Handicrafts, potential sustainable socioeconomic development of rural community in kachin state, myanamr

Nội dung text: Handicrafts, potential sustainable socioeconomic development of rural community in kachin state, myanamr

1. HANDICRAFTS, POTENTIAL SUSTAINABLE SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITY IN KACHIN STATE, MYANAMR Seng Aung, PhD, Professor Geography Department, Pathein University sengaung@gmail.com Abstract Since early culture, handicrafts are essential to support cultural decoration in rural communities. This study is critically examined the development of handicrafts and art and how does potential in sustainable socioeconomic development in communities. Because of geographic features such as topographic features, climatic condition and rich biodiversity that provide housing, clothing, and foods. Cultural creation in weaving patterns, painting designs, household utensils, tools, arts are communities’ development opportunities depend upon relationship among human activities, natural environment and quality of creativity. Useful plants diversity including roots, leaf, herbs, buds and flowers, fruits, seeds and nuts, fibre and dye, bark and leaves etc. The study discuss cultural and traditional handicrafts qualitatively and descriptive design toward sustainable socioeconomic development and environmental sustainability. The results of the study show that handicrafts and art, design are vital for potential socioeconomic development of rural communities that are contributed and also facing with challenges. So these both opportunities and problems need to be studied. Key words: Handicrafts, cultural decoration, rural community development, sustainable development, quality, socioeconomic, opportunities, problems. 1. Introduction The purpose of this study is to illustrate the handicrafts for socioeconomic development and environmental issues in development. According to study, there are different varieties of handcrafts which are made by jade, silver, gold, and amber, stone crafts as jeweler. Handicrafts made by bamboo, rattan, fibre, threads, and etc. with pattern/ design and symbols which are interpretation of meaningful human being and painted by resin, web, to decorate cultural handcrafts. Kachin State is part of the Sino-Myanmar mountain ranges and Sino-Himalayan region being flanked by China- Myanmar frontier ranges are also known to be transitional zone of Indo-Malayan and Sino-Himalayan flora and fauna. Kachin State is source of collection of raw materials 618
2. such as woods, bamboo, cane or rattan to make handicrafts. These specificities that provide both problems and opportunities on sustainable socioeconomic development and environmental sustainability which depend upon human activities are vividly brought out. Aim and Objectives: This paper aim to be explored different cultural and traditional symbols, patterns, marketing and environmental problems concerning handicrafts in Kachin State. Objectives: - to study cultural structure relevant to natural environment - to analyze socioeconomic and environmental issues in development on handicrafts - to contribute information about handicrafts in Kachin State 2. Research Methodology The qualitative and descriptive research methodology is used in this study and focuses on significance the cultural symbolic handicrafts and express on related socioeconomic development with environmental aspects. The literature review is the first step of Objective and research Methodology. Then analysis and interpretation of the study of the handcrafts and the result and the conclusion show the potential marketing in the present market environment of handcrafts. The study of handicrafts in Kachin State is observed through the following approach: Area: Studies of cultural landscape and natural resources utilization. Economy: Studies of crafts, arts, patterns and yield market potential. Culture: Studies of tradition of community groups, customs, and lifestyle. Technology: Studies of indigenous technology knowledge, and quality of handcrafts. History: Studies of sequential development and process under traditional natural environmental management systems. Data collection Data was collected from several sources, mainly from personal observation on local traditional and cultural patterns of handicrafts. The other data gathering from online source, interviews with key informants, made discussions with age old persons, participation in cultural occasional ceremonies such as Manau celebration and documentation. The researcher’s own experiences also provided additional information, the eliciting of the data, which were related to the handicrafts. The secondary data includes journals, annual reports, e-books and online search etc. and primary data collected through a data collection and schedules for the handicraft study in Kachin State and also in Myanmar. In order to study about issue the researcher has 619
