Culture

Constructing Cultural Identity Through Weaving Among Ri-Bhoi Women Weavers: A Symbolic Interactionist Approach

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Abstract

With this interpretive study, we sought to understand how weaving as an activity contributed to constructing women handloom weavers’ cultural identity in the region of Ri-Bhoi, a district in Meghalaya, India, by exploring weavers’ experiences through changing tides of modernization in the handloom industry of the region. An ethnographic approach was implemented using participant observation, field notes/journaling, and informal and formal interviews to collect relevant data. Analyses revealed four themes representing the value that Ri-Bhoi women weavers attached to various aspects of their weaving tradition, which in turn, supported their cultural identities:(a) maintaining the tradition of weaving through acquisition and exchange of knowledge, (b) securing social support from family and community, (c) maintaining the tradition of weaving through creation of textiles that symbolize tribe and culture, and (d) achieving a sense of fulfillment (i.e., joy, happiness, and pride). Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Keywords: women, weaver, symbolic interaction, modernization, India, handloom, cultural identity

How to Cite:

Dias, R. M., Ogle, J. P. & Diddi, S., (2020) “Constructing Cultural Identity Through Weaving Among Ri-Bhoi Women Weavers: A Symbolic Interactionist Approach”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.11989