Traditional Crafts Research Articles

Solutions to Develop Traditional Craft Villages Associated with Tourism in Hanoi Capital

Traditional craft villages are humanistic tourism resources that contribute to attracting a large number of tourists, enriching and diversifying tourism activities, creating many attractive options for tourists. Tourism associated with Hanoi's traditional craft villages is increasingly attracting tourists because of the long-standing cultural values and creativity of craft workers through each typical handicraft product. Visitors to Hanoi's craft villages can not only admire the landscape of a typical Northern Delta village with banyan trees, wells, and communal houses, but can also visit the production site and directly interact with local artisans craftsmen and participate in testing some stages of product production. This creates the unique appeal of craft village tourism. Despite many improvements, the current development of craft village tourism in Hanoi is not commensurate with its potential. On that basis, the article studies the potential and current status of developing traditional craft villages associated with tourism in Hanoi, thereby proposing a number of solutions to promote the development of traditional craft villages associated with tourism in Hanoi.

Designing Culture-intensive Artefacts. How the Design Process Interprets Craft Reiteration to Build Future Diversities.

The paper approaches the subject of traditional craft and local know-how from the perspective of design practice. The specific focus is on those fields of design that produce the so-called culture-intensive goods (Hesmondhalgh, 2002; Bovone and Mora, 2003), such as fashion, home goods and food. They are the result of recombination by design of a specific cultural capital into new shapes and meanings. Thanks to "Made in Italy" best practices context selected in those fields, the paper will discuss how design shapes future artefacts rooted in the reinterpretation of the past. On one hand, accessing craft culture and its reiterative attitude of transmission of identity and tradition along times. On the other hand, recombining craft processes into reconfigured practice, encoding different meanings into new narratives.

3D PRINTING TECHNIQUE TO DOCUMENT AND PRESERVE TRADITIONAL DESIGNS OF CHANNAPATNA TOYS

Dasara Doll festival is a tradition during the Navaratri Hindu festival celebrations in South India. The festival of Navratri is celebrated in a very interesting and unique way at homes, which is commonly known as Bombe Habba or Golu or Kolu (Kannada) or Bommala Koluvu (Telugu) or Bommai Kolu (Tamil) or simply Dasara dolls. This tradition involves a toy festival that is celebrated by families across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu. Family toys are arranged and displayed to invited guests as part of the festival. Channapatna town close to Bangalore and Mysore is the hub of the toy making industry catering to the demand for such toys. Artisan families have been engaged in the manufacture of toys for many centuries. Designs and manufacturing techniques remained within artisan families and the knowledge transfer is through word of mouth from parents to children. Kondapalli Toys of Andhra Pradesh are made by artisans in Kondapalli which is located close to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and has a similar history. The changing lifestyles in the present day have altered the way festivals are celebrated, and the patronage of such traditional crafts is on the decline. The creation of an express highway between Bangalore and Mysore has changed the road route and bypassed Channapatna town reducing the footfalls at the retail shops which sold toys for hundreds of years. Artisans are forced to explore other avenues of employment and the risk of losing the art technique is real. The portfolio of designs is dwindling, and many models are very rare and difficult to obtain from the market; they become antique collection pieces of a few individuals. Conserving the designs through CAD techniques and making prototypes using 3D printing is an effective way to preserve them. CAD documentation can be used to train a new generation of artisans or enthusiasts across the country. This will open new markets for the products and will sustain the art and design. This paper attempts to outline the technique and make a few 3D-printing prototypes with detailed drawings and present the results.

Safeguarding Traditional Crafts in Europe

This entry discusses the challenge of safeguarding crafts in Europe. Safeguarding is defined herein as the systematic process of understanding, representing, preserving, and valorizing crafts following the recommendations of UNESCO and the UN-World Tourism Organization. The abovementioned challenges are discussed through a multidisciplinary prism starting from the scientific challenges in the information and communication technologies sector and expanding the discussion to ethical, legal, and policy-making measures and recommendations to safeguard crafts as a form of tangible and intangible cultural heritage but also as a source of growth and impact for the communities that practice them. To this end, the role of education and training for craft preservation is discussed, considering that the declining number of practitioners and apprentices is considered today the main threat to their preservation.

