The Hidden Craft: Sindhi Nado
by Shree Tej Aritakula
Hyderabad
Project Description
A short documentary set in Kachchh, exploring the hidden craft of the Sindhi Nada and the women sustaining it—through ethnographic film, sound, and poetic storytelling.
Expected Impact
This project offers an alternative, participatory approach to craft documentation—one rooted in deep listening, co-creation, and everyday storytelling. Through two core processes—an Object Library and storytelling workshops with children and adults—the project will surface narratives often overlooked in conventional ethnography. The Sindhi Nada remains largely undocumented—visually striking yet culturally invisible, even within craft networks. This film addresses that gap by recording the craft through the voices and contexts of those who practice it. It will offer a nuanced, community-led narrative that goes beyond the object, revealing the social, emotional, and historical layers it holds. The documentary will highlight this model of quiet resilience, offering insights for artisans, craft collectives, cultural organisations, and development practitioners. It also has the potential to build with aligned collaborators such as designers, researchers and brands who may wish to engage with the Sindhi Nada in respectful ways.
Applicant Background
The team brings together a diverse and complementary set of skills, grounded in filmmaking, design, participatory practice, and long-term engagement with artisan communities. We are committed to approaching this project with the care, sensitivity, and quality it deserves. Commonerwaves, one of the lead collaborators, has documented over 100 stories across India through travel-based, informal collaborations, pop-up workshops, and participatory processes. (www.commonerwaves.com/india) Our team has extensive experience working in Kachchh, collaborating with craft communities and organizations on a range of projects—from product development and educational initiatives in government schools to exhibition design and documentary filmmaking. These projects have helped us build close, trusting relationships with artisans across the region. We carry a deep understanding of how to work respectfully and collaboratively with communities—centering openness, listening, and shared authorship in all our processes.
Resources Needed
- Funding
- Mentorship
- Visibility
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