ARTISANAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: A POST COLONIAL ANALYSIS OF SINDHI AJRAK MAKERS

Abstract

This article examines how Sindhi Ajrak textile artisans manage the contradictions between culture, tradition and livelihood in the post-colonial period. It considers the ways in which commodification, changing markets and colonial history influence craft and artisan entrepreneurial identity. The article will (1) map historical and postcolonial origins of Ajrak as identity, (2) interpret crafts people’s strategies and problems, and (3) explore struggles over authenticity, markets and cultural persistence. Methods We use a qualitative methodology which includes ethnographic field work in Sindh, semi-structured interviews with craftsmen culturalist and policy makers and document/media analysis. The data are thematically interrogated based on postcolonial theory and artisanal entrepreneurship narratives. Results indicate that Ajrak is a potent symbol of Sindhi identity based on pre-colonial and colonial histories. Informal, relational learning is the means of valorization that artisan entrepreneurs use to protect motifs, articulate authenticity and move through markets. But challenges of mass production, lack of skills and support from the state along with cultural appropriation hamper them. However, many prove to be more resilient as they adjust their designs to modern trends and reach out new channels like fashion, exports or tourism in community-based initiatives. The analysis suggests that the continuation of Ajrak involves more than mere market linkages. It demands supportive policies, the legitimizing of artisans’ agency, and respect for intangible heritage, as well as critical postcolonial conversations about identity and power. It has implications for heritage policy, craft economies and cultural identity and points to avenues for comparative working around artisanal communities and the role of institutions in supporting craft sustainability.

Keywords: Ajrak, artisanal entrepreneurship, cultural identity, Sindh, postcolonial theory, traditional craft, sustainability