A lesson in weaving: Students try their hand at traditional crafts

ISLAMABAD: Ayesha Siddiqa, a seventh grader from Islamabad Model College for Girls G-6/1, visited Lok Virsa on Monday as part of a one week course on ‘Weaving: Engagement with Artisans’.

The course is part of a series of programmes titled ‘Craft of the Month’, which is a one-year programme that focuses on a particular craft every month. The programme aims to promote traditional crafts and provide children with an opportunity to engage with Pakistan’s cultural heritage.

“I am very interested in stitching and other household work, so when the Lok Virsa team approached my school, I decided to participate in the event because it provided me with the opportunity to see a weaving machine,” Ms Siddiqa told Dawn.

“I’m sure after a week I will know much more about how cloth is made. Right now I know about tana bana, which is when two threads are used to make cloth,” she said.

The 13-year-old said she particularly enjoyed the inaugural ceremony and the folk dance performances.

“My father is a government employee and I have two brothers as well – I’m going to tell them about the weaving,” she said.

Another student, Iqra Javed, said participating in the event not only taught her more about weaving but also allowed her to explore other parts of the museum.

Lok Virsa executive director Dr Fouzia Saeed said the theme of the inaugural ceremony was peace, love, unity and harmony. She said the programme’s activities and presentations are also based on these ideals.

“It is an experiment of sowing the seeds of pluralistic society in our younger generation,” she said. She explained that, during the courses, artisans not only showcase their skills, but also provide children with mentoring and materials for them to experiment with the medium.

“I’m sure the new generation will take care of our country in the future and make it a truly pluralistic society where people of all cultures, languages and traditions living in Pakistan will fully own each other as valued Pakistani citizens,” Ms Saeed said.

Around 50 students between six and 14, from various schools and colleges under the Federal Directorate of Education’s (FDE) control are participating in the programme.

Among the artisans involved in training the students are Pari Babi, from a remote village in Badin, Sindh who practices the dying farasi (traditional floor rugs) craft and Shah Behram, an established taghar (floor rug) weaver from the remote Tank area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A number of people, including students and the families of participating children and art and craft enthusiasts attended the inaugural ceremony.

Students from Islamabad Model College for Girls G-6/1-4 and Islamabad Model School for Girls G-6/1-3 presented anthems at the ceremony. Certificated were also awarded to the 45 participants of the previous, ‘Doll Making’ programme, which included students from the Islamabad Model School for Girls G-6/1-3, the Islamabad Model School for Boys G-6/1-2 and various centres of the Directorate General for Special Education.

The weaving programme will run from 10am to 5pm daily, and admission is free.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2015