Abstract
Tribal communities use locally available resources to fulfil their daily needs in India. Santhal and Mohli tribes in Jharkhand, India have an intergenerational skill of using bamboo and other natural fibres to make utility crafts like baskets and mats, which is used as a part of their lifestyle. However, it was limited in terms of product range and market reach, which resulted in the tribes’ livelihood stagnancy and other financial difficulties. Therefore, the objective of this research was design intervention and product development based on collaborative designing, as the researchers were outside of the tribal community. And also to propose a framework for design intervention among tribal artisans in India. The research methodology involved longitudinal ethnographic study conducted since 2008, identified a need for an emic and collaboration-based design intervention in their craft practice. One of the researchers lived among the community for innovative collaboration. Multiple workshops were conducted in the natural setting, over the years. It aimed to incorporate contemporary consumer preferences and international quality while retaining the craft’s innate characteristics in terms of culture and design. Based on pooled interdependence, the artisans and the researchers created a set of samples over the years, using collaborative design, simple tools and technology, and tested it in the international market. The major achievement of co-design and collaborative innovation for the geographically-bound tribe was economic and skill upgradation through long-term, systematic and technical assistance. The positive externality was the tribe’s continued self-sufficiency and economic upliftment.
Keywords
bamboo craft, ethnography, collaborative design, skill upgradation, tribal
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2023.487
Citation
Bairagi, N., Selvadhas, A.,and Archarya, S.(2023) Innovative collaboration and co-designing with Santhal and Mohli tribes of Dumka, India, in De Sainz Molestina, D., Galluzzo, L., Rizzo, F., Spallazzo, D. (eds.), IASDR 2023: Life-Changing Design, 9-13 October, Milan, Italy. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2023.487
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Innovative collaboration and co-designing with Santhal and Mohli tribes of Dumka, India
Tribal communities use locally available resources to fulfil their daily needs in India. Santhal and Mohli tribes in Jharkhand, India have an intergenerational skill of using bamboo and other natural fibres to make utility crafts like baskets and mats, which is used as a part of their lifestyle. However, it was limited in terms of product range and market reach, which resulted in the tribes’ livelihood stagnancy and other financial difficulties. Therefore, the objective of this research was design intervention and product development based on collaborative designing, as the researchers were outside of the tribal community. And also to propose a framework for design intervention among tribal artisans in India. The research methodology involved longitudinal ethnographic study conducted since 2008, identified a need for an emic and collaboration-based design intervention in their craft practice. One of the researchers lived among the community for innovative collaboration. Multiple workshops were conducted in the natural setting, over the years. It aimed to incorporate contemporary consumer preferences and international quality while retaining the craft’s innate characteristics in terms of culture and design. Based on pooled interdependence, the artisans and the researchers created a set of samples over the years, using collaborative design, simple tools and technology, and tested it in the international market. The major achievement of co-design and collaborative innovation for the geographically-bound tribe was economic and skill upgradation through long-term, systematic and technical assistance. The positive externality was the tribe’s continued self-sufficiency and economic upliftment.