Saiqa Ejaz
AN ILLUSTRATION OF NAMDA
(A brief documentation of the cultural technique of Pakistan)
Namda rugs
Pakistan is culturally rich in making handicrafts in its different regions, every handicraft presenting the region has its unique appearance. Namda is one of them, a craft from the region of Kashmir in Pakistan. It is a beautiful piece of rug but not a woven one directly made from lamb wool, having its unique quality tells the story by itself about the magical hands of the craftsmen producing this piece of art using the old techniques in a natural way with natural objects. It is a non-woven piece of rug and embellished with embroidered motif after completing the process of making plain Namda.
The aim of the research was to observe and learn the methods of making Namda with the craftsmen and the difficulties they face by the researcher herself. After getting all the knowledge revive the process of making Namda and looking forward to the market of the Europe what new amendments can be made by the researcher. It is the aim to introduce this beauty again to the world through her work and introduce the craftsmen directly in front of the world so they can get their real worth.
During the practice, the places are visited by the researcher took interviews and collected knowledge from different places, she found this beauty in the 80’s touching its heights in terms of work and productivity but now has become the hidden part of the old streets of Pakistan. Its region has lost its identity even though the people from the region have no ideas about their cultural hereditary craft. In search of the craft by visiting different regions of Pakistan at last found the beauty at the far-off mountains of KPK Pakistan in an underdeveloped village Uggai.
Firstly, the laborers collect the raw wool from different mountain cities of KPK, the cities nearest to their areas because the wool from the areas is clean. After bringing the wool home there was a machine made by them adjusted in a workshops corner used for thrashing the wool.
Raw Wool
Thrashing Machine
From the journey of my life till now born in a cultural family my mother was also an artist seen her doing embroideries, weaving, stitching and designing clothes and other products. As a Textile designer during my course work while doing a project of felting I felt a click in my mind to do something with the techniques. After a long time of 9 years I found an opportunity to learn and recreate namda with my own efforts.