3. collected primary data from the small scale producers through random survey and descriptive technique, factors analysis for the crafts producing, utilization and trading. This study is analyzed as four aspects of descriptive research methodology. 2.1. Geographic review Kachin State is situated in northern part of Myanmar. It is mountainous and watershed area of Ayeyawaddy River and Danai Hka or Tanai Hka, upper portion of Chindwin River. These mountain systems extend meridianally from north to south with perpetual ice and snow especially in winter months. The climate of the Kachin State is mostly influenced by altitude and mainly by monsoon climate. There are different soil types and these are under mountain cover, the most primitive conifer and tropical rain evergreen forest. The study area encompasses an altitude ranging from 400 ft to 19315 ft, steep valley side slopes, and vertical zonation of vegetation ranging from subtropical evergreen, mixed deciduous and coniferous forest to temperate alpine rangeland. These natural forest resources provide necessaries of cultural and traditional handcrafts as designs, patterns, symbols, and telling descendant clan histories of ancestral communities which are handed down to generations. They have existing knowledge, values and cultural expression concerning handcrafts which was distilled from aged old relationship with culture and gradual innovation experience. The relationship and interaction between geographic environment and human cultural creativities are major source of potential economic and environmental in sustainable development. 2.2. Cultural perspective The rich natural forest resources and traditionally have served as the foundation for the cultural life of the indigenous people. Variations of altitude, geological structures, and soils result in an amazing variety of micro-environment and biodiversity that have influenced the handcrafts use system and culture of indigenous communities. It has an intricate network of mountains ecosystem, which gives the region a unique beauty and meaningful cultural design and traditional patterns of handicrafts and other interesting features decorated by symbols and potential ecotourism in Kachin State. Some example of cultural meaningful patterns can be described as follows: . Sai ru maka (Hairpin pattern): hairpin is traditional accessory of Kachin women and to memorize traditional custom. . Mazup maka(confluence pattern): It means uniqueness of natural landscape and full of biodiversity that need to conserve for sustainability of natural 620
4. environment. It is very important to know every person in generations and shared with patterns. An example, Mali- Nmai/ Myitsone, very important for Ayeyawaddy River and unique natural landscape, source of cultural communities and rich biodiversity need to conserve for future generations. . Baren maka (dragon pattern): historical interpretation of Kachin people. (When the dragon bride married with human bridegroom, dragon bride remembered her parents and she show her remembrance with dragon pattern.) . Wa hkum tum maka (marrow seed pattern): its means becoming increase prosperous life due to a marrow seed can bring much marrow squash. . U lai lap maka (leave of any kind of plant): when the people meet food scarce like rodent destroy rice crops, so the people substituted this kind of plant as food for their survival was expressed by the pattern of that leaves to memorize and the plant to be preserved. . Ka ba sing-gaw (zig zat pattern): it means unity and one direction. When Kachin people celebrate Manau Dance with leaders in two parallel rows means unity is interpreted as pattern. . Gaw-hkyi (hook pattern): This pattern shows that when worshiping Thunder spirit, the people give sacrifices at the hook on the altar was made a hook pattern. . Kahtan sing-gaw (root of any kind of bamboo variety pattern): Kachin people always use the spear and dagger in marriage ceremony after decorates with this root and means to bring good luck for groom and bride to communicate and wide relationship with other people. The spear and dagger are given by the bride side. It is a symbol of natural forest resources preservation. . Tsu-len maka (grief pattern): This pattern means that after her mother passed away her feel grief and dream was that her mother taught new patterns her. It was shown as grief pattern. . Ning-krau maka (neck yoke pattern): This pattern shows about Kachin people were working very hard and they carried heavy load with yoke on their neck that need to memorize ability of working experiences. . Jahkan ladau maka ((crab thumb pattern): Grandfather of Kachin people, Ning- gawn wa Magam, married daughter of dragon, Ja Kai. In this case the crab was the match maker was memorized by this pattern. This pattern is telling about the Kachin history and broker who talk to opposing sides for good things or peaceful. . U ri myi maka (pheasant eye pattern): This pattern shows that the beauty of pheasant eyes. It indicates natural wildlife loving sense to preserve wildlife communities. 621
5. . U latsang maka (chicken toes/talon pattern): This pattern expresses Kachin people use the chicken toes while handloom weaving to become taut. . Majan dang maka (map pattern): This pattern is symbol of victory. Map is very important to be very reasonable result in a particular situation that need to know and handed down to generations by patterns. . Jam na maka (window pane pattern): this pattern shows that the palace window in imagination. . Gwi lahtin maka (dog heel pattern): This pattern shows that the dog protects his master and the dogs are very faithful for his master. It was shared generations to notice a massage. . Labrang bra maka (crossing poles pattern): This pattern means that when the Kachin people give offerings to spirit, tied a cow or a buffalo at a cross poles. It is related to religious belief of races. . Shing-jep