The Essence of Eco Crafts Bazaar :: 2011
- Creations Society for Handicrafts and Goodwill, Imphal -

Somorendro Huidrom *

The 5th Eco Crafts Bazaar opened its doors to the public from 30th March at Nyokum Lapang, Itanagar and will continue till 8th April 2011 with a stunning range of handicrafted items to entice patrons into parting with some of their hard earned money.

The bazaar, which is in its consecutive 5th year, provides a platform for primary and economically underprivileged crafters/weavers to sell and display their work, exposed to new /larger audience and each items is subjected to a strictly handmade and with minimal use of machines and carefully selected which ensures that the craft is of high quality and that there are new items to choose from, as well as old favourites.

This is an initiative and social entrepreneurial venture of Creations Society for Handicrafts and Goodwill, Imphal, Manipur with collaboration and support from the Government of India, Ministry of Textiles, O/o the Development Commissioner ( Handicrafts ) New Delhi having its Marketing and Service Extension Centre, in Itanagar. This is a project under their marketing scheme.

With the help of the Ministry, the organisation has been supporting large clusters of individual artisans as well as Self Help Groups in various other programs especially Skill Upgradation Training, New Design Development, Technological interventions, Cluster development programs, innovative and entrepreneurship development programs, Research and Development and various welfare interventions like facilitating credit and fund flow, artisanal insurance schemes etc.

This is one such Marketing Scheme/platform which has helped the artisans not only in the sale of the products but also to create awareness and popularization of various crafts to the consumers and craftsmen alike and also to determine future market demands. It further helps them in incorporating better designs and also in improving productivity.

The earlier 4 editions of Ecocrafts Bazar were held at Imphal ( 2 times) and Twice at Central Library Shillong. It was a successful venture and this year, Itanagar was choosen as a venue as our organisation was convinced that the artisans would be benefited and we will have the opportunity to learn and know ourselves, our place and our region better. Such kind of gesture will always improve the inter state relations and improves connectivity as stated by Shri. D.K. Dinglow, Director, Youth Affairs and Sports, Arunachal Pradesh, during his speech at the Inauguration function.

The 10 days event brings together, 150 artisans, most of them are women, including State awardees and National awardees. And 70% of the total participants are from Manipur. Few Artisans from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam are also taking part in the Ecocraft Bazaar reflecting their fine tradition of artistic Craftsmanship.

10-15 Artisans have demonstrated their art of craftsmanship in regular intervals with an aim to sensitize and create awareness of the crafts at the same time adding value to the visitors.

The ecofriendly handicrafted items like Kauna craft ( products made from water reed grass), Cane and Bamboo masks, basketries, flower vases, furnitures, Tribal Jwelleries, Dry flowers, Handloom Dress materials, Mekhala chadars, bed sheets, table linen, Dolls and Toys ( Lai phadibi ), Pottery items, Wooden handicrafts and hosts of other miscellaneous crafts are being exhibited.

Some of the items displayed are very unique having its socio cultural significance. Shaphee Lanphee, for instance is a craft, which assumed importance as symbol of status and privileged honour accorded by the royalty. The Shawl is regarded as a symbolic of the high weaving talents and artistic sense of the people.

Kauna craft is a craft made from Kauna, a type of reed available in wetlands, is one of the most popular and sought after craft of Manipur. This craft form is equally very popular in South East Asian Countries particularly Thailand and Philipines. The craft alone is very huge having a workforce of more than 50,000 artisans in various parts of Manipur. Traditionally, it was used for making only mats of different sizes. However, recently, many innovative and sophisticated items are being made out of it.

There is an emergence of new set of market and graph has definitely shown an increase in demand of the cushions, fancy bags and other utility items which fetches 100% sales in almost all the fairs participated.

Meitei Kitchen Knives are unique in itself and very user friendly. Likewise, some of the products are designer stuffs having export potentials, designed intricately by the designers and given shape to by the participating artisans themselves.

This 5th Ecocrafts Bazar is determined to be a success. No doubt, the footfall at the exhibition in the initial 2-3 days have been very unappreciative and artisans are helpless but to hope and pray for the positive developments in the days to come. What will happen tomorrow is also simply doubtful and unpredictable.

However, we are taking one day at a time and making all out efforts to woo and attract visitors by way of placing advts, press release, multicolour posters, distribution/insertion of leaflets in the newspapers through hawkers, mass SMS’s and hosts of other on spot publicities and attractions. The efforts have yielded positive change by way of receiving more and more visitors and revenues to the participating artisans.

However, No doubt there were numbers of issues or problems associated with organizing such kind of event in a total unfamiliar territory.

The monsoon, water scarcity, isolation of the venue from main city centre and other administrative complexities like Inner line permit etc., further added on the woes of the organisors. But at the brighter side, there is some visible change in the last 2 days that the ecocraft has been receiving more and more focused and determined consumers who freely interacted with the artisans and encouraged them by their goodwill and hospitable gestures. The people of Itanagar has been quite supportive, simple, adventurous and art loving. This is evident from the way they have been supporting us in this maiden venture.

It is quite encouraging to see the artistic talents of Arunachalis who express their sense of aesthetics' in their work of weaving, painting, pottery, smithy work, basket making etc.in various hues and shades. However, I feel there are lots of things can also be taken up for the development of these Artisans. Non Govenmental Organisations, Apex Handicraft bodies or Corporations etc., can make use of various schemes/programs of the O/o the Development Commissioner ( Handicrafts),Ministry of Textiles, Government of India to further develop and nurture their Skills and for the long term socio economic development of the artisans.

The organisation is motivated and is contemplating to organize the similar kind of event in Arunachal Pradesh again, in the same year may be in a different venue like Tawang, during the Budha Mahotsav with the collaboration of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

Having been experienced and been exposed to many scenarios here, I feel we can create a fabulous and eye catching fair next time with lot of fun, food and frolic backed by cultural performances. It is further planned to conduct Craft related seminars with aim to create socio-economic and intellectual impacts to the people of artisans of NE Region as a whole and Arunachal Pradesh in specific, the land of rising sun and veritable treasure house of nature.

The Eco Craft Bazaar is open until Friday the 8th of April 2011 from 10am to 7pm.



See a Photo Gallery on this event here.

( The article was published in Arunachal Times, daily newspaper, on this day, the 6th of April 2011)