Ceramic Manufacturing Workforce in India: Trends, Relative Earnings and Its Determinants

India’s ceramic industry, characterized by the transitional shift from traditional craft to modern industry, is imbibed to economic growth and development. It has witnessed a dynamic change from all hands-on deck to no hands-on deck. With an aim to understand the change in ceramic manufacturing workforce in India, the paper has analyzed the latest trends of ceramic workforce participation over the time period 1993-94 to 2020-21 using the national sample survey office (NSSO) employment and unemployment (E&U) survey data from 1993-94 to 2011-12 and periodical labour force survey (PLFS) data from 2017-18 to 2020-21. The results showcased that there was a declining trend in the overall workforce participation rate at the end of E&U survey (2011-12), however, after replacing NSSO E&U survey data with PLFS data the overall workforce participation rate showed an increasing trend. However, the study found that there was a continuous decline in the ceramic workforce as the total per cent of overall workforce. Further study highlighted that there is a wide gap between the perday earnings of ceramic and non-ceramic workers. Non-ceramic workers have high per day earning as compared to the ceramic workers that hampers the willingness of the workers to work in this industry. The study has established the impact of various socio-economic variables on per day earnings of the workers using Tobit regression model. The level of education has a positive and significant relation with per day earning of the ceramic workers. Education helps in accelerating the per day earning of the ceramic workers. Furthermore technical education have a highest positive impact on the per day earnings of the ceramic workers.

SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL PROCESSES IN THE KASHKADARYA OASIS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE LIFESTYLE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS

This article abstract explores the social, economic, and cultural processes that took place in the Kashkadarya oasis during the 20th century and their influence on the lifestyle of the local residents. The Kashkadarya oasis, located in Uzbekistan, has been a historically significant region with a rich cultural heritage. Through an analysis of historical sources, archival materials, and ethnographic studies, this abstract sheds light on the major transformations that occurred in the oasis throughout the 20th century.The article examines the impact of various factors on the lifestyle of the local residents. It delves into the social changes brought about by industrialization, urbanization, and the introduction of modern education systems. These changes resulted in shifts in the traditional social structure, family dynamics, and gender roles within the community. Furthermore, the economic transformations, such as the transition from agrarian to industrial economies, affected the livelihoods and occupations of the local population.The abstract also highlights the cultural shifts that unfolded during this period. It investigates the influence of Soviet policies and ideologies on the cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions of the oasis dwellers. Additionally, it explores the interplay between modernization efforts and the preservation of local cultural heritage, including traditional crafts, music, and folklore. By analyzing these social, economic, and cultural processes, this abstract provides a comprehensive understanding of the changes that occurred in the Kashkadarya oasis throughout the 20th century. The findings contribute to the broader scholarly discourse on the impact of modernization and globalization on local communities and offer valuable insights into the dynamics of a region that has undergone significant transformation.

A Study on the Intention to Use Online Video Platforms of Chinese Traditional Crafts Workers through Technology Acceptance Model: Focused on BiliBili

A Study on the Intention to Use Online Video Platforms of Chinese Traditional Crafts Workers through Technology Acceptance Model: Focused on BiliBili

Historical and Cultural Aspects of the Formation of Russian Decorative and Applied Arts

The article examines the historical and cultural aspects of the processes of formation of artistic tradition in Russian decorative and applied arts and folk crafts from the XI to the middle of the XV century. Using the example of outstanding pieces of various types and directions of decorative art, the main periods and stages of the formation of the general stylistics of the masters’ creativity and the ways of spreading similar artistic and figurative solutions are determined. The examples given by the author touch upon issues directly related to the processes of integration of Russian traditional crafts and decorative art with the creativity of Byzantium, Scandinavia, Central Europe and the culture of the peoples of the European part of Russia, which were subjected to the expansion of the Northern Slavic tribes. The author defines the development of the Russian artistic tradition as the active introduction of individual elements and figurative solutions of various sources into the basic Slavic culture, based on the preserved monuments of architecture, art and printed writing. The research is based on the works of archaeologists, art historians and artists, which are fundamental works on the history and theory of decorative and applied arts (A.N. Kirpichnikova, M.A. Orlova, B.A. Rybakov, etc.). A comparative analysis of the current state of certain types of Russian decorative and applied arts, traditional and folk crafts, taking into account the influence of technological transformations on authentic techniques and materials. The author’s conclusions are based on many years of experience in studying decorative and applied arts as a factor in the development of professional competencies of students of art universities and institutions of additional education in the process of becoming independent masters and artists.

