Manipur Women Bamboo and Weaving Products hit market in Delhi

New Delhi, 1st December 2015

Manipur Women Weavers Products at Nature Bazaar - Photo by CAFI

Manipur Women Survivors Exquisite Bamboo and Weaving Products hit market in Delhi

Control Arms Foundation of India along with Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network organised successfully two exhibitions in Delhi. The first exhibition was held as a part of Women of India Exhibition organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India from 12th November to 23rd November at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi.

After the successful completion of Dilli Haat Exhibition, the second exhibition started from November 25th to November 30th at Nature Bazaar, New Delhi. This exhibition was a part of 22nd Annual Nature Bazaar which was organised by Dastakaar, a non-government organisation, in association with Delhi Tourism, Government of Delhi.

In Nature Bazaar over 100 craft groups, small producers & designers showcased a wide range of hand-crafted lifestyle accessories, striking metal crafts, intricately carved decorative home furnishings, pottery, basketry, leather products, traditional paintings, an array of hand-woven textiles and much more from across India.

In these two exhibitions, some of the products displayed by women weavers are enaphi (a shawl wrapped around the shoulders), phanek (wrap/sarong), Kuki Shawls, Khamthang Shawl, Silk Dupatta and leiroom (a hand-woven scarf used on ceremonial occasions). A large selection of bamboo products like lamps, trays, holders and baskets were displayed, as are products from different ethnicities of Manipur.

Also, six women artisans from Manipur namely Ms Arambam Bijaya, Ms Domneilhing, Ms Sinam Debala Devi, Ms. Nengneilam Haokip, Ms. T. Muithang, and Ms. Kongkham Prabavati Devi came to Delhi to showcase their products and to explore and connect with urban market.

Manipur Women Weavers Products at Nature Bazaar - Photo by CAFI

This is the first time when women survivors’ products have been brought to the market in Delhi. The products on display have been made using the traditional skills combined with the design sensibilities of the organisations, including RangSutra and E’thaan Design Studios, which trained the women artisans.

"We were first trained and later made the prototypes. We were given the layout for the motifs after seeing which we reproduced the designs," said 38-year-old Arambam Bijaya, a woman survivor who is a weaver trained as Crafts Manager.

According to Ms Binalakshmi Nepram, founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, “the objective of the exhibition was to take the beautiful arts and crafts of women of Manipur and Northeast India to a larger audience and in long run bring peace to the Northeast region. Manipur in spite of having skilled artisans in the handicraft sector, many women remain poor as they do not have any link to the domestic and international markets. This is a humble initiative by Control Arms Foundation of India and Manipur Women Gun Survivors to provide livelihood and act as a healing touch to the fractured lives of women and children so that their lives can go on with a new found courage”.

The courage that enabled to do the work came with support from UNDP (United Nations Development Program) India and NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach). NECTAR is an autonomous society, set up under Department of Science & Technology, Government of India with its headquarter at Shillong, Meghalaya.

Bamboo and Weaving Products Exhibition at Dilli Haat - Photo by CAFI

Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and Control Arms Foundation of India was formed in 2004, to help women whose lives have been changed dramatically by violence in Northeast India particularly Manipur; to find solutions to end the ongoing violence and to provide a space for women to take a leading role in gender sensitive peace and security advocacy efforts.

The Network has been working in 300 villages with women survivors of violence mostly widows, that belongs to the most vulnerable and marginalized section of both hills and valleys of Manipur mostly widows. In 2014 alone, Manipur recorded a total of 20,000 registered widows. The network is providing humanitarian and livelihood support in varied ways by imparting trainings, capacity building and handholding for the last 7 years.

For more information, please contact:
Office of Control Arms Foundation of India & Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network
B 5 / 146, First Floor, Safdarjung Enclave,
New Delhi - 110 029, India,
Website: www.cafi-online.org,
Phone: +91-11-46018541, Fax: +91-11-26166234

Langthabal Mantrikhong,
Thong Ahanbi, Old Palace Road,
Imphal West, Manipur
E-mail- reenamutum(aT)gmail(doT)com,
Website: www.womensurvivorsnetwork.org