups have achieved a level of literacy which they deem as adequate to their needs. In her paper on "Rabari" embroidery, Judy says, "We have succeeded in the transition from tradition to profession. Crafts have become viable, both economically and culturally.

Women are earning fair wages for their art, and also respect." Whatever Judy has achived, in turn, has helped in a successful revival of rich crafts of our country and we can safely say that she is a "Daring Pardesi". A league that is ahead of its times and shuns geographical parameters and cultural boundaries.