Christmas with Furhat: A Fair Trade Story

Today is Christmas. As we gather with friends and family and are enveloped with joy and laughter, let us not forget the traditional artisans worldwide who add the sparkle to your holidays.

This beautiful Christmas ornament comes from Batul Artisan Welfare Society, an artisan group making papier mache products in Srinagar, Kashmir, India. Papier mache is an old form of craft using paper, originally from Persia. Old paper is purchased from the local market. Strips are cut and soaked in the water for 2 to 3 days. Then it is pounded with a mortar and pestle. Rice powder is boiled with water to make it into thick glue and then mixed in the pounded paper pulp. Round molds made of wood or terracotta are used for making the balls. 

The balls are ready

The molds are first covered with ordinary paper. Layers of prepared paper pulp are patted on the ball and then gently rubbed with a wooden file. This is then dried for a couple of days, and when the paper pulp on the balls is completely dried, the ball is cut into halves and the mold is extracted. A strong string is attached to one half of the ball with a thick knot. The two halves of the ball are rejoined with the help of adhesive and the surface is smoothed using sand paper. The ball is now painted with a solution of chalk powder and white acrylic color. Now the ball is ready to be transformed into a beautiful Christmas ornament.

Furhat and her parents

This is Furhat with her parents, who are artisans with Batul Society. She is a chirpy young girl of 14 years and studies in the 6^th grade of a local school  Furhat is no way different from other girls in their early teens who love to play, sing, dance or go to school with a dream of a bright future. Furhat lives in Srinagar in the Kashmir valley. It is the capital city of the state of Jammu and Kashmir situated in the northern most part of India. The natural beauty of the valley with its rivers, lakes, verdant fields with a backdrop of snow capped mountains has given it the title “Heaven on Earth” and much sought after tourist attraction spot in the world .

Studying hard

Furhat goes to a local school named Government Girls’ Zaildar Mohalla Zone Rainwari where she learns Urdu (her mother tongue), English, history, geography, science and mathematics. Friends from school and neighborhood are the sources of joy in Furhat’s life with whom she plays everyday in the afternoon. They play cricket, hide and seek, racing and some indoor games, much like all school going children around the world. In addition, she has to help her mother in the kitchen and do some light household jobs. She also keenly observes her parents when they make papier mache products. It is her favorite pastime to watch how old pieces of paper are transformed into colorful toys, stars, boxes, flower vases, trays etc.

Household at work

Furhat’s family consists of her parents, grandmother and three siblings. Among her siblings, two are sisters and one brother. Furhat’s parents and elder sister work from home but collect the work from the Batul workshop which is 2 kilometers away. The three adult members start working from home at 9.30 am and finish at 5.30 pm. However within these working hours, Furhat’s mother may attend to some household chores though major work like cooking, cleaning and washing are completed before she sits for work. 

From their home to yours

There are few income generation opportunities in the Kashmir valley for Furhat’s and similar families. Industries are hardly present in the state. Fruit cultivation and agriculture can hardly support the people. Tourism is a profitable industry but has declined from its heydays due to the turbulent situation in the region. Handicrafts like embroidered woolen shawls, carpet making, wood carving, papier mache products are the only options for job seekers. Life is hard for Furhat and her family, and when the demand for their craft falls, the situation worsens.

Naseer Shah, Group Leader at Batul Society

 As a result, a majority of artisans from Srinagar have migrated to other states in search of work. Batul Society and its artisans are unique in that they continue to live and work in their original place of residence. The devastating floods of 2014 took their toll, destroying homes and workshops. Yet they continue to fight against their dire circumstances. Fair Trade helps them in their fight. Fair Trading organizations such as GEPA in Germany have bought large quantities of their beautiful products. Craft Resource Center continues to assist Batul Society to innovate in terms of design and products. But that can only go so far. At the end, it is the conscious consumer who seeks and actively purchases Fair Trade products who will bring a smile on Christmas to all the Furhats and their families around the world. Let's make life a beautiful place for everyone. Buy Fair, Be Fair.