Re-hackling flax before spinning

Flax is a traditional plant used to make textiles. Flax, like all natural fibres, is a material with variations. Knowledge of a crafting process can be obtained by studying artefacts and all available documentation and by being present in a craft tradition and society of spinning. A craftsperson will make many small decisions during their work. How do we gain knowledge about handling materials, and how do we preserve the intangible skills relevant to a craft? This performance article aims to make visible specific knowledge of material, tools and working methods for re-hackling flax. The text and performance illustrate the perspective of a reflecting craftsperson. By asking questions about the work process, critical decisions regarding crafts will be highlighted. This approach will help preserve and transmit craft skills within flax processing.

Digital imaging to unveil traditional craft methods

To understand the creation and the function of a Flemish oil on panel, non-invasive technical investigations including UV, IRR, X-ray and µ-XRF have been used as a method to unveil its specific material features. The undated and unsigned panel has been attributed to The Master of the Female Half-Lengths possibly active during the early 16th Century, due to its stereotype motif, materials and dimensions. The analysis reveals that the panel has several damages due to natural and forced interventions. The painting process shows various inconsistencies, interpreted with the aid of literary sources as a product of a workshop adapted to producing art as a response to the great demand of Flemish panels from the blooming Early Dutch art market.

Post-COVID craft education

This paper presents a hybrid model of teaching and learning that proposes new possibilities for exchang­ing tangible and intangible cross-cultural knowledge in textile craft education. The paper aims to demonstrate how online platforms can be used creatively to disseminate traditional craft knowledge and skills in new ways. The discussion centres on a unique virtual global studio between fashion and textile undergraduate students at the University of Technology Sydney and on an artisanal woodblock print studio, Tharangini, based in Bengaluru (Bangalore), India. The hybrid workshop was an adaptation of the studio in response to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. The author argues that while the internet cannot replace the immersive cultural experience of studying in another country, digital platforms have a place alongside teaching to offer otherwise impossible opportunities. This paper explores a methodology for disseminating craft knowledge and skills across cultures through a combination of online and in-house practicum. Classes were structured around weekly Zoom sessions with Director Padmini Govind, where sustainable approaches to print production were disseminated through a suite of commissioned films and hand-carved woodblocks to explore on campus. The results show how this unique adaptation allowed students to interact with the artisan craft of woodblock printing in rich and varied ways, and it proposes that this novel hybrid model can be creatively adapted to future craft education in the 2020s.

From Craft to industry

In this paper, we discuss the potential of using traditional knowledge of natural dyes for more sustainable development processes in textile design. Our aim is to help foster a green transition through responsible consumption and production. We investigate the potential for implementing natural dye processes from craft to industrial processes to replace synthetic dyes. We adopt a systematic approach to dyeing and printing with food waste, including walnut shells, avocado skins and onion skins, specifically exploring colourfastness. We have observed that craft methods tend to be ‘forgotten’ due to the zeal for industry­alization and the standardizing of products to ensure quality requirements. From students and business partners, we experience requests for natural dyes; however, we are challenged to document colour­fastness. Knowledge and documentation are of high importance when we intend to convince industry to learn from traditional crafts. Through a systematic investigation testing traditional recipes and variations in dyed textiles, we experience how textiles perform. Through iterations based on the results, we continue with further experiments and simultaneously discuss whether both the consumer and the industry have to look at quality requirements from a conventional perspective. We argue that current expectations regarding colours and standards must change. Facing radical changes to the way we live, produce and use products, it is important to critically examine our approach to conventional industrial production. In our research, we built knowledge generation on cultural heritage and traditional craft. We argue how this becomes a societal asset influencing users’ behaviour and creates awareness towards sustainable changes in the design and use of textiles.

