The Struggle to Revive Nettle Plant Fiber Weaving

Nettle Plant Fiber Weaving

As you may know, a group of women from Drupkhang village of Lumang Gewog in Trashigang began reviving the practice of weaving using nettle plant seven years ago. However, the program has not yielded the expected outcome, as the women's group is finding it difficult to find a market for their products.

You may be wondering why the nettle plant is so important to these women. The nettle plant is harvested around mid-year in order to obtain the best quality fiber. The process of extracting the fiber is labor-intensive, as the women must first peel the bark of the plant and soak it in water. This water is then boiled in ash water, and the bark is beaten until all dirt and cover is removed. The bark is then hung to dry in the sun, and once it is dried, the women begin extracting fiber using traditional methods.

Despite their efforts, the group has been struggling to find a market for their products. The reason for this is that extracting yarn using the traditional method is labor-intensive, and the quality of yarn extracted using the old spinning tool is not up to par. This affects the marketing of their products, and the women fear that their age-old tradition of weaving using nettle plant will vanish once again despite the initiation of the revival program.

To address this marketing issue, the Trashigang District Administration has taken steps to support the women's group. Recently, they organized a two-week-long natural dying training, where the group members learned to prepare yarns of different colors. This will not only allow the women to weave more using diverse colors, but it will also make their products more appealing to potential buyers.

In addition to this training, officials from Trashigang have said that they will be purchasing a spinning machine with support from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment. This machine will make the process of extracting fiber more efficient, and the quality of yarn will improve. The machine is expected to arrive within three months, and the women's group will have to bear 20% of the cost.

The district has also opened a local product outlet in Trashigang town last month, which will serve as a platform for the women's group to sell their products. These actions taken by the Trashigang District Administration will not only help the women's group revive their tradition of weaving using nettle plant, but it will also help them to find a market for their products and make a sustainable livelihood.

As you can see, the women's group is facing a difficult challenge in trying to revive their traditional craft. However, with the support of the Trashigang District Administration and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, they are making progress in finding a market for their products and making their tradition sustainable. (source: BBS 23)

Questions:

-What is the traditional method of extracting nettle plant fiber? -Why is the nettle plant so important to these women?

-What steps is the Trashigang District Administration taking to support the women's group?

-What is the outcome of the natural dying training?

-What is the role of the spinning machine in reviving the tradition of nettle plant fiber weaving?

-What is the impact of the local product outlet on the women's group?

What would be most helpful in increasing demand for the women's nettle plant fibre products?

• 0%Modernizing their spinning tools and machinery
• 0%Partnering with local businesses to sell their products
• 0%Offering training on new weaving techniques and designs
• 0%Providing financial incentives for buyers of their products

You can vote for more than one answer.