u maka (bird pattern): This pattern presents that a bird from the mountain is known as a leader of birds and it organizes to give agricultural signal by singing. Kachin people admire and protect from hunting and its symbol is used as pioneer of Manau Pole. . Lamu ning ni maka (cloud pattern): This pattern describes that the old Kachin looked the cloud condition and forecasting the weather. It is important for agricultural activities and pointed out generations with patterns. . Maka Ka nu (a basic pattern): This pattern is the basic pattern for handloom weaving of indigenous people and means leadership and management system is essential for livelihood. Traditional use of biological resources not only reflects diverse crafts-use memories, indigenous knowledge of craft creation but also ways of maintaining. The handicrafts creation is based on primitive culture and traditional resource management system. The socioeconomic development is based on opportunities that the good management of ecological, biological, cultural diversities and natural environment, which provide comparative advantages for specific development. This opportunity is highly related to both economic development and environmental sustainability. So indigenous knowledge and traditional appropriate technology of the Kachin ethnic people should no longer be ignored. Indigenous technical knowledge distilled and handed down from their older generations. So the unique meaningful patterns and symbols of handcrafts come from experience and these are relevant to natural environment need formal preservation. 622
6. Human impact on the natural forest resources closely related to handcrafts producing due to potential raw materials is going depletion in Kachin State. Orchid fiber is essential for Lachid and Law Waw traditional fabric weaving. Since the human history began at the time their ancestors came down from the mountain (majoishingra Bum) and started to make handcrafts and living by hunting and gathering plants on the forest resource-based for many generations. Then they improve quality gradually of cultural paintings, traditional symbols in human societies, in turn, resulting creation of modernize symbols, patterns of crafts. The process of breeding and caring for animals and plants that are used for food and clothing shelter is the main source of symbolic culture of Kachin communities. So these natural forest resources contributed to anthropogenic characters and/of human being and creativities and innovation come through. The cultural life of Kachin people was intertwining with natural environment and they have experiences about environmental management and resources utilization. According to the living documental evident, there are 6 indigenous tribes, known as Jinghpaw, Zai Wa, Lachid or Lashi, Law-waw or Maru, Rawang, Lisu which all are the strong belief of tradition and cultural practice and handicrafts making in daily life. Indigenous knowledge to express cultural symbols is an integral part of natural environment. When they select variety of wood to make craft which are carefully collect the most perfect plants from the forest. Bamboo tubes, gourd tubes to store seeds, baskets and other utensils made of bamboo, rattan are examples. When the harvesting time comes people make bamboo clappers which are connected with the hut with extension built in middle of the plot, with a good view of the rice field (the hut has extension place, so it cannot be deleted). The cable is made from bamboo or rattans then made to clap by pulling the cables to threaten the birds or rice sparrows and prevent animal from approaching. Sun hat, raincoats are made from the bark of some plants and are useful in the field and family income opportunity. These cultures concerning with handcrafts are derived from their aged old generations. So they have become accustomed to make handcrafts by culture group or clan groups. In this way the people socioeconomic and environmental conservation is distill from early culture. Most of the handcrafts producers in Kachin State operate under indigenous knowledge systems and therefore, they are not only of value to the cultures from which they evolve, but also it helps the researchers who are trying to improve the conditions of the rural communities. Understanding the indigenous knowledge of rural people in relation to biodiversity / natural resources management is one of the 623
7. key issues in the development of the mountain region. Sufficient raw materials, leaves, stems, fibre will give birth to self-sufficient economy in which local communities will also live in perfect harmony with nature. 