Reviving and Preserving Traditional Weaving Designs of Tribal Kinnaur District

ONGOING RESEARCH

2024-PRESENT

This participatory research project investigates handloom weaving practices of the Kinnauri Scheduled Tribes of the state of Himachal Pradesh in the Indian Himalaya. Kinnauri tribal peoples have a unique identity forged through millennia of relative isolation in their mountainous region, including well-developed cultural practices and belief systems. Traditional textile weaving is a significant part of Kinnauri culture, holding deep religious importance while particular designs carry elements of cultural identity.

​Although Kinnauri weaving is alive and vibrant activity, knowledge of traditional Kinnauri weaving techniques and designs is disappearing through evolution of this art. Despite the importance of weaving tradition in Kinnaur, to date, none of the old designs and motifs have been documented or preserved. As elders pass on, a new generation of weavers takes their place, increasingly modifying designs and evolving the traditional art forms of their ancestors. Without documenting the old ways and the oral histories of master weavers, the essence of this cultural heritage may be lost

​This research aims to revive and strengthen the weaving traditions of Kinnaur by documenting the knowledge held by master weavers and preserving representative examples of their work, specifically the older designs. This project establishes the necessary foundation for subsequent planned efforts to facilitate the creation of a weaving cooperative, a museum, and influencing local policy focused on supporting traditional Kinnauri textile knowledge.