Unveiling a Lost Legacy: A Study of Azarband, the Disappearing Folkcraft of Punjab
摘要
Culture is originated from a specific region, civilization, beliefs, values which forms the way of life for the entire society from generation to generation. Our social ecosystem comprises of language, art, rituals, customs, literature, music, symbols, religion, material objects, significance of materials, and their association with generational beliefs. These cultural traditions subsequently form a part of human societies of these regions. Azarbands are handwoven drawstrings used by women to secure their salwar, pajama (pant) and ghagra (skirt) at the waist. These strings are stretchable in width, patterned with motifs and decorated with fancy tassels in bright colors. As the strong cultural overlay diminishes, some artisans strive to constantly improvise with fresh materials and forms, inculcate myriad colors to summarize the artistic creativity of the craft and keeping the folk craft alive. This diminishing craft is not much documented. The research aims to study and map Azarband craft cluster and document it to signify the social and cultural importance. This study also focuses on understanding the evolution, diversification of local customs and rituals through the local women artisans. As the younger generations are not following typical traditions and costumes of that region, the use of Azarband is on the verge of extinction. To keep the skill and beauty of the craft intact, the artisans are creating modernized products useful for urban population. The data was collected with snowball sampling technique. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the artisans and local women who practice the ancient techniques and tradition. The collected data was analyzed qualitatively through grounded theory. This paper concludes in-depth knowledge about the craft, featuring its social and cultural significance. This also reflects on the design opportunities to revive this age-old skill into contemporary products.