2.3. Socioeconomic perspective on Handicrafts: Most vessels such as vases, bowls and plates, baskets, agricultural tools are made of made of wood, bamboo, web, rather which are used to woven split bamboo. Today, most of handcrafts makers have both skills and improve quality to be found in trade. A strip of split bamboo is cut to make the correct length for the bottom of the wall of the vessel. There are 14 to 20 employees at each workplace and can give a job to the villagers. Products of handicraft have played a significant role of culture and tradition to attract the domestic and foreigners. Most of the handicraft producers made products for their own and local users because they have no trade network and information regarding the demands of the craft products in the national and international level before. They never put mass investment for the best because maximum artisans involved in this work as a part time basis. The improve e-communication and online shopping/ internet has been playing a vital role to handcrafts marketing as a common platform for business. It is a easy in very short time through which a consumers easily know about any pattern, colour, designs and products features, price, availability, accessibility, order the products, paying the prices etc. cottage handicraft industry needs contribute to markets their products quickly which has an effective way of the small scale producers and customers take these benefits after small investment and it covers large proportion of the customers. Local, national and international level of advertisement like banner, poster, and pump lets, exhibition news papers cause wider market space for producers. Rural area is the main source of handicraft items and it’s required the easy accessibility of rural craft products in the urban market. The marketing strategies such as quality, quantity, distribution which could provide a unique platform where the buyers and sellers meet and exchanges finish goods. The urban customers like very much rural handcraft products they want to the meaningful tradition or culture of the rural people and it attracted the customers. Most of people tourist buyers like high quality. They sell in Mandalay, Yangon and client abroad especially weaving fabric. Their main customer or trade partner is from everywhere. The lacking registration of or licensing of cultural meaningful patterns, symbols and low demands, lack of access to raw material, transport problems, problems of internet connectivity and lack of market awareness etc. which make the difficulties to give maximum productivity. The Lack of market information and 624
8. availability of poor infrastructure which make this industry inefficient to fulfill actual demands of crafts products of foreign country is problems facing by the handicraft makers and producers in rural communities in Kachin State. 2.4. Environmental perspective: In early periods, wood, bamboo and rattan and their needs can be obtained from the forest everywhere and local people collect easily raw material for handcrafts making in the Kachin State. After 1990s, Market Oriented Economy in Myanmar companies started large scale extraction by using super machineries. This unsustainable over extraction of mining, logging, rattans cutting for trade to China, agricultural encroachment were resulting on environmental situation change in Kachin State. According to rural –urban linkage, raw materials such as jade, gold, amber, woods, rattan and ect. are obtained from Kachin State to produce handicrafts, lacquer ware, and other useful thing in lower Myanmar. This large scale cutting of forest resources is impact on natural environment like lost raw material for handicrafts, lost biodiversity and water resource, climate change, and difficulties in socioeconomic functions of rural communities in Kachin State. After 2016-17, all large shade trees along both road sides were cut down for urban development strategies and infrastructure upgrading operation in Myitkyina City. Wood craft producers bought these large trees cutting down by urban development operation and strategy. Some tall and shade trees in the Myitkyina University campus were cut down to sell to handcraft makers and the charcoal producers. The local people are trying to establish community forest as many purposes such as to get easily raw materials for the needs of wood crafts, bamboo and rattan crafts, construction materials etc. Bamboo plantation, mulberry tree plantation, rattan conservation can be observed in study area. As such many valuable potential wood, bamboo, rattan and forest can be protected from over harvesting and regional extinction. So sustainable environmental awareness and conservation activities are needed effective in Kachin State. This study deals with indigenous people who rely on the natural resources to satisfy their needs. Local people are main stakeholders and the basis for decision makers in their environment or natural resources. In many ways, these ecosystem people behave as an integral part of the natural ecosystems. It was also said that in order to realize socioeconomic development, that the natural ecosystem could sustain, sudden increase in population, which would provoke upon the increase of the pressure on resources which in turn becomes an obstruction to improving living standards. The environmental sustainability is the ability to sustain the environmental resources that support our lives, and the sustainability that would make future socioeconomic 625
