CENSUS OF INDIA 1981 SERIES 29 GOA, DAMAN & DIU PART-XD HANDICRAFT SURVEY REPORT WOODCARVING IN GOA s. RAJENDRAN DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CENSUS OPERATIONS. GOA, DAMAN & DIU 1981 CENSUS, PUBUCATIONS OF GOA, DAMAN & DIU (All the Census Publications of this Union Territory will bear series No. 29) Central Government Publications Part I-A Administration Report Enumeration (for official use only) Part 1-6 Administration Report Tabulation (for official use only) Part II-A and General Population Tables and 11-8 Primary Census Abstract Part III-A & B & General Economic Tables and Part IV-6 Social and Cultural Tables Part V-A & 6 Migration Tables Part VI-A & 6 Fertility Tables Part VII Tables on Houses &~isabled Population Part VIII-A & 6 Household Tables Part IX Special Tables for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Part X-6 Survey Reports on Selected TownS Part X-C Survey Reports on selected villages Part X-D Handicraft survey report on wood carving in Goa Part XII Census Atlas Publication of the Government of Goa, Daman & Diu Part XIII A & 6 Village and Town Directory and village and Town-wise Primary Census Abstract FOREWORD The Indian handicrafts are known the world over for their rich variety, grace, elegance and skilled craftsmanship. Nevertheless, a number of handicrafts because of their stiff competition with factory made products, non-availability of raw materials, exhorbitant increase in the manufacturing cost, lack of proper marketing facilities for finished products or due to a variety of other reasons have either become extinct or have reached the moribund stage. After independence, however, a number of schemes were introduced by different government agencies for their growth and development but still this sudden impetus have helped only a few crafts to flourish and thereby become spinners of foreign exchange for the country. Despite the unique being enjoyed by the handicrafts especially in the realm of national economy, the general awareness among the people in the country about our crafts and craftsman had been deplorably poor. Nothing was practically known about the commodities produced, techniques employed for the manufacture of different objects, raw materials used, their availability, methods adopted for the sale of finished products etc. An attempt was therefore made in connection with the 1961 Census to study about 150 crafts from different parts of the country with a view to provide basic informadon on those crafts which were selected for the study. At the 1971 Census, the study on handicrafts was not taken up but this was again revived in connection with the 1981 Census. There has been, however, some difference between the studies taker. up in connection with the Censuses of 1961 and 1981. While the 1961 studies have covered both rural and urban crafts, the 1981 studies have focussed their attention only on traditional rural based crafts. That apart, the 1981 studies besides ~ouching upon those aspects which were covered under the 1961 series, have laid emphasis on matters that are vital for the revival of rural crafts and thereby for the rejuvenation of the economy of the region particularly the villages. This is in consonance with the policy of the government to give due importance to the rural sector with focus on employment intensive v strategy of development in which next to agriculture, the small scale industries and handicrafts play a significant role. The formats required for undertaking the study were formulated by Dr. K.P. Ittaman under the able guidance of Dr. N. C. Nag, the then Deputy Registrar General, Social Studies Division. Dr. Ittaman who succeeded Dr. Nag as Deputy Registrar General, Social Studies Division co-ordinated the study undertaken in different States/Union Territories by the Directorate of Census Operations. The reports received from the Directorate were examined by Shri M. K. Jain, Senior Research Officer with the help of Smt. Suman Prashar, Assistant Director of Census Operations and Sh. I. P Singh Investigator. I am grateful to all of them for organising this study. The present report is the outcome of a study undertaken on Wood carving in Goa by the Directorate of Census Operations, Goa, Daman & Diu. I have immense pleassure in acknowledging the services rendered by Shri S. Rajendran, Deputy Director and his colleagues in the Census Directorate for bringing out this publication. New Delhi, V.S.VERMA The 1st June, 1988. Registrar General, India VI PREFACE Among the different handicrafts practised in Goa, wood-carving craft occupies the first position and it has been reported to be practised from generations to generations. Furniture items both in 'Baroque' and 'Rococo' styles elicit the admiration of one and all. Although, this craft was recognised for its elegance and beauty during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, it was almost in the morbid condition as it did not receive any State patronage from the alien Government. After the liberation of Goa, the State Government revived this craft and because of the state patronage, tile