Weaving a livelihood in Nagaland: Valuing skills and knowledge of rural women

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Oct. 15 (EMN): Stating that town dwellers are inclined to believe that they are better than their counterparts from the rural areas, Theyiesinuo Keditsu, Assistant Professor of Kohima College, insisted on dismantling the idea that equates ‘rural’ with poverty and deprivation.

She made the remark on the occasion of International Day of Rural Women on Saturday, in Kohima.

The event was organised by the North East Network with Nenterprise Chizami Weaves in the form of ‘Tapestry’, an exhibition and sale of natural fibres, featuring indigenous craft communities like Li Cheh Kro Weavers Producer Company Ltd., Zapami Thebvo Weavers Collective, Meluri Cotton Producer Collective, and Khumiasu Cotton Producer Collective.

‘Urban dwellers have that mentality that villagers can do it even without basic facilities. But this is the idea that we have to dismantle- the idea that somehow equates rural with poverty and deprivation is debilitating not only to the people in rural areas but also to the people from urban areas who benefit from rural labour and knowledge,’ she said.

In order to work together as rural and urban communities, it involves challenging the mindset that poverty is equated with rural existence, she added.

In the meantime, she said the people from rural areas also must be aware of their rights.

‘If the road condition is bad, they should voice out and demand for good roads. If there are no healthcare facilities, it is their right to demand it and the government must give it to the rural people,’ she asserted.

The professor then called upon the town dwellers to respect the knowledge and skills of the rural people.

“It important for the people now to look at indigenous rural work and knowledge with respect. Is it possible for us to respect and look at their knowledge and skills anew, not as backward traditional relics that have no relevance in modern existence but as knowledge that will actually ensure the survival of us as a people in the days to come?” she asked.

She also told women to respect their own work.

Rural women and their skills

Speaking about livelihood through weaving, she said that does not mean a bare minimum.

“Weavers were the first working women because they were the ones who were the first women in the Naga traditional communities who could bring independent income outside of their families and their agricultural practices,” she reasoned.

She went on to point out that ‘educated’ people are still operating with a limited knowledge of third world economics where one thinks in terms of discounts and quantity.

“However, the point is not to sell so many products but to rebrand products so that rural weavers can earn exorbitant amounts of money with limited produce. If we can rebrand these goods and present them as luxury goods, the work is done,” Keditsu said.

The skills and knowledge of rural women are not only to be respected but also rewarded, to the extent that they can earn real livelihoods, she added.

The professor also lamented the attitude of the young generation of devaluing weaving skills and called for a change of such mentality.

Neitshopeu Thopi, Coordinator of Nenterprise Chizami Weaves, said the main objective of the enterprise is to revive and sustain traditional knowledge on natural dyes and fibres, with special focus on traditional cotton.

‘It aims to give identity to traditional cotton and women weavers and SHGs associated with cotton processing and weaving. It also supports traditional textile livelihoods through skill enhancement training, product design development, marketing linkage, and building self-reliant producer institutions, Thopi said.

Speaking further on the journey of local cotton, she said the first phase started off in 2018 with marketing and documentation. ‘It was followed by the second phase in 2019 — the plantation and yarn production. Development of products was the main focus in the third phase in 2021. Finally, in 2022 (phase 4), they are able to market their produce’.

‘We are able to launch them today after four years,’ she informed.

She added that they have plans to standardise their products in the coming days.

Since making it is a tedious process, she said they are exploring machinery to ease the workload of the weavers.

Nenterprise Chizami Weaves promotes natural fibre products with special focus on local cotton, organically grown and hand-made, in collaboration with cotton producer collectives from Chizami area, Meluri and Khumiasu.