From Fibre to Thread: The Journey Of Indigenous Wool
It is phenomenal how what is abandoned by the sheep, becomes supremely resourceful for the human
Why indigenous wool?
Since the existence of mankind, humans and sheep have co-evolved to support each other in harsh climatic conditions. Eventually, pastoralism naturally fostered in India because one-third of the Indian terrain is semi-arid. These pastoralists nurtured special animal breeds that are resilient and have very light footprints on the earth. They are invaluable in arid regions as they conserve and sustain local ecosystems.
Importance of local wool economy
Native artisans and indigenous pastoral communities from Kutch, Gujarat became an integral part of this ecosystem. Artisans worked with hair and wool to create objects of great elegance. Till date, these generations-old craft practices are codependent and co-exist with the local ecology, environment and pastoral communities. These interlinked production systems have come under threat due to extensive industrialization.
The story of Desi Wool
Currently, It is a cycle of neglect by markets, herders, and policymakers alike that threatens the loss of a treasure trove of genetic resources. Such production systems, if revived, can employ millions in rural India. They can also be at the forefront of shifts towards green-production. Let’s delve into the story of Desi Wool.
Close-up of a sheep by Ishaan RaghunandanKhamir
The use of indigenous wool
gave birth to a resilient ecosystem in Kutch
The wool ecosystem engaged artisans such as the spinners, weavers, dyers, felting artisans and embroiderers along with the herders to create a cohesive local value chain. Let us take you through the self-reliant and self-sufficient value chain of the indigenous communities - the Rabaris and the artisans.
Wool processing:
Shearing of sheep by adept shearers by Living LightlyKhamir
Pastoralist and sheep during the season of shearing
The wool value chain begins from pre-processing of wool fibre
Close-up of the sheep's body during shearing by Living LightlyKhamir
Shearing of sheep for their well-being
Every year before the rains and after the harvest in October, the sheep have to be sheared for their well-being. The Maldharis (pastoralists) call for competent shearers who have the know-how and expertise in shearing the sheep without nicking, cutting or otherwise harming them.
Undyed, raw indigenous wool by Aishwarya MaheshwariKhamir
Wool needs special rigorous processing
Pre-processing of fibre is the foundation on which every great piece of textile stands on, and it all starts with a sound shower of the sheep! A vigorous bath washes the sheep clean and makes it easier for bands of itinerant shearers to harvest the wool.
Two Patanwadi sheep grazing in the grasslands by Ishaan RaghunandanKhamir
Pastoralists must shear sheep seasonally
It is crucial to sheep’s health and comfort. The unshorn wool can increase the risk for skin disease or parasites and may also impede their movement and vision.
Close-up of the sheep's body during shearing by Living LightlyKhamir
Wool is given to spinners after shearing
Sometimes, even when there is no market for wool or the market value of wool is insignificant, the herders still pay to shear their sheep for the healthy life of their animal.
Wool, shorn twice a year, is sorted by colour and length, and then handed to spinners.
Punification: A Rabari hand-spinner cards raw wool for hand-spinning by Pratishtha ChhetriKhamir
Rabari hand-spinner cards indigenous wool
The Rabari spinners card the raw wool to conclude the pre-processing of raw wool. They pluck on clumps of fibres to align them in a single direction. This arrangement is known as Puni.
Punification: A Rabari hand-spinner cards raw wool for hand-spinning by Pratishtha ChhetriKhamir
Puni-fication of fibres completes the pre-processing cycle
Spinners hold one puni at a time and spin them into yarn.
Puni: a traditional term for a bunch of hand-cleaned and hand-carded fibres. They are analogous to slivers in a mill spinning system.
Charkha and Hand-spinning:
Maldhari pastoralist performs takli spinning by Pratishtha ChhetriKhamir
The Story of Spinning
Spinning is the art of twisting and turning fibres into yarn. The first instance of spinning is about 9,000-10,000 years old, using drop spindles.
A rabari woman spins indigenous wool on her charkha by Aishwarya MaheshwariKhamir
The charkha began to be used widely since 500 AD
The charkha revolutionised spinning and opened a sea of possibilities. Today, most hand-spinners use a charkha.
Yarn in a container by Pratishtha ChhetriKhamir
Variations in yarn texture
The Rabari men and women of pastoral communities in Kutch have always spun wool. They are experts in achieving the fine balance of twist and draw to produce a variety of low/high twist & thick/thin yarn.
A hand-spinner spins desi oon fibre into yarn by Ishaan RaghunandanKhamir
Hand-spinning is therapeutic
The Rabari women use the charkha to spin. The rhythmic rotation of the charkha accompanied by the nimble draw of fibres is meditative for the spinners.
Jaggabhai, a Maldhari, explains his life story while hand spinning local sheep wool by Pratishtha ChhetriKhamir
The herdsmen of Kutch practice drop-spindle/ takli spinning
Jaggabhai, a Maldhari, explains his life story while hand spinning local sheep wool
Tools for drop-spindle spinning/ Takli spinning by KhamirKhamir
Takli-Spinning only requires a large pebble & a wooden stick
...lying in the Maldhari pastoralist's path while herding! The thread, stone and small wooden stick are used by Maldhari pastoralists to hand spin yarn while herding
Pastoralists with their life-long companions take shelter at a rural farm by Pratishtha ChhetriKhamir
Both sheep and camel herdsmen spin at all times
The Maldhari pastoralists spin while taking it easy under a tree, ambling with the assembly of their animals...
