Baloch needlework
 Baloch woman creating needlework in Iran | |
| Type | Handicraft |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Baloch |
Baloch needlework, or Balochi needlework (Balochi: بلۏچ گد دۏچی, romanized: Balòč gòd dòči; also known as Balochi embroidery) is a type of Baloch handicraft made by the Baloch people.[1] It is considered a heritage art, has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and sells internationally.[1][2]
The Baloch people are native to the Balochistan region of South and West Asia, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.
History
[edit]The Baloch people are from the Pakistani province of Balochistan; the Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan; and the southern areas of Afghanistan, including Nimruz, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces.[3] The exact history of Baloch needlework is unknown. One theory is Baloch needlework originated from Mehrgarh (in modern-day Pakistan), a Neolithic site.[4] Another theory is it was brought from the migration of the Slavs to Balochistan approximately 200 years before the spread of Islam,[5] their traditional embroidery is called Rushnyk and contains many similarities. Another theory is the craft had developed alongside the silk production industry.[6]
Different Baloch tribes have their own distinct needlework designs.[7] This craft has traditionally been created only by women, and has been passed down through the generations.[5][8][7] The stitching designs and patterning hold meaning; common motifs include arrows, "chicken feet", diamonds, and flowers.[7] Some of the designs may also incorporate other materials such as small pieces of mirror (known as shisha), different colors of thread, and/or pieces of colored fabric.[9][1] The needlework was traditionally used for decorating women's clothing,[9] however it has also been used for decorating pillows, curtains, tablecloths, and men's clothing.[10]
In 2015, the majority of the sales of Baloch needlepoint clothing occoured in Pakistan and Afghanistan.[10]
In fashion
[edit]
In the 1960s, Iranian fashion designer Mehr "Nini" Monir Jahanbani began incorporating Baloch needlework patterns into her contemporary fashion designs.[11][12]
Notable Baloch needlework artisans include Mahtab Norouzi.[13] Farah Pahlavi, the former Shahbanu of Pahlavi Iran, was particularly drawn to Baloch needlework handcrafts and incorporated them into many of her formal dresses,[11][14] which were designed by Iranian fashion designers Mehr Monir Jahanbani and Keyvan Khosrovani. It is believed that Mahtab Norouzi may have embroidered some of Pahlavi's dresses herself,[14][15] working under a fashion designer.
- Examples of Baloch needlework styles
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "دریافت مهر اصالت از سازمان جهانی یونسکو، ثبت در میراث معنوی و نشان مرغوبیت ایرانی/ بلوچی دوزی، هنری در بطن زندگی زنان بلوچ". Young Journalist Club (YJC) (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ↑ Kundi, Mansoor Akbar (1993). Balochistan, a Socio-cultural and Political Analysis. Qasim Printers. p. 106.
- ↑ Panah, Hamid Yazdan (25 March 2016). "Human Rights in Balochistan: A Case Study in Failure and Invisibility". The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ↑ Fatima, Kinza (2020-06-11). "The Intricacy and Beauty of Balochi Embroidery". Voice of Balochistan. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- 1 2 Heidari, Zahra (2016-11-13). "سوزندوزی بلوچ، هنری ریشهدار در تاریخ" [Baloch embroidery, an art rooted in history]. ایسنا (ISNA) (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ↑ Naseh, Zabihullah (1965). Balochistan. Tehran, Iran: Sina.
- 1 2 3 Baloch, Shezad (2012-03-24). "Balochi ensembles: The threads of time". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
- ↑ "بلوچیدوزیِ زنان؛ میراثی رو به اغما" [Balochi embroidery of women; A legacy in a coma]. صاحبخبر (in Persian). 2017-10-03. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- 1 2 Agnoletti, Santoro, Fiore, Piras, Romano, Bazzurro, Mauro, Antonio, Beatrice, Francesco, Federica, Alessandra (2023). Agricultural Heritage Systems in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Springer. p. 177. ISBN 9783031448812.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - 1 2 "پوشش گرانقیمت زنان بلوچ" [Expensive clothing of Baloch women]. ایسنا (ISNA) (in Persian). 2015-04-20. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
- 1 2 "Artist Spotlight with Bibi Manavi". ArteEast (interview). March 23, 2021. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ↑ Pirnia, Mansoureh (1992). Farah Pahlavi's travelogue (in Persian). Mihr-i Īrān. p. 23 & 25. ISBN 978-0-9633129-0-7.
- ↑ "مهتاب نوروزی، مشهورترین سوزن دوز بلوچ درگذشت" [Mahtab Norouzi, the most famous Baloch needlewoman, has died]. BBC News فارسی (in Persian). 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
- 1 2 "مهتاب نوروزی؛ نماد نیم قرن سوزن دوزی در بلوچستان" [Mahtab Norouzi; Symbol of half a century of needlework in Balochistan]. BBC News فارسی (in Persian). 16 July 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ Schreiber, Sara (2021-05-20). "A Tale of Modest Fashion in Iran". Peace Journalism. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
Further reading
[edit]
- "The Intricacy and Beauty of Balochi Embroidery". Voice of Balochistan. 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
- مرضيه, قاسمي; خاتون, محمودي سكينه; سيدرسول, موسوي حاجي (March 12, 2021). "ساختار صوري نقوش طبيعي در سوزن دوزي زنان بلوچ (با تاکيد بر نمونه هاي شهرستان سراوان)" [The formal structure of natural motifs in the needlework of Baloch women (with emphasis on examples from Saravan City)]. نگره (Look) فصلنامه نگره (in Persian). 8 (27): 60–73. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021.
