arizona’s phoenix firebirds #629

The Phoenix Firebirds visited the Phoenix Art Museum on December 12 and were led by docent Julia Huston.  The chapter learned about Sikh culture and heritage.

From the museum exhibit: “In rural Punjab, women have long participated in and stewarded a rich textile tradition, beginning at birth when a newborn girl might be wrapped in a soft heirloom phulkari. Creation often began shortly after a girl's birth, with embroidered textiles carefully prepared to later form part of her bridal trousseau. Starting with a cotton fabric woven from homespun thread, women added adornment by embroidering elaborate designs using brightly colored silk floss with a simple darning stitch.

The term phulkari refers to both stylized floral motifs and to the textiles themselves. Traditionally crafted cooperatively by women within families and villages, they served as blankets, shawls, and decorative wall hangings.

Embroidery was a vital medium of expression for women, with phulkari distinguished by freehand motifs and techniques. Chope, ghungat, and thirma feature auspicious or beneficial symbols meant to bless the wearer, while bagh nearly covers the fabric with vibrant geometric patterns. Among the most skilled artisans, sainchi and darshan dwar showcase dense figural scenes depicting folkloric narratives from multiple viewpoints.

The phulkari tradition as handicraft was nearly eradicated in the displacement and urbanization that followed the Partition of India in 1947. Today the tradition is largely commercial.”

Please enjoy the pictures of chapter members, as well as textiles displayed in the enhibit.