JOIN USDolls4Tibet, based out of Dharamsala, is a group where women who are Tibetan refugees or local Indians create dolls that are not only beautiful but also stand for a cause. In fact, it’s one of those rare success stories one hears about that combines the social, economic and cultural aspects perfectly.
The story started in 2007, when a German mother Mona Bruchmann and her Tibetan husband Karma searched for a doll in Dharamsala for their daughter to culturally identify with. On not finding one, they decided to take matters into their own hands. “My friend back in Europe was a doll maker herself.
But when I asked her to make me one with Tibetan features, she suggested I try one myself. I come from a ceramic background, which is about moulding things from nothing. In a way, working with wool was the same. I found it even more satisfying because it’s truly environmentally-friendly,” recalls Mona.
After her daughter and friends appreciated the first few dolls, the idea of making it into a product struck the couple. “I wanted to work with the local community in some way. So I employed a few Tibetan women refugees. I wanted them to be able to integrate and settle here with some meaningful income. Plus, the dolls were Tibetan and I saw this as a way of preserving the culture, especially for the children whose home was Tibet,” she explains.
That was the beginning of a new journey, one that has grown to find patrons all across the globe. As the venture grew, so did the employee base, which came to include local Indian women. Today, the 20-member team has women between the ages of 22 and 70. “Twenty is just the right number for such a workshop. It’s enough to keep it intimate and small-scale but big enough to keep it economically viable.”
Even more amazing is the variety of dolls that are now being made using pure sheep wool and cotton. There are 17 designs reflecting traditional costumes of three major regions of Tibet, including children, elders, monks and nuns. These aside, there’s also a range of friendship dolls inspired by the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner and the easy-to-make Himalayan angels series. “The market for Tibetan dolls is rather limited, so we started making other varieties. Now, we have blonde hair, dark skinned dolls, redheads, Indians, and all kinds!” smiles Mona.
So what does the future of Dolls4Tibet look like? “The Tibetan society has changed quite dramatically since 2008. After the Olympics, the borders are much more closed and so, there’s fewer uneducated Tibetans coming in. In the long run, doll making isn’t the most suitable profession for them.
I want to now support women with any kind of problem, and ideally, create a shelter for people in need. We also use this space as a meeting spot for artists to come, interact and collaborate!” she wraps up.