Production and Use of Ceramics in the First Millennium BC: Jebel Moya, Sudan

The site of Jebel Moya, situated in the center of the southern Gezira Plain in southcentral Sudan, has an occupational sequence spanning at least five millennia until around 2000 years ago. Renewed excavation is shedding new light on its occupational chronology and socioeconomic history, including activities such as burial, savanna herding, and domesticated sorghum cultivation practices dating to at least the mid-third millennium BC. In the present study, predominantly final phase pottery sherds from the first millennium BC to the start of the first millennium AD (Assemblage 3) have been analyzed via a combination of thin section petrography and instrumental geochemistry to determine their raw materials and place of manufacture and reconstruct their manufacturing technology. Organic residue analysis was also conducted to identify the products processed within vessels found at the site. The results suggest the existence of a well-developed local ceramic craft tradition that persisted for over one thousand years. Pots from Assemblage 3 were used to process, store, and consume animal and plant products, thus reinforcing emerging evidence for early agro-pastoral activities.

Weaving and Computation

This essay explores the intersection of computation and traditional craft, focusing specifically on weaving and the Korean traditional woolen carpet, modam. While both weaving and computers operate in binary terms, the essay acknowledges that weaving encompasses more than just binary logic, considering factors such as materiality, embodiment, and imagination. It seeks to explore the deeper connection between weaving and computation, beyond specific devices like punched cards, and how modam and its cultural context can shed light on this relationship. The essay also highlights the historical role of women in both weaving and computing, drawing parallels between weavers and the (gendered) body as components of early computational processes. By examining the historical, cultural, and technological nuances of modam production, this exploration aims to reveal insights into our present technology and our interaction with it.

The Spirit and Elements of Malaysian Multiculturalism in Chuah Thean Teng’s Batik Paintings

This paper examines the batik paintings of Chinese artist Chuah Thean Teng in the context of Malaysia’s multicultural society. Batik, an ancient traditional craft in Malaysia, was initially produced on textiles through wax and dyes and is often applied to daily clothing and objects. As such, the motifs and elements of batik paintings are closely related to the local culture and have a high symbolic value. Chuah Thean Teng has improved and developed the batik process into a work of art with aesthetic value. This paper aims to understand the social and cultural climate of the time through a generalised analysis of the results of Chuah Thean Teng to evaluate the artistic elements embedded in the batik works. The paper adopts an art historical research approach, which consists mainly of form and context analysis. The study is descriptive, with data in the form of text and images, including the artworks themselves, publications, books, journals, and other official records. Chuah Thean Teng, a Chinese artist, has inherited and evolved the traditional Malaysian batik art by seeking artistic inspiration in a culturally diverse environment. His work is a hybrid expression, reflecting the exchange and borrowing between cultures. This is in keeping with the historical context of the time and also conveys modern Malaysian art’s inclusiveness, diversity, and richness. As an essential part of contemporary Malaysian art, batik painting is itself a sign of modernity. It is hoped that this study will help to enrich the research and analysis of Malaysian batik painting and, through it, generate interest in batik painting and provide knowledge and methods of interpreting the content of the artwork.

Translation of Traditional Chinese Crafts Culture in the New Media Environment: A Case Study of Subtitle Translation in Li Ziqi's YouTube Short Videos

Nowadays, the subjects of external communication are increasingly diversified, and China's new media forms of external communication are rich and varied. In contrast to the authoritative narrative style and tone of official media, short videos have emerged as an important medium for international communication in the new era. With characteristics such as fragmented content, entertainment value, popularity, and colloquial language, they have achieved significant dissemination effects on global social media platforms like YouTube. Therefore, more and more unofficial self-media figures are attempting to share unique Chinese stories and culture through short videos on YouTube, and Li Ziqi is one of them. Li Ziqi has amassed 17.6 million subscribers on YouTube, with a total of 128 videos published and over 2.9 billion views at the time of data collection (2023.07.02). Her short videos showcase her leisurely daily life in natural landscapes, diverse culinary culture, and traditional Chinese crafts culture, among other aspects of traditional culture. At present, Li Ziqi's "Traditional Crafts" series has become one of the important platforms for the external dissemination of Chinese traditional craft culture. This study takes the translation of the subtitles in four short videos from Li Ziqi's "Traditional Crafts" series on the YouTube platform as the research object. From the perspective of the new media environment, it analyzes the external communication of traditional Chinese craft culture in the new era and provides a summary of reflections.

