ETHNOGRAPHYKuchcha- Drovana

COURSE OBJECTIVE : To understand the process of ethnography on field To experience the challenges and understand the process of getting access for in-depth cultural research

To enhance communication skills in order to get correct data and insights DURATION: Theoretical inputs: 24 August 2012 - 28 August 2012

On-field research 4 September 2012 – 8 September 2012 PLACE: Bhuj, Kutchh District, Gujarat

Brainstorming and researching about the villages in and around Bhuj (Kuchh)

Visiting various villages to understand the scope of study Mapping the communities of a region.

Dhrovana was finalized on the basis of easy access, interesting location and presence of two major religious communities living in the same region.

1

2

3

4

Observation research In depth informal interviews Casual conversations Participatory observation

AHMEDABAD BHUJ

KHAVADA

MOTA DINARA

GANDHINUGAM

BHUJ

BHUJ

KHAVADA

DROVANA

BHUJ

BHUJ

KHAVADA

DROVANA

BHUJ

AJARAKPUR

BHUJODI

BHUJ

BHUJ

MOTA DINARA

ABOUT THE VILLAGE Is 700 year old village 85 kilometer away from the Bhuj

and 5 kilometer away from Khavda Muslim and Harijan community

stay in the village Cattle rearing and farming is the

main occupation There are 800 household in the

village.

OBJECTIVES : To understand scope of

ethnography research in the area To get access to study culture of

the village

OCCUPATION: Villagers depended on dry

farming so men of the

house stay out for 2 – 3 months for earning

Selling Milk was other occupation of the village.

There was one milk center

in the village where people collected their milk and sold in the city

FOOD: Bajra ka rotala ,daal ,rice,

khichadi is the every day food of the village

ATTIRE OF PEOPLE: Women wear Kanjra and

men wear Pathani.

Women make Kanjra for themselves before marriage

Nowadays some women have started to wear Pathani ( Punjabi )

Women wears heavy jewelry

There is no change in the attire before and after marriage in the Muslim

community

STATUS OF WOMEN: Women stay in the house

and do daily household

work Taking photographs of

women after certain age is not allowed

EDUCATION: There was one Madarasa till

8th standard after that

students go to Khavda to study

After 8th standard girls are not allowed to study further

After 8th standard, boys

from the village go to Maharashtra, Ahmedabad, Baruch for their further study (Vocational study, hand skill based study, agricultural

study )

RELIGION: Majority of population in the

village is of the Muslim

community.

SOCIAL INTERACTION: Every day men of the

village met outside of the

Masjid after Maghrib. Women met at Friday on

Eid prayer in Masjid. Most of the marriages are

happened within village

GANDHINUGAAM

ABOUT THE VILLAGE Is 100 year old village situated 10 kilometer away from Khavda Muslim and Harijan community

stay in the village There are 150 household in the

village Over 200 families reside in the

village

OBJECTIVES : To understand scope of

ethnography research in the area To get access to study culture of

the village

RELIGION: Majority of population is

Hindu in the village

Harijan and Marwadi is the major community in the village

Very less number of people are Muslims

SOCIAL INTERACTION: Muslim community live

separate because of less space in the village

Marriages never happen within villages

First people feel shy to speak but after some time they speak freely

People allow to take

photograph

FACILITIES: For Daily need they have to

go to Khavda

There were 7-8 bikes in the village

There was a underground water tank for drinking water.

House in the villages quite well and big

ATTIRE: Women wore odhani,

kanjari, ghagara, chuda

Men wore white pathani, black leather shoes, Gamcha.

New generation wore shirt pants.

OCCUPATION: Main occupation of the

people is wood carving

Sofa set, stool, stray are the main products

Women do handwork called Gurjari

Also Embroidery /

patchwork on cloths is another source of income

Sale of craft work happen from house

Sometime women go out

for exhibitions

STATUS OF WOMEN: Men in the house take all

the decisions

Women/girls don’t go to school after 4th standard

EDUCATION: There was a primary school

in the village after that

need to go to Khawda for further study

From the age of 7-8 girls in the house start to learn craft work

BHUJ

KHAVADA

DROVANA

BHUJ

PLACE: Dhrovana, Khavada District, Kutch ACCESS: We got access to the village through a school teacher in Bhuj travelling with us in the bus. He

helped us get in touch with a man called Abdul Sattar who works for an NGO in that region. Abdul introduced us to the villagers, the school teacher of Dhrovana and a Harijan family in that village. He helped us communicate with the villagers to explain our presence and agenda, to gain access an a villager’s (Kanha) house and make arrangements for our stay.