Spin along the way!
...Or they spin while being harried and hurried by headstrong ones in the herd!
Maldhari Rabari pastoralists on the move by Living LightlyKhamir
Maldhari Rabari pastoralists on the move
Western Rajasthan and the salt plains of Kutch have had a rich pastoral culture, as herding has been a major livelihood for centuries for Maldhari pastoralists who reared cows, buffaloes, camels, sheep, and goats.
Camels: Camels and camel herders in the deep jungles of Kutch by Ishaan RaghunandanKhamir
Maldhari Ranabhai with his camel
Camels had a significant role in trade when camels and carts were the only means of transport across these deserts.
A ply-split braided tang along with tabaria-wana
During that time, camel girths or tangs were extensively made and used for support. With hair from camels and goats, the Maldharis devised a unique braiding technique to make tangs called ply split. With ply split braiding, a plied rope is threaded in through itself.
Camels: A ply-split braided tang along with tabaria-wana around the udder worn by a camel by Ishaan RaghunandanKhamir
Maldhari uses Tabaria-wana to cover camel's udder
The Tabaria wana is made with sheep and camel hair yarn. The Maldharis hand-spin the yarn through takli-spinnning.
Camels: Ranabhai, a pastoralist, holds a hand-woven Tabaria-wana by Ishaan RaghunandanKhamir
Tabaria-wana is hand-woven where the body works as the loom
The weaving of the Tabaria-wana is set up solely using the body as a loom, as each part of the body becomes tools of a loom, no other external tool is used to create a Tabaria-wana.
A herder is always on the move. In earlier times, making tang was a creative pastime for Maldharis while their camels grazed. One of the camel herders evokes a fitting image of the tang:
“It touches my chest as it hangs from my shoulder to my heart while I braid my tang. After it is made, I tie it around the heart of my camel. So it ties my heart to the camel’s."
Traditional Ludi Bandhani of Rabaris by Aishwarya MaheshwariKhamir
Rabaris kept good quality wool for personal utilities
Back in time, the Rabari community segregated sheep that produced good quality wool in the herd and bred them separately for home consumption. This beautiful Ludi (shawl) is made out of various different Kutchi crafts: Hand-spun wool, handloom weaving, dyeing, bandhani and embroidery
Close-up of a rabari spinner's veil by Aishwarya MaheshwariKhamir
Traditional veil of Rabari women
They utilised the better quality wool to get their traditional attire and shawls woven. The Rabari women wear a woollen veil all through-out the year. They collect and spin wool to give it to weavers, who create these veils and further send it to the Khatri community for the traditional Bandhani motifs on the veil
Hand-spinning has been ubiquitous in India
...so has been the charkha. Its universal acceptance and usage made it apt as a tool of national integration. The humble charkha ended up being a mighty weapon in Gandhiji’s arsenal.
Charkha: A symbol of self-reliance
The charkha has become a symbol of self-reliance for rural women as they get a chance to work from their homes and earn a livelihood.
The Desi Oon Initiative
The Desi Oon (Indigenous Wool) Initiative has emerged out of the need to conserve and promote this sustainable wool textile value chain. This indigenous production system can help preserve the ancient heritage breeds and pastoral & artisan livelihoods in India.
About Khamir
KHAMIR is a non-profit organisation based in Kutch, Gujarat that works to preserve and promote crafts practices. Khamir's philosophy is on nurturing indigenous ecosystems, skills, raw materials and artisan capacities to promote resilient, self-sustaining economies in arid and semi-arid regions.
Indigenous wool of Kutch
Kutch with its large sheep and camel population had always had a ready supply of wool. Men and the women of herding families spun wool into yarn and handed it to artisans to make versatile wool-crafts.
Preservation of local ecosystems
Khamir hopes that the story of indigenous wool and well-designed hand-crafted woollen products will help sway consumer preferences and open them to accepting indigenous wool in their households and closets to promote ethical consumerism and preserve these local ecosystems.
Online curation mentor: Meera Goradia
Text: Khamir Team
Photography and video: Ishaan Raghunandan, Pratishtha Chhetri and Aishwarya Maheshwari
Artisans: Rabari Jaggabhai, Rabari Harkuben, Veerjibhai, Ranabhai, Laljibhai Dikha Vankar
Khamir Team: Sushma Iyengar, Durgalakshmi Venkataswamy, Meera Goradia, Ghatit Laheru, Paresh Mangaliya, Tanveen Ratti, Ranabhai Vankar, Pratap Chavda, Saumya Singh, Khyati Vinod, Shinjini Kotia, Shouryamoy Das, Shabri Wable, Aishwarya Maheshwari
Online exhibit curation: Aishwarya Maheshwari
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