craft of wood carving is now on the path of develolJment. The wood-carving craft was selected for special study under the traditional rural based crafts. This report is based on the data collected in the craft schedules and village schedules canvased in three villages viz: Chimbel, Cuncolim and Loliem in the State of Goa. The households in these villages were selected on purposive sample basis because of their limited number . The report covers the various aspects of the craft and the background of the craftsmen, process of learning the craft, manufacturing processes, the techniques employed, the various items produced, marketing of the finished products, employment potential and the future development of this craft. The field investigations were done by S/Shri. M. R. Naik and K. R. Lotlikar, Statistical Assistants and the tabulation was done by S/Shri M. R. Naik and P. R. Gaonkar, Statistical Assistants, Shri. D. V. Nagappanavar, Investigator supervised the field work and the tabulation. The drafting of the report was done by Shri. S. P. Desai, Assistant Director and Smt. Mala D. Kamat, Investigator. I acknowledge the hard work put in by the above officials and sincerely thank all of them for the same. Shri. S. R. Arlekar, Lower Division Clerk, ably typed out the manuscripts. The photographs presented in this report were taken by Shri Justino Lobo, Artist/Photographer and the line illustration on the cover page was prepared VII by Miss Yolinda de Souza, Senior Designer, both working in the Design and Development Centre of the Department of industries and Mines, Government of Goa. Shri.Victor Pereira, Draughtsman of my office prepared the cover page. I sincerely thank these officials for the services rendered by them. I also thank Dr. K. P. Ittaman, Dy.Registrar General (58), 5hri. M.K. Jain, Senior Research Officer and Smt. Suman Prashar, Assistant Director of Census Operations, who offered valuable suggestions/comments in finalising this report. I am also extremely grateful to Shri. V. S. Verma, lAS, Registrar Gen w eral, India, for his constant encouragement and guidance in bringing out this report. PANAJI, S. Rajendran the 11 the May, 1989. Dy. Director of Census Operations, Goa, Daman & Diu. VIII CONTENTS Page FOREWORD V PREFACE VII CHAPTER-I INTRODUCTION 1 Boroque style - Rococo - Present position of the craft - Communities associated with the craft-Details of wood carved objects produced - Disposal of finished products. Agencies engaged in the development of the craft. Design and Development Centre, Panaji. The Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Limited Panaji. The Handicrafts Marketing and Service Extension Centre, Panaji. Training - cum - Production centres relating to the craft. CHAPTER-II CRAFTSMEN IN THEIR RURAL SETIING 10 General particulars of villages selected for study. Chimbel - Cuncolim - Loliem - Amentities - Selected craftsmen households and location - Social status of the craftsmen-Demographic profile of the craftsmen population - Religion/caste/community - Mother tongue- Educational level of head of households - Households by number of mebers Nature of relation of mebmers to head of households-Migration status of households with reference to place of birth-Workers and non-workers - Occupational diversity - Non workers by type of activity-Non practising craftsmen households - Marital status - Educational level-Religion/ caste and educational level of head of households - Number of members - Migration status-Workers and non-workers - Workers and non-workers by educational level - Traditional and present occupation - Reasons for leaving the traditional occupation - Non workers - History of growth and development of craft in the village - Services available to the craftsmen. CHAPTER-III PROCESS OF LEARNING 29 Learnin'g of the craft - Time taken for learningn - other sources of learning the craft-Acquirement of skill - Master craftsmen - Biographical sketch. CHAPTER-IV MANUFACTURING PROCESS 37 Place of work - Place,duration of work and heads of households by age groups - Distance to place of work and mode of transport. Area occupied and number of persons working therein - Problems relating to place of work - households by place of work, area occupied and number of persons working - Purity and pollution associated with the craft - Different wood carved items manufactured - Different uses of the items manufactured - Average number of items made in a Page month - Raw materials - Tools and equipments - Technique - Nature of work attended by different persons - Designs. CHAPTER-V MARKETING 49 Marketing - Margin of profit CHAPTER-VI CRAFT AND EMPLOYMENT 57 Origin of the craft - Households and persons engaged in the craft before 1940 and thereafter - Unemployment - Economic aspects - Improvement in economic position - Reasons for the craftsmen children to continue the craft - Social aspects. The period of association with the craft - Reasons for satisfaction with the occupation - About non - practising households. CHAPTER-VII CONCLUSION 67 Glossery 70 Bibliography 71 List of tables Table No. Particulars Page 1 2 3 I .