Preserving culture: Week-long doll making workshop concludes

ISLAMABAD:

The seven-day doll making workshop for students, organised by the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa), concluded here at Shakarparian on Sunday.

The workshop was part of Lok Virsa’s “craft of the month” series, which aims to promote traditional skills and knowledge to the youth. The events also aim to inculcate the importance of various local crafts and Pakistan’s rich and pluralistic cultural tapestry.

It also encouraged youth to value dignity of labour, own their culture and respect different professions.

Fifty students and children from various schools and institutes under Federal Directorate of Education and Directorate General for Special Education participated in the workshop. They learnt craft-making techniques from master artisans in the surroundings of the Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology (Heritage Museum).

The five master artisans were Fouzia Naheed from Islamabad, Farzana Hussain and Hina Zahoor from Okara, Hafeez Begum and Humaira Qamar from Chakwal.

“It was a great experience to work with Lok Virsa and teach my craft-making techniques to children, particularly special children,” Farzana Hussain said.

Hafeez Begum said she had prepared nearly 100 traditional dolls with the children. “Training children was a unique and memorable task for me,” she said.

“I enjoyed learning doll making; I asked my mother to buy material for me to practice at home,” said young Rimna, a participant at the workshop.

Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fouzia Saeed announced
that the next programme on weaving will be held between December 21 and 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2015.