Hooked on Crochet
Goa cluster produces syncretic art
We are on a WhatsApp video call with Mr. Motilal Netalkar, coordinator of the Omkar Arts and Crafts Association in Goa, and seven of the artisans working in one of the clusters. The camera pans from one to the other, as Netalkar tries to get them to speak about what binds them together: crochet.
They take turns with the camera phone, and end up talking more about their friends than themselves. Over the spotty call, we come to know that Shirley Dias is one of the oldest crochet artisans in Goa, and that M.K. Krishnaveni, from Kerala, moves her hands fast when crocheting, even after 20 years.
We learn about the others too: Shoba Suryavanshi, who comes to the craft cluster once in a while even if her eyesight doesn’t permit her to actively crochet anymore, mother-daughter duo Nazboon Nisha and Iptasam Parveen, who find crocheting very interesting, Herma Perreira, nicknamed “fastest fingers” for obvious reasons, and Tulsi Chawan, who just needs to look at something once to recreate the pattern.
The women, it is obvious, were a lively syncretic mix, cutting across language, region, and religious lines.
Crocheting came to Goa along with the Portuguese, as did other crafts of the time such as tatting and lace making, with the latter two extensively used in making vestments for the Church’s ritual use. Crochet, with its more versatile use, became a household craft.
In Goa, traditionally, crocheted items made up a part of a bride’s “dennem” or “trousseau” — things she took with her to her marital home.
Goan crochet has expanded from its origins in the Church, and is now practiced by many women in the state, helping them earn a steady income on the side.
The reasons for its popularity are not hard to find: Crocheting is simple, creative, stress-busting, and cheap. In fact, Ipsitam Parveen is an MCA (Computer Applications) graduate, and is looking to make some extra money through crochet while she waits to get placed in a steady job.
“This is work we can take with us anywhere — all we need is a hook and some cotton thread,” says Shirley Dias.
The past two years have been terrible, though. COVID struck, and work dried up for the women. Orders that came through government agencies dried up as well. Without income, the women found it tough to keep their families afloat, as tourism also came to a standstill.
Now, with the economy opening up, the women are raring to go. Netalkar agrees that the need of the hour is better marketing. “Constant work is very tough to come by,” he says. “Someone buys one product on a visit, then they forget about us.”
The women, meanwhile, are not letting go of any opportunity. They show us a portfolio with samples of crochet collected over the years, and innovative product designs. Some of the pages are frayed with age, but show so much promise, much like the artisans themselves.
The cluster can be contacted here.
