Chapter 1
Introduction
Interpreting the Value System of the 'Dumbara Weaving
Community'
This chapter provides an introduction to the theoretical as well as the demographic and
ethnographical basis of this study.
This chapter begins by briefly introducing the way(s) in which the 'Dumbara weaving
community' generates ontological values for themselves in terms of attempting to earn 'fame' by
supplying decorative textiles to their elite patrons in order to overcome marginalization as a
consequence of caste hierarchy. Accordingly, certain fundamental aspects of their community
are briefly analysed in this chapter.
Subsequently, the research question will be introduced. It is interesting to note that these artisans
still maintain their unique subject-position as 'Dumbara weavers' even when the
traditional and conventional livelihoods are being transformed and
marginalization is still taking place.
This chapter also attempts to examine the scholarly discourse of how artisans such as 'Dumbara
weavers' ensure the sustainability of their hereditary artisanal livelihood. Thus, it will be
emphasized that almost all recent studies based on ethnological approaches to artisanal
communities have mainly focused on factors such as domestic economies, artisanal labour,
gender identities, cultural heritages and knowledge sharing etc. Such studies can be basically
summarized into two main points: 1). Traditional craft communities have faced the challenge of
existence as they have become victims of wider supplier networks and the interference of elite
patrons while their means of livelihood is being transformed into a capitalist industry, and; 2).
The aforementioned factors such as artisanal labour, gender identities, cultural properties and
knowledge-based expertise are also being transformed.
Next, this chapter focused on the role of artisans, their handling of materials
and processes, and their place in networks of production and consumption,
whilst at the same time reminiscing that artisans never lone forces but
depended on wider networks of supplies, patronage, and consumers.
Accordingly, this study argues that the conquest of the market economy, as well as its hegemonic
relations, has not deprived this community of opportunities of existence while providing
opportunities for some of them to flourish in a paradoxical manner. It is argued that the Dumbara
weaving community has managed to generate and realize values for their existence as a
consequence of the fame and recognition they earn in terms of their relationship with elite
patrons. These values are the results of events, relationships, and self-life based on their
realization of the need to overcome marginalization and oppression which they have experienced
as a craft community historically but they have succeeded in acquiring new meanings that
influence their artisanal potency. It is argued in this study that the market economy which is
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hitherto believed to be a destroying factor of artisanal economies has become a key instrument
for the Dumbara weaving community to ensure their existence.
What is meant by ‘value’ in this study derives from anthropological traditions and it is attempted
to provide an ethnographical approach to the concern of 'value'. Accordingly, three main
approaches to the notion of 'value' in anthropological traditions are discussed at the end of this
chapter. Firstly, the ethical-moral approach that focuses on the 'better' and 'suitable' action in
human life is discussed. Secondly, an economic approach based on consumerism and human
labour will be discussed. The third and the most important approach for this study will be
discussed on the grounds that the concept of 'value' can also be defined semiologically as a
'meaningful change/transformation. (Graeber 2001). The study suggests that the way artisans
represent the importance of their own action of producing crafts to themselves is of crucial
importance to understanding how they realize 'fame' as reflected in socially recognized form or
as the embodiment of 'fame' (Graeber 2001, 47). In this sense, the value-importance of Dumbara
weaving would resemble the proportion of a society’s creative energy invested into producing
and maintaining it.
The present study is concerned with the primary practices of value creation through craft
production by the Dumbara weaving artisan community. What it means by ‘value’ in this study
derives from anthropological traditions. The Dumbara artisan community inhabiting a rural
village located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka has been engaged in weaving decorative
textile products widely known as 'Dumbara Weaving' which has a history of over six hundred
years. It is notable that they belong to the caste known as berawa (drummers’ caste) which is
one of the lowest in the Sri Lankan feudal caste hierarchy. Due to this low-caste social status,
Dumbara artisans have been marginalized on the grounds of caste-based exclusion from social
associations and spatial segregation as well as being deprived of gaining deserved economic
benefits of their craft products. However, a paradoxical situation arises due to the fact that their
weavings have been consumed since ancient times by elites, despite the aforementioned caste-
based marginalization and oppression low-caste social status. Focusing on the said situation, this
study aims to investigate why and how this artisan community still manages copes to maintain
their ontological status as 'Dumbara weavers' even when their traditional means of livelihood
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are transformed by contemporary trends of capitalism and, more importantly caste-based
discrimination remains unchanged. දුම්බර ශිල්පීන් විවිධ සමාජ-ආර්ථික
මෙතෙක් අත්විඳින ලද ආන්තික තත්ත්වයන්ගෙන් අත්මිදීම පිණිස ප්රභූ අනුග්
සමඟ ඇති සබඳතාවේ ප්රතිඵලයක් ලෙස උපයා ගන්නා 'කීර්තිය' සහ සමාජ
තුළින් වන වටිනාකම් අවබෝධ කර නිර්මාණය කරගන්නා බවයි මෙම අධ්යයනයේ
දී තර්ක කෙරෙන්නේ. It is argued in this study that Dumbara artisans perceive and create
values through the 'fame' and social acceptance they earn as a consequence of their relationship
with elite patrons in order to overcome hitherto experienced marginalized situations in different
socio-economic contexts, which are crucial in forming the ideological basis for their artisanal
identity.එ් තුළින්, ඔවුන් සිය ජීවිත සාක්ෂාත් කරගැනීම realization of life
උදෙසා වන ශිල්පීය විභවතාව හා උදෙසා නව අර්ථයන් ලබාගනී acquire new
meanings that affect..... By examining the life narratives of the artisans and their production
practices, this study identifies two primary means of value creation within this weaving
community. Firstly, values are generated through their own work by engaging in weaving as a
performative act in order to maximize artisanal potency to meet unique patron demands. The
second factor is the generation of values necessary for the community viability by fostering
beneficial relationships with their lineage kin (inherently represented by their 'blood') as well as
their environment (the 'land'). Values attributed to Dumbara weaving pave the way for Dumbara
artisans to pursue upward social mobility to restructure their artisanal lives අතීතයේ දී
මෙන්ම, in the present, thereby further ensuring the long-term endurance of this craft.