OBJECTIVE : Getting access Familiarize ourselves to the location and people Explaining the scope of project to the informant Making arrangements for stay

Understanding the research constraints in that area

INFORMANT : Kanha and Sattar Bhai

WHY WE CHOSE DROVANA? Interesting location :

one of the last villages to India-Pakistan border

Presence of both Hindu and Muslim community

A high security region We had got access

to the village We could make

arrangements to stay

BHUJ

KHAVADA

DROVANA

OBJECTIVE: Conducting detailed observation research over 24 hours. OVERVIEW:

We took an early morning bus to the village and met Kanha and his family Before that we wandered around to explore the village Our 24-hr cycle started at 11:32 am From there on we allocated areas of observation and started recording Data Collection in the form of transcriptions, audio and video recordings and sketches We stayed with Kanha and his family till 11:30 am the next morning

KANHA

Kanha is a musician who plays flute. He is the elder son of the family in which we stayed. He was wearing a cricket outfit for

both the days, owns a bike and smoke bedi. He is looking forward for a city exposure for performing and has done a few too.

WATER TANK

SHOPS

HINDU HARIJAN WOMEN Lehenga and long kurta, with dupatta Kurta (long top) was different for married and unmarried women

Hand made clothers Lots of hand embroidery on clother Vibrant colors, and big floral prints Synthetic fabrics mostly Bangles - glass and plastic White bangles for the upper arm

Jewellery - Local names Kadi - Anklet Sasri - Nose ring Siri - Flat and round nose ring Thodiya - Earrings

Vindo - Nose ring for the bride

HINDU HARIJAN WOMEN - MARRIED Married women wore backless top with lehengas (long skirt) and a dupatta (wide stoll) The backless long top - called Kanjri

Heavily ornamented and embroidered Made by the bride herself before her marriage, and brought to her new house as part of her

dowry The skirt (lehengas) - either plain or printed, synthetic fabrics, with heavily embroidered or gota

borders The dupatta was not a regular rectangle shape, but a rectangle with a square piece attached

for covering the head Covering of head is mandatory, especially in presence of other men

HINDU HARIJAN WOMEN - UNMARRIED Hindu Harijan - unmarried woman Wore a stitched long top over the lehenga

Dupatta worn only when going out Covering the head not mandatory Lots of bangles - glass and plastic

MUSLIM MAALDARI WOMEN Two piece stitched clothing - like salwar and kurta, common for all age groups Extra piece of cloth for covering the head

Very little embroidery on clothes More earthy colors, and less bold prints The top/ kurta (called frack) was stitched in a way that it looked like two pieces - lehenga and

choli All hand stitched clothes Very less jewellery

Only one bangle in each hand Ankle bands in legs No toe rings Head covered all the time, irrespective of age or marital status Chain in neck- golden color

MEN HINDU HARIJAN Wore regular pants and t-shirts

T-shirts looked old and worn out Cricket jerseys common No specific color pattern visible

MUSLIM MAALDAARI Kurta and pyjama (pathan suit)

Carried an scarf - printed - bold floral prints Blue a common color in their clothing

100 Hindu houses, 500 muslim houses Multiple structures in a compound Separate room for each couple

Kitchen (2 windows, a cut out in the roof for the smoke to escape, a drain in the corner), mud chulha

Verandah Washing area outside Toilet

HINDUS Pakka(concrete) Wall art – Hindus Colours: Blue, green, yellow, red Motifs: peacocks, flowers, horses, plants, girls

MUSLIMS Thatched huts, Bungas(round mud houses)+ concrete

BELONGINGS: Sewing machine Television Stereo

Furniture: 2 woven cot, Chair Utensils Water pots stacked upside down on

one wall Godri (hand made fabric filled

quilt/bed cover) Framed photographs on walls First aid kit Mounted and laminated pictures of

gods

Ceiling fans Big storage boxes Table 1 Goat

The village has 4 schools One basic healthcare facility in one of the school’s complex

School is up to 7th standard only IT teaching facility with 3-4 computers also available in the school Language of teaching – Gujarati or Kutchhi English and Hindi sparingly taught Hindu Harijan kids more regular for school

Lesser number of girls in higher classes

School facilities for children

of both religions and

communities.

Medium: gujrati

Difference in the sitting

pattern: kids of a

community tended to sit

together

More number of Harijan

than Maldari students

Male and female teachers

SOURCES OF INCOME : The men of the household were

builders and masons Harijan women did bead work for themselves but also to sell outside.

One part of the house was given out on rent to a female teacher

ENTERTAINMENT: Men gathered at the top of the

hill in the evening to talk

Television Inter village/ community cricket

matches Singing/Playing musical

instruments

Listening to radio/songs on phone

Gathering in the temple Embroidery/bead work Visiting neighbors Smoking

Women were observed

shop keeping for a certain

time in the afternoon.

A Gujrati educated

woman also lives in the

village running an

individual shop.