A TREK INTO THE MOUNTAINS
In January of 2008, we took a journey into the Himalayan Mountains. We were in search of Giant Himilayan Nettle (Girardinia diversifolia), and the people who make this large member of the Nettle Family into fibers. We had spent months searching for a connection into these communities and wanted to verify that its production didn’t involve sweatshops and forced child labor. We yearned to see where the plants were growing and to be aware of the ecological impacts of bringing increased market demands for the fibers. In our search to see, smell, taste, touch, and use every faculty of perception we had to take in the experience…we also learned the persistence and endurance needed to bring these fibers from tiny mountain villages to the global eye. After 10 days of travel into these epic mountains, our hearts opened to see one of the most ecologically conscious people on the planet.
After three days of 4×4′ing, a bus ride, and five days of trekking we saw our very first woman spinning wild nettle into yarn (photo above). For the next two days we increasingly entered the nettle zone, with community after community participating in the ancient craft of harvesting, processing, spinning, and weaving nettles. We stayed in the villagers homes and documented their beautiful craft. We shared food, concerns, and aspirations for the future. Two days later we had made it to the community jungles, which are shared National Park Lands, where the nettle harvest continues to this day.
Sunny Savage (photo below) stands with Giant Himilayan nettles found at a seasonal nettle harvesting camp.
THE VILLAGERS
As we entered the nettle zone we began seeing women everywhere knitting nettle shawls…while they were walking down the trail carrying large loads or sitting around and socializing. They take great pride in their work and this mostly women’s craft is held in high esteem as a way of keeping their culture alive.
Once we entered into people’s homes we saw mostly the elder women taking the processed raw fibers and spinning them into yarn. This is an amazing process to watch, as the women run the fibers through their teeth. It was like watching a spider spin thread, and we were mesmerized as we saw well-behaved children sit around and watch this way in which culture is woven together. We had found the tribes who are the ancient knowledge keepers of nettle.
Our wish, and commitment, is to facilitate their economic prosperity while encouraging their own creativity. We are passionate about creating a market for them that supports them in sustaining their beautiful way of living. Our dream is to provide such a strong market for them, that they have economic freedom and can again wear their beloved nettle fiber… instead of the western-style clothes that have been previously worn and handed down to them. Their ancestors had many clothing designs, and we believe that if nourished and supported in their life, they will also design. We also feel this is an issue of maintaining cultural diversity through fairly compensating individuals who are involved in economic activity which maintains sustainable earth-centered practices. The area in which they live sits within a hot zone of political uncertainty between The People’s Republic of China and India. We know that supporting the earth-centered cultures who live in this region with increased economic clout secures our own interest of harmony. We also yearn for our own fiber security here in this nation, and see opportunities for learning exchanges between these rootsy tribal villagers and those in this country interested in reviving the fiber arts.
THE VILLAGE CHIEF
During our last evening in the remotest reaches of our quest, we met with a village chief who told us he wishes our company much success, for as Savage Designs succeeds, so will they* We were incredibly touched by this. To have his confidence bestowed upon us; that our company could make a positive difference in the lives of so many of these beautiful people…well, that’s what makes the world go round in a good way. His hands are in the photo above. As we reached out our hands to shake his we were reminded that we are all related and interconnected.
Tribal is Contemporary, we are……Savage Inside and Out!
Model outfitted in raw nettle fiber hair extensions and choker on fabric made in the chief’s village of Bala.