The Existence of Traditional Handicrafts in Malang Raya as Part of Indonesian Cultural Heritage

Traditional handicrafts in Indonesia are one part of the seven elements of intangible cultural heritage based on the UNESCO Conference 2003. Currently, not everyone from the general public knows their area’s existence and types of traditional handicrafts. This study describes how the presence, number, and types of traditional handicrafts in Malang Raya are part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage. The research method used is a qualitative method with a descriptive type. The research location takes place in the Malang Raya region - including Malang City, Malang Regency, and Batu City. Data collection techniques used are observation, interviews, documentation, and recording. Primary data sources in this study were obtained from direct sources, and secondary data sources were from documentation, reference books, and relevant research journals. The technique of collecting data sources in this research is using the snowball sampling technique. The data analysis used is qualitative data analysis, which includes three stages: data reduction, data presentation, and conclusions. The results showed that traditional crafts in Malang Raya do still exist.. However, not many people know or are interested in these traditional crafts.
 Keywords: traditional handicrafts, Malang Raya, cultural herita

A high presence traditional crafts experience system that combines multicultural architectural styles with Japanese culture

Traditional crafts such as tategu (door and window fittings), kimono (clothes), and shikki (lacquerware) are regarded as important items for daily life in Japan; however, in recent years, the industry that manufactures and sells these products has experienced various problems and has continued to decline. Conversely, overseas demand for traditional crafts has been gradually increasing with the increase in foreign visitors to Japan in recent years. For these reasons, there is a need in the traditional crafts industry to provide information and promote traditional crafts to overseas customers. Accordingly, in this study, we implement a high presence traditional crafts experience system using virtual reality technology. Our proposed system provides users with a highly realistic virtual space experience using a head-mounted display and a data glove. In addition, multiple users can share the space via the network. Further, we consider the promotion of traditional crafts to overseas customers by combining multicultural architectural styles and Japanese culture.

DEVELOPMENT OF CRAFT EDUCATION IN KASHMIR VALLEY DURING THE RULE OF SULATAN ZAINUL AABIDEEN BUDSHAH

Abstract
 The paper explores the role of Sultan Zainul Aabideen in the development of craft education in the region of Kashmir. The study examines the Sultan's contribution towards preserving the traditional crafts of Kashmir and creating an environment that fostered innovation and creativity in the local craftsmen. The paper analyzes the initiatives taken by the Sultan to establish craft schools and workshops, provide training and support to craftsmen, and promote the products of the local artisans. The study also examines the impact of these efforts on the socioeconomic development of the region and the preservation of the cultural heritage of Kashmir. The findings of this research indicate that the Sultan's vision and commitment to craft education have played a crucial role in the development and promotion of traditional crafts in Kashmir, which has led to the growth of the local economy and the empowerment of the local artisans.

A Study on Impact of Skill India on Rural Youth of North East India

The Indian government's "Skill India" initiative sought to empower the youth of the nation by offering them training and programmes for skill development that would improve their chances of finding employment and starting their own businesses. This study aims to assess the effects of the Skill India initiative on rural youth in India's North East. The North East is renowned for its distinctive cultural diversity and difficult socioeconomic conditions, where rural adolescents frequently face few possibilities for employment and education. The findings show that the Skill India initiative has significantly improved the situation of rural youth in the North East. The program has played a crucial role in equipping them with vocational skills, ranging from traditional crafts to modern industries, thereby expanding their employment horizons. Additionally, the initiative has encouraged entrepreneurship, leading to the creation of small-scale businesses, further stimulating the local economy. Moreover, Skill India has fostered a sense of self-confidence and self-reliance among the rural youth, motivating them to take charge of their own futures. As a result, there has been a positive shift in societal attitudes towards skill-based careers, with increased recognition and appreciation for vocational skills. The need for specialized skill development programmes based on regional demands and the need to address gender discrepancies in skill training possibilities are still issuing. Training centers must also be accessible in rural locations.