Tara producers make Rajasthani puppets and stuffed animals

• These producers are a community of Bhats from Rajasthan, who have left their villages because of drought and poverty, and are now living as squatters on government land in Delhi. Tara Projects has a connection with some fifty families here
• They have brought their cultural traditions with them: they wear Rajasthani clothes, speak their own language and follow their own customs.  They elect their own panchayat, a group responsible for discipline and justice in the community and for guarding their traditions and customs, some of which many feel are out of date and even exploitative
• The Bhats are a tribe of professional performers, who for centuries have gone out from their villages to entertain the wealthy with music, dancing and puppet shows, and this is still a source of income for them in Delhi.
• The “dancing season” lasts from August until February, and some income can be earned from henna painting at other times.  The sale of puppets and stuffed animals is very important for the livelihood of the families during the March – July period
• As migrants and craftspeople, the group is open to exploitation by middlemen and moneylenders.  Tara Projects is able to help with marketing, pay the group directly and at better rates, and to provide interest free loans.  Some middlemen have reacted violently to these arrangements.
• Tara Projects staff work with the group, persuading them of the importance of education for their children, giving budget advice, and counseling for alcoholism and gambling habits.
• The production of these puppets and animals is part of a cultural tradition, which is very important to the people, as it defines who they are. Both men and women are involved: the men make the wooden frames for the animals,  and the women do the embroidery and mirrorwork
  

Tara producers also craft Tribal Iron Sculptures

• These unique products are made by the thirty-five or so members of the Bastar Iron Society of Konda Village in Madhya Pradesh, northern India.
• The members of the society are tribal people who have traditionally been miners and workers in iron. The surname of some of the artisans indicates that this is their occupation.
• The animal figures they make have an interesting origin: they were used to cure illness according to tribal beliefs. Today the craftsmen make a range of decorative animals and figures, oil lamps, candlestands and the intricate pieces of metal art Trade Aid is buying. They also have a local market for agricultural implements.
• The group leader extols the many advantages of working with Tara Projects, but first and foremost he talks about the dignity in being treated as intelligent equals: too often, he explains, tribal people are considered ignorant and backward.
• A fair financial return for their work has meant a better standard of living for the community and some economic security.
• Child labour within families used to be common, but now the craftsmen are interested in education and want their children to go to school.  The group leader is himself studying privately, and teaches children in the community.  He would like to see a school started there, as the government school is too far away.
• Women were never traditionally involved in the metal craft, but this is changing too and now they are learning, particularly in support roles.