My passion for India developed many years ago when backpacking was all the trend. The vibrancy, colour and incredible inspiration of the people of India captured my heart. I have been many times since that first trip and most recently I spent five months working with an NGO (non-governmental organization) in a workshop which supports tribal adivasi women from the surrounding jungle about 2 hours n
orth of Mumbai. In that five months, I mentored and trained them in sewing, embroidery and weaving. I focused on finding their strengths and worked on improving their weaknesses and honing their skills so that the products would be acceptable for the western market. I found the women inspirational and extremely intelligent with great colour sense and a willingness to learn. Most of them had hardly any education, as educating women in India is not encouraged by families, husbands and inlaws. When returning to Australia I felt that I needed to expand this relationship and include other NGO’s in supporting and empowering women. I am in awe of their ability to weave, embroider, print and do many other skills. Some of these skills have been passed down through the generations and recently have been in threat of being lost due to big business and the introduction of the power loom, which in small village without power makes their livelihood obsolete. I have signed many petitions to ensure that these artisans continue doing their wonderful work. The pride that I see in their eyes and the work that they produce solidify my commitment to this work. This is how they feed their families, some of them still living in primal conditions where women don’t get any education, and encouragement of empowerment is non-existent. I believe that in supporting these women by giving employment through their skills and encouraging education through scholarships (which are so far out of their reach) is the way to improving living conditions and general overall health. Education is such a powerful tool and one that women in the west mostly take for granted. I never saw myself as being really privileged until I heard some of the stories of the women who work in the women’s workshop. By creating the Tribal Threads gallery I can bring their wonderful work and stories to you the customers’ right into your homes. Every piece that you see in this gallery has been produced with great pride and commitment and some of the techniques are centuries old. I hope you enjoy this work which gives you an insight into one small corner of these amazing women’s lives.
