Of premium wool and Shepherding tales

The first exhibition of Desi Oon in Delhi was in January this year at Bikaner House, showcasing woolen craft and products from Kutch. It was well-received, which is why the Living Lightly Project of Centre for Pastoralism is back with the second edition, in an online avatar, thanks to the pandemic. 

Close to 35 million pastoralists graze India’s forests and grasslands, but they don’t get the recognition they deserve as people presume pastoralism is an outdated occupation. So, this centre took charge and developed collaborative programmes for pastoralists to enhance livelihood and security. One such initiative is this online exhibition-cum-sale that highlights the role of wool in pastoral movements, cultures, and economies. The show aims to connect pastoralists and artisans with designers and craft organisations so they can revive an entire value chain of indigenous wool. 

Sushma Iyengar, curator of the Living Lightly project, Desi Oon, says, “The process of research, documentation and preparation for this travelling exhibition brought up for me the irony of so much sheep in India, and no local wool around. Weavers, who traditionally wove woolens for the shepherding communities, had now become fully dependent on imported merino wool, while shepherds in their own neighbourhood were throwing their wool for want of a buyer.

This triggered conversations with pastoralists, shepherds, organisations and designers.”  Desi Oon hopes to bridge that void. “This is a pan-India exhibition on indigenous wool related work that the Centre for Pastoralism has initiated with organisations based in Rajasthan, Kutch, the Deccan and Uttarakhand. We want to hold more such presentations, and the next is being planned for January.”

A particular sheep breed is being highlighted by each partnering organisation in the exhibition: The Black Deccani Sheep by Mitan and Earthen Tunes, Harsil Sheep by Avani and Peoli, Chokla by Rangsutra, Patanwadi by Khamir, and the indigenised Gaddi-Merino sheep of Himachal Pradesh by Aana Jana and Kullvi Whims. A wide variety of stoles, mitts, leg warmers, slippers, throws, cushion covers, jackets, overcoats, are being showcased. “Most of the products were created during the pandemic using leftover stock of wool, yarn and products which could not be sold by the pastoralists or the artisans.

Though they have been created by the artisans, the partner organisations have brought in designers to contemporise the products. A small section of products have even been conceptualised and developed entirely by designers,” she adds.  Designer Shabri Wable, who has curated this edition, wanted to showcase the variety of sheep breeds of India and their different wools, ranging from the jet black wool of Deccan to the off-white wool of the Gaddi in the Himalayas.

“While the Himalayan range presents natural colours, the Deccan range is black, grey, and tamarind dyed. The semi-arid range is a mix of naturally dyed and undyed wool,” she notes. The products have a premium price as these are made from handspun wool and natural dyes, and are handwoven or hand-knitted. “We are also making sure the artisans and the herders are compensated fairly,” says Iyengar. She feels these exhibitions are not enough to help these artisans, but it’s a step in the right direction. “We hope that the consumers, as well as producers, will start finding value in working with artisans and adopting local wool, leading to larger procurement and better incentives for the herders,” adding, “Though physical sales are simpler, online platforms allow us to reach a much wider audience.”

Desi Oon, AT: shop.rangsutra.com, 
TILL: December 25

Up next, film festival
Desi Oon exhibition will be followed by a film festival, curated by Srishti Films. It will screen documentaries and feature films highlighting stories of land lives, livelihoods, art and culture of pastoralists from December 19-25 on pastoralism.org.in. Filmmaker Stanzin Dorjai’s film Shepherdess of the Glaciers will be screened among films such as Beloved, Winter Nomads, Ibadat, Cattle Drove, Olosho, Rabari: The People of the Leopard, A Journey into the Herder’s Paradise, Rol Gol, and On the Move.