Last night September 10th, Shamji Vishram Vankar delivered his presentation "Bhujodi Weaving Talk & Trunk Show." Shamji showed the audience Bhujodi village and gave them a sense of the history and culture that has given birth to a range of magnificent weaving techniques. The presentation began with a short film. Shamji then spoke about his family and their traditional relationship with the Rabari and Ahir communities. Shamji pointed out that during the 1960s things began to change. On the one hand acrylic yarns and fabrics began to appear, but on the other hand they also were able to access merino wools, and a number of silks such as tussar, eri, and muga. The local market began to shift and a new international market began to develop.

It gives me great pleasure this evening to introduce one of the most steadfast, determined, dedicated and soft-spoken men I have ever met. 

Soon you will meet him also. This is a wonderful opportunity for you, because unless you were to make a special trip and fly to India you would probably never meet him.

Well, actually, that is now no longer true. You might have met him last year if you were in Osaka Japan surrounded by 17 other master artisans from the Kachchh desert. Weaver’s, dyers, and block printers. This was only the last visit in what is becoming a long list of international engagements. 

It is hard not to see this international recognition as karma - as a reward to those who have kept the faith of their craft and dedicated themselves to it - even when that was clearly the more difficult path to take.

When he presents to you I would ask you to keep a question in your mind: The question is this: “What does it mean to carry a tradition?” What does it mean to dedicate your life to something that is, on the one hand, so much bigger than you, and on the other hand, so delicate and fragile that all you need to do is ignore it for a short period of time and it will falter, and fall apart, and be lost forever.  

What does it mean to carry a tradition?

Shamji knows the answer to that question. He is one of six brothers. Each of them has pursued an education and then returned to the family weaving business and dedicated themselves to maintaining, expanding, and improving that business. They can all weave - a skill which they learned at the hands of their father who was himself a National Award winner.

Please join me in welcoming Shamji Vishram Vankar.