9. growth possible. The strategies for sustainable development aim to promote harmony among culture people, and harmony between man and nature is important. Socioeconomic development brings together two strands of thought about the management of human activities-one concentrating on development goals, the other on controlling or limiting the harmful impacts of human activities on the natural environment. These aspects or abilities are pointing out utilization, conservation and management on natural resources for human ecosystems. The strength of natural ecosystem is both directly and indirectly related to handcrafts producing due to raw material are obtained from natural forest. Much amount of wood, rattan, bamboo, web, resins, dye and etc. and which are extracting from forest and sell their customers for the varieties of handicraft weaving. Jade, gold, amber have been extracting in the natural forested area then natural forest areas are transforming into bare/damage land. Environmental reestablishment of degraded areas is important to re-forestation in Kachin State. 2.5. Types of handcraft in Kachin State Handicrafts making in Kachin State is generally distinguished as four types, there are handcraft make of (1)forest resources including wooden crafts, bamboo craft, rattan craft, weave by fibre, web, etc, and handcraft make of (2) metal jewelry such as jade crafts, gold crafts, amber crafts, silver crafts, (3) weaving traditional fabric materials, (4) art and painting. Local communities make handicrafts for normal used or household used some are make for market quality. Bark, leaves and fibre are used to make their materials needed such as rain coat, sunhat, baskets, light containers, varieties of tool which is made of thin strips bamboo, rattan wood, or plastic and is use for storing things or carrying etc. In this case local people used to solving agricultural problems by means of indigenous knowledge. Wooden crafts, bamboo crafts, rattan crafts can be observed both in rural villages as household used and for local markets. Jewelry makes of jade, gold, and silver crafts can be studied in urban areas as local, regional and international market level. Amber is extracted in Hukawg Valley and also produces handcrafts easily in mine areas, and amber market please in Myanmar. A traditional cloth weaving is widely practiced in rural and urban areas as handloom weaving and machinery weaving in Kachin State. Weaving is a well-known handicrafts production and popular trade in local, urban centre markets and also exports to some foreign countries. Art and painting can be seen at cultural buildings, other buildings such as hotels, restaurants, cultural fencing and etc. to decoration with cultural and meaningful traditional patterns and historical symbols in Kachin State. 626
10. Varieties of wood, bamboo, rattan, resin, web, jade, goal, amber are major resources to produce handicrafts for socioeconomic development in Kachin State. These natural resources are major pull factor of migration and increasing informal sectors in Kachin State. 3. Results This study helps for the academics, further research study. It will also contribute valuable recommendation for decision makers, planners and researchers for sustainable socioeconomic development and the strategy in the handicraft sectors. To stakeholders: This study share information regarding needs and prospects of handicraft sector which helps the decision makers in different parts of the development strategic action plans concerning socioeconomic and environmental sustainability. To researchers and learners: This study serves researchers and the students as their reference or guide regarding handicrafts is potential economic development and environmental sustainability by means of learning meaningful cultural symbols and historical cultural patterns and values. This study also helps students to creative thinking and works in this exploration and new idea for the development as handicrafts sector. To Academic and subject matters: This study will help teachers and students to have a deeper understanding of handicrafts which are potential socioeconomic development and their supporting importance products for local, regional economic development. To plan of Future Research: This paper will help the future plans of researcher as reference to get ideas and some facts related to handicrafts. It also contributes a management view regarding the socioeconomic and environmental issues in development. 4. Discussion and Conclusion Strategic for the handicrafts business development will play a crucial role for rural development. Strong financial supports which may make any decision regarding the well-being their works and produce more quantities. The awareness such as hand crafts exhibition, handicraft emporia, publicity through painting and electronic mode, market and products assessment activities for producers and artisans. The significance of handicrafts in achieving sustainable development should be focused on: - Industrial scale production in rural areas especially at extracting areas and market link is needed be considered. 627
11. - The stakeholders and decision makers in Kachin State should be defied handcrafts zone and focused on industrialization of handicrafts in the rural areas can lead to the diversification of the rural economy, creation of the job opportunities, increase in rural incomes, and reduction of rural migration and ultimately reduction the inequality between urban and rural areas. - Several investigations such financial, management skills, will need be carried out to prove the importance and role of industrial development and the establishment of industries in the villages. - The main issue that should be discussed the development of the industries as the aspects on the socioeconomic and environmental issues towards the industrialization strategy in rural community development. - Citation of Divandari, and et al. (2017), Handicrafts can be defined as the conscious use of the patterns, methods, and techniques for local economy and rehabilitation of the indigenous community developing