Thatta Kedona

Culture is a Basic Need

Prof. Gwendolyn Kulick's Journey into Pakistan's Heritage
Sunday, June 28, 2026

The academic journey of German design researcher Prof. Dr. Gwendolyn Kulick is both extensive and impressive. She studied Product Design at the University of the Arts Berlin. From 2004 to 2017, she volunteered for the Thatta Kedona project. She also taught at BNU in Lahore before moving to Cairo University in 2015. Until 2017, she contributed to the Thatta Kedona doll display at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin.

Her doctoral research focused on the Thatta Kedona doll project in the small Pakistani village of Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka in Okara District. Dr. Kulick completed her PhD in February 2024 at the School of Design and Art at the University of Wuppertal, Germany, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Brigitte Wolf. Her dissertation explored Pakistan’s Crafts for Empowerment.

Labels: Gwendolyn Kulick, Research

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 3:15 PM, ,

Off to Thatta Kedona
Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Tradition and Future

Unimaginable – a generation ago, the journey from Lahore to Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka (TGD) took eight hours; a round trip in one day was hardly possible. Tongas and rickshaws were the usual means of transport in rural areas. There wasn't a single gas station between Lahore and Okara.

The situation improved with the construction of the Lahore-Multan Highway, so that visitors, by car or bus (e.g., from universities), increasingly visited the village of TGD.

Sustainable tourism developed. Guests could stay overnight with accommodation and meals; thanks to the drinking water project, fish could be offered for local consumption; neem tree leaves for insect repellent were available, as were sugarcane spread and fresh buffalo milk.A prize was regularly awarded for the most beautiful mud house (Preservation of Cultural Heritage).

Historical sites were highlighted in the surrounding area (the fort in Gogera, Lord Berkeley's cemetery near Gogera / separatist terrorists rebelled against the occupiers – the first days of independence); the publication "Dolls, Toys and More" by S A J Shirazi, published by Feroszons, draws attention to places of interest: Patoki, Sahiwal, Okara, and Sher Garh.

The project's sustainability in this context was repeatedly hampered by major political events (nuclear tests), security concerns, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and pandemics, so that domestic and international guests and visitors could take advantage of the pleasant temperatures between September and March.

TK (Thatta Kedona) lives on, preserving its traditional character. Local culture and looks optimistically to the future:

-In 2019, an art project (Artist in Residence Peter Hecht) was successfully carried out,

-In 2021, the crime novel *The Village of Dolls* by Hans Sachs was published,

-In 2024, Dr. Gwendolyne Kulick received her doctorate with a research dissertation in which the TK project also played a role.

-In 2025, after 25 years, the doll project participated in the Bazaar 2025 in Berlin with its own stand, under the patronage of Dr. Senta – a wonderful sign of the connection between tradition and the future.

Labels: Dolls Toys and More, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Gwendolyn Kulick, Peter Hecht, TGD, Thatta Kedona, The Village of Dolls

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 3:15 PM, ,

Pakistan’s crafts for empowerment: Dr. Gwendolyn Kulick's Work
Saturday, March 8, 2025

The academic journey of German design researcher and Professor Dr. Gwendolyn Kulick is both extensive and impressive. She volunteered for the Thatta Kedona project from 2004 to 2017 and taught at the BNU in Lahore before moving to the University of Cairo in 2015. She also contributed to the Berlin Ethnology Museum’s Thatta Kedona doll display until 2017. Her doctoral research focused on the Thatta Kedona doll project in the small Pakistani village of Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka, located in the Okara District. Dr. Kulick completed her PhD at the School of Design and Art at Wuppertal University in Germany, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Brigitte Wolf. Her dissertation explored the topic of "Pakistan’s crafts for empowerment."

This link provides access to key sections of her dissertation, including details about the contributors and their perspectives.

Here is Thatta Kedona Window at Sahiwal Arts Council.

Here is the complete YouTube video.

Labels: Gwendolyn Kulick, Research, Thatta Kedona

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:40 AM, ,

A Chance Encounter: Reconnecting in Berlin
Sunday, November 24, 2024

In a heartwarming display of serendipity, Dr. Gwendolyn from Cairo and Dr. Senta from Vienna recently reunited at Berlin Central Station. This chance encounter was made all the more special because the two doctors first met over two decades ago.

Their initial meeting took place in 2001 on Pakistan Day at the Pakistan House in Potsdam, Germany. This event was organized by DGFK e.V. The seeds of friendship sown that day have clearly endured, as evidenced by their joyful reunion in Berlin.

During their meeting, Dr. Gwendolyn gifted Dr. Senta a printed edition of her dissertation, which features Thatta Kedona as one of the projects examined. This thoughtful gesture served as a poignant reminder of the power of human connections and the importance of nurturing friendships over time.

Labels: Berlin, DGFK eV Berlin, Dr Senta Siller, Gwendolyn Kulick, Thatta Kedona

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:39 AM, ,