Thatta Kedona

Culture is a Basic Need

Workshop on Renewable Energy and Sanitation

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:30 AM, ,

AeFeA - Overview

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:12 PM, ,

Thatta Kedona: The Toy Village of Pakistan

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The film Thatta Kedona: The Toy Village of Pakistan was screened in front of an informed audience here in Lahore. The show was followed by a heated debate on such activities and how every one can participate and on very incisive observations on society by Dr. Senta Siller.

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:56 PM, ,

Pakistan House Potsdam Moves On

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After over ten years of honorary work, the Pakistan House Potsdam, Germany is closing as the Pakistani village self help project is entering another phase. The Pakistan House has remained a starting point for self help project in Pakistani village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka situated on the bank of the river Ravi some 80 kilometers from Lahore. The closure of Pakistan House Potsdam does not mean an end to the noble work. Instead, it is a new phase in the life of the self help project because the basis has been created and people in the village have been trained and they are operating more or less independently since quite a long time.

Idea of Pakistan House took birth back in 1997 when Bonn was still the federal capital of Germany. With the cooperation of the DGFK – an ardent supporter of cultural development projects – the Pakistan House was established in Potsdam, the provincial capital of the province of Brandenburg in the close proximity of Berlin which was to become a federal capital.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:42 AM, ,

Thatta Kedona Project

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The cluster of mud and brick houses in the plains of Punjab, Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka (TGD) looks like a typical Pakistani village about 80 kilometres away from Lahore and 40 kilometres from Indus civilization ruins in Harappa. There is no gas or telephone in the village. No asphalt roads lead to it. Yet it is different, the beautiful dolls and other handicrafts made by the village folks are collectors' delight all over the world. Influencers from Indus civilization from nearby Harappa and modern techniques brought by the German volunteers can be seen in the village together.

The dolls made in the village are on display in international doll museum in Iceland, prestigious galleries and showrooms in Pakistan and abroad. TGD village doll project was one of the 767 worldwide projects presented in the "Themepark" at expo 2000 in Hannover (Germany) as an example of thinking of twenty first century. Earlier, the dolls from Pakistan participated in international toy fair in Nuremberg. These dolls show how culture goes beyond simple work of art and becomes collaboration among applied and natural sciences as well as other forces that affect our lives.

Thatta Kedona is a project, first of its kind, in rural area where handmade quality dolls and toys are crafted using all indigenous material and traditional designs based on cultural and folklore themes. The workmanship of the dolls and toys has acclaimed international recognition and clientele through their participation in numerous international events, exhibitions, fairs and display at International Doll Museum Iceland and Deutsche Gesellschafr zur Foerderung der Kultar, Germany. These toys are the embodiment of dreams, hopes and most of all self-reliance of the hands, which breathe a part of the soul into them.

How all this started? A Pakistan studying in Germany, Amjad Ali who is a native of village TGD invited his German teachers Dr. Senta Siller to visit his village back home. Dr. Senta Siller along with Dr. Norbert Pinstch came to the village where they were presented a doll made by a local woman. Dr. Senta Siller was impressed by the doll and liked the natural and simple village life. She decided to work for the village; established NGO Anjumane-e-Falah-e-Aama and started community based Woman Art Centre in TGD in 1992. The aim of this centre is to involve local womenfolk in productive, creative and healthy income generating activities. For men Dr. Norbert Pintsch established Technology Transfer and Training Centre (TTTC). This created awareness and built confidence among the village folks and they started making dolls and toys on self-help biases that are marketed all over the world. The village and its residents are benefiting in the process.

This is a holistic project. Handicraft is in the spot on the stage but the project has a cultural philosophy. Education, science, agriculture, hydrogeology (drinking water project), appropriate technology, public health, economy (marketing, distribution), tourism and communication, are all in practice.

