Viva la Virgen
Eco-friendly Tribal Chic handmade Jewels for Free Souls
The Banjara (also called Lambani, Vanjara and Gormati) are a community usually described as nomadic people from the Indian state of Rajasthan, now spread out all over Indian subcontinent.
The Banjara embroidery and tattooing are especially prized and also form a significant aspect of the Banjara identity. Lambani women specialize in "lepo" embroidery which involves stitching pieces of mirror, decorative beads and coins onto clothes.ulture of Banjara tribes is quite enriched.
The costumes of Banjara tribe are very colourful. A Banjara woman's mode of dressing is regarded to be the most colourful as well as elaborate amongst all other tribal communities of India. A woman of Banjara rarely takes off all her bone bangles and anklets. Jewelleries become an integral part of the body. Long silver earrings are very common things to wear and also patterned cowries adorn the hairs plaits of a Banjara woman.
Art-work of Banjara tribes has got a great demand in the market of not only in various states of India and abroad as well. Quite a handful of materials including variety of materials like silver, brass, gold, cowries, ivory, animal bone and beautiful fabrics.
"Surya's Garden" is working with Banjara women on an embroidery project. Visit their site for a description of their goals and for more information on the Banjara culture. Here is a snippet from their site which talks about Banjara embroidery:
"Signaling their ethnic membership, all Banjaras embroideries are designed for a nomadic life style and, while featuring geometric, floral and animal motifs used by a majority of India’s village peoples, Banjara embroidery design is strikingly different.
(...) Embroidered flaps with metal ornaments are added to the blouses of married women. The shawls have embroidered borders along the top and bottom edges with a wider more elaborate strip of mirror embroidery at the center top that frames the face. The skirts, hanging low on the hips, are worn with the kodi sadak, a long rope of cowries; the waist bands are generally reinforced with sturdy embroidery, worked on a red quilted or twined ground." (...)