and adapting them to local conditions as well as updating and strengthening the local techniques and methods of the indigenous knowledge and informal sector could lead to the people's participation in the sustainable development. - According James D. Wolfensohn, (1995-2005), local knowledge is a part of the culture and history of the local communities and need to learn from local communities to strengthen development processes. Concerning the development and localization, and local knowledge based development helps local societies to strengthen and rehabilitation themselves. - Understand of the different types of indigenous knowledge, preservation and transfer it to the generations and its use in the innovation is important for sustainable socioeconomic development of society in rural areas. - The improvement of indigenous knowledge is the best way of efficiency and the rehabilitation of informal sector of the local communities. - According to Javad Divandari and et al., for helping the poor, rural and indigenous communities of the developing countries, addressing the indigenous knowledge, recovery and growth of the appropriate and efficient indigenous knowledge on handicrafts is a big step in the rehabilitation of the difficulty facing people. Systematic socioeconomic potential surveys are lacking and comprehensive survey that related to the human activities reflects the natural resources and conservation. Systematic management on handcrafts and systematic trading network are needed to be considered. Today, in Myanmar also environmental concerns together with socio- economic development are major issues. Sustainable management and conservation could also be addressed as a priority measure. The majority of 6 tribes of indigenous 628
12. peoples are Lachid, Law Waw and Lisu, Rawang, Zai Wa, and Jinghpaw in Kachin State. A long-term view on quality handcrafts production is a sign of change from small scale to market scale production. The regional patterns and designs were based primarily on plants ecologically suited to natural environments. The mountains provide opportunity of socioeconomic development by means of attraction of handicrafts, ecotourism and other high-value products. The indigenous communities have experiences and indigenous technical knowledge, community-based resource management systems to develop handicrafts production in both rural and urban areas that is socioeconomic opportunities. These local human resources are important to promote quality and interpretation of meaningful patterns and symbols due to producers, designers, and weavers have to understand on meanings of culture and historical symbols, that is attraction of customers and socioeconomic development potential. If producers, designers have no understanding of cultural patterns and traditional symbols for handicrafts it is meaningless and will lead to cultural depletion. Net working arrangements and access to enhance efforts to upgrade skills and knowledge exchange could provide improve information for issues of socioeconomic development. The local people need the information exchange through public media and more effective avenues of knowledge exchange of handicrafts sectors. Conclusion The diversity of geographic landscape availability of water for cultivation, variety of raw material for handicrafts are potential for socioeconomic and cultural factors that have resulted in the evolution of socioeconomic development as handicrafts sector in Kachin State. The raw material such as bamboo, wood, rattan etc. are collected from the forest to make handcrafts their own needs and providing enough time for the income regeneration in the remote areas. Sustainable development is the use of natural resources and national infrastructure in a way that seeks to avoid the exhaustion of those resources. These needs can be thought of as the well-being of society as a whole, in cooperating such aspects as creation of handicrafts, housing, foods, clean air and water, health and education and the preservation of ecosystems in mountain region. By now, it is clear that security and living standards for the local communities’ poverty is inextricably linked to environmental protection. Sustainable production of handicrafts is socially and economically sound, ecologically viable, and humane. These goals for sustainability should be applied to all aspects of any handicrafts production system, from small scale production and marketing to international trading network for processing and consumption. 629
13. 5. References 1. Seng Aung (2009), Rangeland ecosystem of Ngawchang Hka Valley, Chiphwi Township, Kachin State, Myanmar. 2. Seng Aung (2016), Handloom weaving and urbanization in Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar. 3. Seng Aung (2017), Hka-rang Yi/ shifting cultivation in Kachin State. 4. Rajeev and etal. (2014), Marketing challenges of handicraft retailers in changing environment. ZENITH International Journal of Business Economics & Management Research, ISSN 2249- 8826 ZIJBEMR, Vol.4 (10), October (2014) Online available at zenithresearch.org.in 5. Jabulani Nyawo (2015), Art and Craft in local economic development: Tourism possibilities in Mtubatuba Local Municipality. 6. Javad Divandari, and etal., (2017), Analysis of the Role of Handicraft Production in Rural Sustainable Development: A Case of Sar Aqa Seyyed, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. 630