TTTC is concentrating on improved agricultural techniques and other suitable jobs for men. Also, carpenters, blacksmiths and tailors in the village are profitably involved in production for the TTTC for men. On Dr. Norbert Pintsch's arrival in Pakistan this time (November 2007), Nation took a chance to ask him about goals, the motives and motivations.

"The goals of the project are self-help activities at a grass roots levels, holistic village development, empowerment of women, income generation, and literacy and vocational training, says Dr. Norbert Pintsch. The philosophy working behind this selfless work is "preservation of cultural heritage, reduction of migration to cities by creating additional income in the village and future is in the rural areas," he added.

Dolls from Pakistan in authentic attires of the specific tribes, communities and areas and thematic toys tempt tourists and diplomats. They collect these dolls as a souvenir of the time they spent in Pakistan. "During last seven years, the Pakistani dolls have travelled in suitcases of our client to 40 different countries. They (dolls) sit in the ambassadors' residences not only in Islamabad, but accompany them to the next and second next posting. I have met TGD dolls in the Japanese ambassador's home in Jakarta and also in the German embassy in Damascus," tells Dr. Norbert Pintsch with pride and pleasure. "Part of the artists go where ever the dolls go," says a young artist. Each doll has a small plate attached carrying the name of the doll maker.

Doll making is one of the oldest and popular folk art in Pakistan. Simple stuffed dolls are made for children particularly in rural areas where people are still striving for the attainment of basic needs. The main difference of previous doll making and the modern techniques taught by Dr. Senta is that she has introduced variety in size and shapes and dresses them in colourful costumes with attentions to details. This has resulted in high quality soft toys to cater to demands of the gift market.

Work of Dr. Norbert Pintsch and Dr. Senta Siller has not only moved the people of area but also raised a spacious and simple building for the Women Art Centre and TTTC with the help of different donors. Now there are as many as 120 women from the age of 24 to 40 working in both the centres making dolls dressed in regional (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan, Balochi, Kashmiri and Kalash) embroider costumes, miniatures, hand knitted shawls tin rickshaws and other toys and earning their living. They are making their own lives better and strengthening their families. "They (the women) are moving towards true equality and independence" says a doll maker who has twelve year of schooling, is married in this village and working in the Centre.

Village TGD is changing. The relative prosperity has beginning to show. Villagers are putting their children, particularly the girls in school. The Woman Art Centre is also playing a part in the well being of the villagers. The Centre has provided furniture and other equipment to the primary school in village and opened a well equipped health care centre. An annual quality of life competition is held in the village when best houses are selected in three different categories.

This seems to be one of the unique and best self help project anywhere in Pakistan.

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:30 AM, ,

More Visitors in the Dolls and Toys Village

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 11:03 AM, ,

Куклы Hародов Mира (Russian)

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Куклы были всегда. Доказательство тому – однозначно идентифицированные в качестве таковых предметы, найденные при раскопках в Южной Америке, Японии, Италии, Греции и в других местах по всему миру. Сделанные из всевозможных материалов – дерева, воска, глины, ткани, – они использовались не только как игрушки, но часто и как символы и культовые предметы, миниатюрные изображения человека в ритуалах жертвоприношения. Еще и по сей день у различных народов они выступают как фетиш, что привело к возникновению культовых фигур или разработанных на их основе игрушек. Куклы – это не только игрушки, имеющие воспитательную ценность, но и реальные документы прошлого и настоящего и, следовательно, важный источник, из которого можно черпать знания об играх, образе жизни, быте и хозяйственной деятельности того или иного народа. Таким образом, куклы являются важным проводником культуры!

Д-р Зента Зиллер основала в ряде стран – Пакистане, Камеруне, Колумбии и др. – различные социальные проекты. Суть их заключается в следующем: занятие художественными ремеслами шаг за шагом прокладывает путь в деле развития сельских областей, обучает их жителей приемам самопомощи, сдерживает отток людей из деревни за счет мероприятий, приносящих им дополнительный доход. Производство кукол здесь – это кропотливая ручная работа; их наряжают в оригинальные костюмы с разнообразными аксессуарами. Вследствие этого забытые виды тканей и детали одежды вновь оживают и занимают важное место в быту.

