Sugri Shala

A Craft Education Mela under the ‘Sugri Shala’ Programme of Khamir

 

About Sugri Shala

 

Sugri Shaala is an Education Programme of Khamir that aims to integrate the traditional handicrafts of Kachchh as a medium of teaching and learning in schools. Today crafts are largely looked at from a commercial and market perspective and artisans are seen as producers of various articles and products. Crafts, however, have been practised since ancient times collectively by craft communities sharing rich cultural heritage, coexisting with nature and imbibing values of sustainable ways of living. Artisans hold rich knowledge of various materials, ecology and craft processes. Today we have failed to recognise these diverse aspects of crafts and respect craftsmanship for the vast knowledge and wisdom it holds.

 

Sugri Shala aims to position crafts in schools as a unique opportunity to learn from, that exists in children’s local contexts. It has the potential to enhance students' learning in schools and make learning experiential and an enjoyable experience for them. 

Programs of Sugri Shala

1. Sugriyo ki Killol :  

   ‘Sugriyo ki Killol’ is a craft education mela conducted every year at Khamir that invites various schools of Kachchh to take the first step towards understanding the idea of ‘Sugri Shala’. Here students, teachers, parents experience the fun and enjoyment of engaging in different crafts along with craft artisans and witnessing its immense potential of learning. It also becomes an opportunity to connect with interested teachers and educators who would like to become part of the program and take the idea into their own spaces. 

2. Sugriyo ki Khoj: 

   If a school is interested in the program, we conduct a short module of 10-12 hrs in a School around a single craft over a period of 1-2 months. It is conducted with students of Grade 5 and allows the school to understand more about the possibilities of the program and its usefulness for students. 

3. Sugriyo ki Udaan: 

   This is a year-long program conducted after ‘Khoj’ with Grades 6 to 8 involving multiple crafts. This program is collectively designed and implemented with the school to integrate crafts with its existing curriculum. 

      

Killol 2024

 

Date: 30th June to 7th July, 2024

Time: 10.30 am to 5 pm

Venue: Khamir Campus, Kukma

 

Activities at ‘Killol’

The event is specially designed for students of Grade 5. The participants would get an opportunity to engage in nine different crafts of Kachchh. The crafts are arranged into 3 groups or ‘Tracks’. A group of participants will be guided by facilitators and artisans to explore one track at a time for 1 and ½ hour, after which they will move to the next track. A group can explore two tracks during the day. 

 

Track 1: Resho ki Duniya

Crafts: Spinning, Weaving, Namda

 

Track 2: Rango ki Duniya

Crafts: Block printing and Dyeing

 

Track 3: Mitti se Dosti 

Crafts: Pottery

 

Track 4: Samuday ki Kahaniya 

Crafts: Lacquer work, Copper Bell, Leather

 

During this, the students will engage with crafts, explorations with materials, experimentation, games, story telling, music, hands-on with crafts, interact with craft artisans, etc. There would be a collective reflection at the end of the day to share about the experiences of students.

Daily Schedule

Time	Activity
10:30 to 11:00 am	Welcome and Orientation
11:00 to 1:00 pm	Craft Workshops
1:00 to 2:00 pm	Lunch Break
2:00 to 2:45 pm	Sharing by previous year Students
2:45 to 3:45 pm	Open Craft explorations
3:45 to 4:00 pm	Break
4:00 to 5:00 pm	Sangeet

 

Full Mela Schedule

Date	Day	School's Name
30th June	Sunday	Open house: artisan families, NGO families
1st July	Monday	Kodki prathmik shala, Kodki Hathisthan kanya shala, Bhuj
2nd July	Tuesday	Kailash Nagar prathmik shala, Kotda Ramnagari panchayati prathmik shala, Madhapar
3rd July	Wednesday	Break
4th July	Thursday	Indra Bai kanya vidhyalaya, Bhuj Kunariya kanya prathmik shala
5th July	Friday	Mankuva kumar primary school Prayas school, Kukma
6th July	Saturday	Shishukunj school, Sedata Hiten Dholakia prathmik school, Bhuj
7th July	Sunday	Teachers and B.Ed. Students

 

Few instructions for the school: 

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• As it is a full day event, students and teachers are expected to bring their lunch boxes with them. Light snacks will be provided by Khamir in the afternoon.

• Transportation of students is to be arranged by the school.

• We can accommodate 30 - 35 students from one school from Grade 5.

• A teacher orientation program is organised on 24th June, 10.30 am to 1.30 pm at Khamir campus, to introduce the teachers about the program and the mela. We expect at least two teachers from the school to participate in the program. Lunch will be provided at Khamir.

 

Some Glimpses of our work

 

 

Teacher and students learning ‘Doshi Charkha’ from Rabari artisans and listening to their stories about pastoralism	Students in handson ‘Namda’ workshop with artisan Gulmohommad bhai at Khamir
Potter Ramju bhai speaks to students about the different types of soil used in painting pottery, their sources and how they are used.	Popat bhai, the lacquer artisan, also explains about ‘friction’, ‘heat’ and the insect of lac, as he guides students in getting hands-on experience with lacquer wood work.
Potters with students learning hand building with clay and on the wheel.	Students spin the peti charkha and discuss their observations in class.
Students present their work from the ‘Discovery of Weaving’ module - Exploring the origins of weaving and the life of early human beings	Students present the potential uses of the ‘Peti Charkha’ according to their investigations.
Students do block printing and learn about the ties between designs and communities and the geometry hidden in block printing motifs.