Selected Artisans - The Global Eco Artisan Awards 2022
Selected Artisans
ENDANGERED CRAFTS - Revival and Conservation
With every new list of “Endangered Crafts” or “Crafts in Urgent Need of Safeguarding” published, the light of tradition and culture diminishes a little. The loss of these crafts means a loss of heritage, culture and history dating back to ancient times. However, not all hope is lost, thanks to the torchbearers below who have been working hard towards keeping these crafts alive and trying to brighten the fading light.
Bholanath Karmakar
Bholanath Karmakar, 52, from India is the last of the Sherpai makers who actively work on this unique craft. The Sherpai is a wooden bowl embellished with brass ornamentation riveted to the wood. Also known as Suri bowls, these were once used as measuring bowls in rural Bengal, India. Wood blocks are air-dried for seven or eight months and then carved, dyed and encased in two brass bands that have designs engraved in them. Each bowl has a brass disc at its base usually engraved with a rosette.