Куклы из Пакистана

Основанный д-ром Зиллер в 1993 г. женский проект в пакистанской провинции Пенджаб – а на сегодняшний день он разросся и включает в себя также и центр для мужчин – способствовал тому, что к настоящему времени уже 120 женщин имеют доход. Занятость этих женщин в проекте, базирующаяся на их любви к традиции, не препятствует их работе по дому и в поле, а также проведению различного рода праздников, которые определяют традиционную культуру в сельской местности. Деревня Татта Гхуламка Дхирока насчитывает около 1200 жителей. В 1991 г. сельская община основала кооператив «Аньюман-э-Фалах-э-Аама», который сотрудничает с DGFK e.V. (Немецкое общество содействия Kultur e.V.). Сам Аньюман участвует в шести других проектах в стране.

Куклы из Камеруна

Начиная с 1998 г. были основаны три кооператива («Акавтинуигах», «Акаанканг», HandiCraft CAT) в Баменде, столице северо-западной камерунской провинции, которая граничит с Нигерией. Эти кооперативы также сотрудничают с DGFK. Баменда насчитывает примерно 60 000 жителей, которые составляют население семи холмов и говорят на восьми различных языках. Помимо мужчин из кооператива CAT, художественно-ремесленную продукцию изготавливают более 100 женщин.

Куклы из Колумбии

В 1999 г. был основан кооператив «Танто Мехор» в Сабойе, который к настоящему времени сотрудничает с тремя инициативами. Сабойя – это населенный пункт примерно с 6000 жителей, расположенный вблизи от Чикинкиры, столицы департамента Бойака, к северу от Боготы. У этого кооператива также имеются связи с DGFK. Художественными ремеслами здесь заняты более 100 женщин.

ПОМНИТЕ, что
...покупая представленные здесь изделия, имеющие высокую художественную ценность, вы не только поддерживаете мероприятия, приносящие доход населению пенджабского региона, но и приобретаете уникальный образец традиционной культуры страны.
Одноразовым либо многократным перечислением некоторой денежной суммы вы поддержите дальнейшую работу проекта развития сельской местности. Вы можете указать одно из следующих назначений для вашего денежного перевода:
a) общее,
b) женский центр,
c) центр здоровья,
d) сельскохозяйственный проект,
e) проект по обеспечению питьевой водой,
f) проект развития центра для мужчин,
g) школьный проект,
h) проект развития туризма.

Переводы следует направлять на следующий счет:

Получатель: ...
Счет №.: ...
Название банка: ...
Пароль: 3S-Foundation / SentaSillerStiftung
назначение: (смотри вышеуказанные пункты от a) до h))

или отправьте чек на предъявителя по адресу

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:58 AM, ,

New Design of Women Art Center

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 2:16 PM, ,

How to Start and Manage Non-Governmental Organizations

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How to Start and Manage Non-Governmental Organizations

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:27 PM, ,

TGD Life

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:00 AM, ,

Education Workshop With Renate Perner

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AFA is doing wonders for the education of children in village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka - the dolls village. In addition to creating academic opportunities for teachers as well as students in two government schools for girls and boys, the NGO also trains the young students in art work.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:00 AM, ,

Monika Kuppler in the Womens Centre

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Monika Kuppler is in the Womens Centre of the AFA in TGD for the fourth time this year. She has helped in the establishment of a Ceramics Workshop, which produces doll-house crockery on the basis of traditional culture and designs with the help of the young village girls.

The NGO, which has now become part of an international NGO network, has received a Seal of Excellence for Handicraft 2007 from UNESCO for its handicraft dolls, however it is still important to develop new marketable products.

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 2:32 PM, ,


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