EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This project is based in Manipur. Kouna a water hyacinth unique to Manipur is used for basket weaving and mat making by the Kouna artisans .The word Kouna comes from “Kou”, a Manipuri name used for making mats and other artistic items. Meitei culture closely associates Kouna with and sometimes even considered it as a reincarnation of their local deity “Phakamgba”.
In this project we worked with an NGO called ODESH. They roughly have 1500 skilled Kouna artisans under them, and they aim to help these artisans build a livelihood by selling their Kouna products to mainland India through exhibitions and other retailers. But currently they cannot provide full time employment to these artisans.
ODESH functions as a wholesaler for other retailers, so based on orders they can provide employment to not more than 2 clusters, i.e. 10- 20 artisans. Their other channels are the seasonal handicraft exhibitions in mainland India.
Their turnover presently is only Rs 5 lakh. Of the 1,500 women they have organised into SHGs, only about 100 are able to get part time work. Some women have indicated that they could earn around 4,000/- a month if they work full time.
That’s where I as a designer intervened and worked on building a business enterprise for the NGO, help them connect to the larger market, build a system that allows for refreshing design and new product development regularly.
Traditionally and even now the material is used to make Mats and mattresses. And through my market and customer research I learned that there is a gap and scope for traditional craft to be incorporated in multifunctional, floor line seating.
I designed a range of multifunctional floor line seating with this material, to bring out the traditions and culture of Manipur for Urban India.
KOUNA Artisans in MANIPUR
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
A modular single seater lounging chair, that dismantles into 6 individual stools.
KOUNA BASKETS
Exhibitited at The Srishti Collective 2015, The Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad.
