Artisans work straw into impressive crafts

t('articles.tweet')

* denotes required field.

• Your name *
• Email to *
• Comments *
• CAPTCHA *

Reset

LAHORE — Straw-made handicrafts are very popular in Pakistan, especially “chiks,” which are substitutes for fabric curtains and have traditionally been used to keep out the dust as well as the blistering heat of summer afternoons.

Ramzan has been working as a craftsman of straw-made crafts since Pakistan became independent 62 years ago. His entire family is involved in this work. During winter, the sale of straw-made crafts is at its peak, when prices of straw decline.

"Winter is our busiest season, when people visit us to purchase the maximum quantity of straw-made crafts," he said Sept. 1.

Using straw and coloured thread, artisans weave traditional blinds, fans, stools, chairs, and tables, to name just a few items. The prices for straw-made crafts depend on the customer’s requirements. While some are interested in these crafts solely for decorative purposes, others, especially those who buy chiks, put their purchases to practical use.

"I enjoy my work … and what we earn goes to meet our daily requirements," said Mithu, another craftsman. Prices of their crafts are not fixed. "Sometimes customers pay well, but at times they don't. Those who bargain hardest can wind up with the best deals," he said. The practitioners of the craft usually create custom products based on required specifications.

Most craftsmen want their children to go to school and get an education, so that their future can be brighter, but they themselves do not want to leave this art form, even though straw weaving yields them only moderate incomes.

“There are quite a few NGOs working in support of traditional arts and crafts,” said a spokesperson for one such organisation, the Kashaf Foundation. “NGOs should focus on helping these craftspeople obtain micro-credits to allow them to expand their productivity and be able to plan a better future for themselves and their children.”