The North-Eastern state of Manipur in India is famed for Kauna Grass, a crop that is commercially viable and increasingly becoming exportable. It is a weed cultivated in Imphal’s wetlands, often alongside rice. In the long history of the Meiteis living in Manipur, this material has been in use for making hats to be worn in agricultural fields, baskets, hampers and other useful items.
Kauna Grass, belonging to the Cyperaceae family, has a cylindrical, soft, and spongy stem that is the main component of the products woven from it. The raw material is easily obtained by a simple processing where the reed is cut near the base of the plant and dried in the sun. In case the stalks are to be used after a while, they are preserved by a smoking process. This reed is harvested thrice a year, providing ample profits.
Manipuri craftsmanship
However, the story was different a while ago. The communities used to put hours of labour into manufacturing crafts from Kauna Grass, no different than an indigenous artwork, but receiving relatively less prices in return, their profits being almost nothing. Tourists from all over would visit the Manipuri villages and buy the products made by the artisans for really cheap prices. The conventional ecosystem of these villagers, where they make their own products for individual or community use is disrupted by the need to make commodities for sale but sadly at a lesser value than their labour.
To make sure that the exposure of their craftsmanship does not come at a price of economic stability, organisations like Dastkari Haat Samiti and ODESH are working for the livelihood enhancement of the Manipuri people and institutionalised sales of the Kauna Grass products. This way, the weavers have been able to continue indulging in their traditional handicrafts with assured returns, a win-win situations for them as well as the country’s economy.
Organisation for Development of Economic and Self help (ODESH) is a registered society based in the Thoubal district of Manipur. Over the years its interventions have been towards Kauna crafts industry development on issues of policy related to transformation of traditional knowledge, skills and technologies towards contemporary market-oriented products, along with marketing and value chain in the industry. The organisation works with over 100 skilled craftspeople of the region, making their work reach a broader market. Currently ODESH is associated with 150 of which 60 artisans are highly skilled. ODESH instituted a producer organisation (PO) of primary Kauna craft artisans to take care of production and marketing. Their products include laundry baskets, cushions, purses, mats, even hats and more. You can shop ODESH products here.
Biodegradable and colourful
Forty years after she embarked upon a journey to keep some of India’s crafts alive, and give dignity to craftspeople, Jaya Jaitly says she has reason to be optimistic. The Dastkari Haat Samiti she founded in 1986 is an organisation involved in various kinds of handicrafts all over the country. It has more than 1,600 members, including individual artisans and organisations, and their three annual craft exhibitions across the country receive an enthusiastic response.
Dastkari Haat Samiti not only deals in Kauna crafts, but also brings out the stories of its producers. It has introduced consumers to Kauna Grass products in multiple colours, while highlighting the features of this organic and sustainable material. Shapes and sizes were limited until the producers began to interact with city customers with more sophisticated tastes. They began to diversify, learning from designers at training workshops, and realising that innovation and good quality basket weaving could attract more customers. Their products are popular and shipped abroad too.
This eco-friendly, biodegradable material needed to be introduced to people looking for alternatives to plastic. The fields they are grown in are filled with fish, supplementing the farmers’ income. The organic, long-lasting Kauna Grass makes it suitable for rough use as well, mats made of it are something that is present in every household in Manipur, surviving for years at a stretch. Jute threads are used for interlacing the mats.
The widespread use of Kauna Grass and other plant-based materials and fibres for household items are sure to bring down the overuse of plastic.
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