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The
Tibet Artisan Initiative and the Dropenling Handicraft Development
Center
In the heart of the old Tibetan quarter in Lhasa, just
a ten minute walk from the Jokhang temple, is the Dropenling
Handicraft Center. The Tibetan word “Dropenling” means “giving
back for the betterment of all sentient beings” and Dropenling
has achieved its purpose by giving back to hundreds
of Tibetan craftspeople all over the Tibet Autonomous Region. Because
it sells crafts made
only by Tibetans, Dropenling has been popular with
tourists who want to purchase authentic Tibetan crafts such as textiles,
painted wood
boxes and trays, stone carving, leather bags, jewelry,
carpets and dolls and toys. In 2007, Dropenling became a self-sustaining
business
whose profits are re-invested into further support
of the Tibetan artisan community.
Although many products in Lhasa and internationally
are marketed as Tibetan, most are actually manufactured outside the
TAR by non-Tibetan peoples. Moreover, Chinese artisans and business
people are settling within Tibet to produce and sell jewelry, statues,
prayer wheels and other traditional Tibetan Buddhist items for which
there is a steady local demand. Less familiar with enterprise development
and marketing, Tibetan artisans are facing difficulty earning income
from their crafts skills. The Dropenling store is the brainchild of
the Tibet Artisan Initiative (TAI), a p a project of the Tibet Poverty
Alleviation Fund (TPAF), a U.S.-based 501(c) 3 non-profit NGO (Non-Governmental
Organization) founded in 1997. In addition to providing a steady market
to Tibetan artisans through the Dropenling store, TAI has developed
a number of programs that address problems and issues faced by the
artisans today.
Product design
TAI’s offices and workshop are located directly
above the Dropenling store. Its staff members, Tengyal, Passang and
Tennor comprise TAI’s Product Development Staff. They meet together
regularly to develop designs in special design sessions. They then
teach the designs to the artisans. Tengyal’s sense of fun has
led him to specialize in designing toys: he has designed a hat with
the fur and ears of a yak, a two-headed toy yak that serves as a pillow,
and a small bank in the form of a Tibetan house. He also has befriended
a stonecarver who appreciates extending his range of carvings beyond
traditional mani stones—with Tengyal’s help he now makes
Buddha-shaped incense holders, coasters with auspicious symbols, and
dishes for soap. Meanwhile, Tennor who also takes care of all raw
material purchase, has an interest in working with leather. He works
with three brothers from Chusu, nearby Lhasa, to bulk purchase yak
leather from a local factory. He also designs leather products, such
as a suede shoulder bag with an appliquéd Tibetan motif.
Passang is in charge of artisan relations, and spends
much of her time listening to artisans about their needs and explaining
orders. She also has a natural design sense and recently has worked
with a cooperative in Shigatse to produce a range of new silver products
that include dessert dishes and a milk pitcher with auspicious symbols.
Even though the Product Development staff look at catalogues
and internet sites for inspiration, it is not easy to understand international
market tastes. This summer Passang will travel to America to attend
a major trade fair and see the range of products produced all over
the world and sold in the US. Meanwhile, the Dropenling store test
markets products and when there is a positive response from tourists,
the new products are put into full production.
Skills training
TAI receives assistance from the Best Sellers Fund,
Netherlands embassy, and USAID to conduct training in both traditional
and new skills and design. Important training in 2007 included:
Doll and Toy making by Susie Vickery, a professional
costume designer who lives in London and Bombay. Susie worked with
a group of seven tailors to develop dolls
who wear the clothing from different areas of Tibet. There is also an amusing
baby doll named “Olo” who wears a brocade jacket, pants with the
typical split in the back, and his hair tied up in bunches. In addition the group
created a most unique and lovable snow lion.
Shawl and scarf weaving by Australian weaver Liz Williamson. In this training
women who traditionally weave aprons and belts learned to make naturally dyed
shawls and scarves. Not only did they learn new weaving and finishing techniques,
but they discovered ways to incorporate Tibetan motifs into their new produ
Natural dyeing. One of TAI’s main activities has been to reintroduce
natural dyeing into contemporary textile production. Two trainings held thus
far have focused on improving dyeing skills of Wangden carpet weavers. Originally
a lama taught men of the Wangden valley to weave meditation carpets, and
only men were allowed to weave them. TAI supports continuation of this unique
tradition
and is working to improve the quality of the carpets through use of high-quality
wool and natural dyes that include madder, rhubarb, indigo and walnut.
Lost wax casting. Sadly, the art of lost wax casting has been died out in
Tibet. TAI hired a Newar master statue maker from Kathmandu to train a group
of Tibetan metal workers. The training was held in the compound of the Ancient
Art Restoration Company where the Dropenling store and TAI offices are located.
TAI continues to work with AARC metalworkers to produce Buddha statues that
are cast through the lost wax method.
Business development training
Through TAI’s effort to empower Tibetan artisans, many artisans have
gained the knowledge and confidence required to run and expand their own small
enterprises. In particular, women master weavers are now hiring other weavers
so that they can increase production. TAI has helped the weavers to calculate
income and expenses, develop employment policies, plan production, cost products
and improve management. For instance, Sonam Drolma who weaves belts that are
then sewn together to make placemats, had never calculated how long it might
take to produce Dropenling’s winter order of 100 pieces. Dropenling’s
business training team worked with her to plan how many weavers she needed
to employ to produce the order in time for the tourist season.
How you can support the artisans of Tibet:
Tibet has been strongly affected by the conflict on March 14, 2008. With the
drop in tourism, Tibetan artisans have not been able to sell their products.
You can support Tibetan artisans by purchasing their products in the following
ways:
• Visit
our trunk shows in October and November 2008
October 3-5 Nomad, Cambridge, MA
October 9-12 Tesoros Trading Company, Austin, TX
October 17-19 Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM
October 24-26 Folk Art Gallery, San Rafael, CA
November 7-9 Silk Moon Gallery, Sebastopol, CA
• Host a trunk show: For information on ordering products and host agreements,
please contact Claire Burkert at Claireburkert@gmail.com
• Make direct purchases from our e-commerce site www.tibetcraft.com
• Contact Passang Choedon at dropenling_shipping@yahoo.com for placing
an export order
Other inquiries may be made to: Claireburkert@gmail.com
Dropenling Handicraft Center, #11 Chak Tasal Gang Road, Lhasa, Tibet,
850000, China
Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund, 663 Green Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel: 617 491 8689
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