Everyone
Introduction
Since 2005 Heritage Foundation has undertaken several development projects in the villages of Kodar and Jabbar where the communities are extremely marginalized.
There are several ways to be involved in the work that is being carried out by Heritage Foundation and KaravanPakistan. Through several past years we have received enormous help from volunteers, which helped us to achieve our goals in a much more meaningful manner. The spirit of volunteerism fosters a culture of caring and sharing, which is at the heart of KaravanPakistan activities.
• Volunteers
• Summer Camps
• Fund Raising
• Sale of Craft Items
In order to continue with the momentum of work, it is imperative that more volunteers and resources are directed for the development of the area.
The section Help Received lists the projects completed along with the name of donors and sponsors through whose generosity various activities have been undertaken.
Get Involved
KaravanPakistan Institute for Research and Training (KIRAT)
• Organizational Structure of KIRAT
• Original Concept
• Research & Implementation
• Concept Paper
Organizational Structure of KIRAT
KIRAT has optimized its organizational structure to serve its mandate:
A Training Department will regroup the bulk of KIRAT’s operational activities. It is organized around four thematic units based on the rationalization of its programmes: Cultural and Vernacular Heritage, Development, Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation, Conservation & Sustainability. Seminars, workshops and conferences will provide a forum for capacity development of volunteers, workshop participants, and scholars.
A Research Department has been put in place to streamline KIRAT’s research activities for maximization of indigenous resources for the benefit of marginalized communities and dissemination of research related information and theses in the form of articles, learned papers and publications. Library, Depository and Archives will preserve, promote and regenerate tangible, intangible and vernacular heritage, pride and community identity, resources relating to conservation of the habitat, ecological harmony and biodiversity, and flora and fauna; and form the basis for devising innovative strategies to initiate change for sustainable cultural, social, economic and scientific development.
KIRAT ’s affiliation with national universities will endeavour to sponsor fellowships, internships and other mutually beneficial associations to meet future challenges. New orientation for partnership with non-governmental sources, international agencies and institutions will be formulated. KIRAT will identify FRIENDS who can act as visiting (voluntary) training and research Aides/Directors, preferably with an academic background and of independent means, involved in research projects relating to KIRAT’s objectives.
KIRAT’s Board
A 7-member Board of Advisors is composed of a diverse body drawn from academia, corporate sector, the UN system experts.
Members of the Board will provide vision and oversight.
Chair of the Heritage Foundation will chair the Board, and coordinate the Consultants and administrative and management functions of KIRAT.
Honorary Consultants and Friends of KIRAT – prestigious consultants (salaried and honorary consultants) will oversee project directors and support KIRAT’s strategic priorities of training and development
Original Concept
The Heritage Foundation is proposing to set up a research and development institute in District Mansehra, NWFP to maximize the social, cultural and economic potential of the earthquake area in order to make up the existing social and economic deficit for achieving national MDG goals. The platform will facilitate universities, CSOs, public and private sector organizations and corporate sector to carry out experimentation and research towards these objectives. Research activities have already been initiated. The first publication on the Heritage Assets of the Siran Valley has been published in May 2008. A piece of land consisting of six acres situated off the Karakoram Highway with good road linkage to various cities, along with a building has been acquired where the base camp has been set up. The following infrastructure as part of a residential campus has been organized:
- A 4-room house with bathrooms for interns and volunteers
- A furnished conference room with projection facilities
- An office space with computers, printer and connectivity
- Tent accommodation with attached bathrooms (to accommodate 16 persons)
- Double- and single-Scholars' residences (under construction) for long term stay
- Staff accommodation
- Space for car parking etc.
- Space for workshop for experimentation: local materials and techniques, alternative energy.
- Terraced land for agricultural experiments
The formation of the institute is at an early stage and further work on its structure, sustainability and linkages with universities is being carried out.
Research and Implementation Platform
The institute will provide a research platform and facilitation for the following:
Cataloguing baseline information regarding various aspects – from heritage assets to traditional lifestyles, local construction materials and vernacular structures, environmental factors, forestry and agriculture, flora and fauna, renewable energy sources etc.
Evaluating interventions in the area – both hard and soft components – and their impact on local resources, traditional habitat and lifestyles, societal transformation, global warming and sustainability issues.
Establishing a resource base and a depository of information on work being carried out by various organizations, and creating a platform for information sharing and promotion of ‘best practices’.
Developing innovative solutions and guidelines to minimize hot house gases, assure environmental sustainability, employ energy saving methodologies and maximize renewable energy sources, promote improved traditional and vernacular methodologies, and provide inputs for achieving greater social gains and empowerment of communities etc.
Concept Paper
Introduction
The Heritage Foundation has been engaged in the work in the disaster area since November 2006 and has developed an understanding of the materials and communities, along with their needs. The work of HF in its programme area has focused on the following:
• maximization of local workforce, local materials, local resources, tangible and intangible heritage for livelihoods
• Rehabilitation and reconstruction through focus on heritage and traditions
• Use of local materials and improved vernacular technologies for improved seismic performance of buildings.
• Working with women and communities for empowerment through livelihoods based on local resources, skills, crafts and traditions.
• Social infrastructure through building schools and health facility; improved health of women and children through building bathrooms and discipline of washing hands at home and schools.
• Physical infrastructure through building of mountain pathways and better accessibility
• Livelihoods through focus on crafts – building kitchens for marketing of value added agriculture produce e.g. makai ki roti, bead craft etc.
• Heritage cataloguing and heritage safeguarding for community based tourism
• Recording various aspects and learning from local experiences and traditional ways of doing
Among the objectives of HF is to create a depository of information for use by other agencies involved in carrying out similar works, as well as analysis of the impact of various interventions in the area.
Purpose
During the last 30 months there has been unprecedented investment and development in the EQ affected areas. A large number of I/N NGOs, along with ERRA, PERRA and SERRA have carried out enormous amount of work in various fields for the betterment of the area. The large-scale interventions in pursuance of government policies have been undertaken throughout this period, but a methodology for feedback and assessment of impact of such interventions is still to be put in place.
There is now a need to develop as much as possible, base line information regarding the various communities as well as impact of interventions, both negative and positive. This is essential in order to build upon successful interventions and modify others.
For this purpose a depository of best practices needs to be developed through culling information from me /N NGOs. Additionally, due to the limited life of ERRA, much of the information may either be lost on its demise, or the best practices and lessons needed to be learnt may be lost in the mass of information that is being generated. A systematic analytical approach to identify information and strategies which are needed for future development of the area is yet to be developed. The proposed institute will form a depository for the purposes of information collection and analysis.
The enormous potential of the EQ AA will remain untapped, unless further research on its various aspects and possibilities is carried out. This is a vast area of research touching almost every aspect of life. As in the case of other parts of the country, the meeting of MDG goals needs to also be pursued effectively in the area. Further research will identify areas of deficit, and methodologies for dealing with it.
Accordingly, studies spanning from anthropology sociology, cultural heritage, agricultural produce, flora and fauna, hiking and tourism, vernacular construction methods, local materials, reforestation issues and score of others will be the topics of study with the aim to propagate those aspects which will bring about a societal change in the area.
Because of issues of non-accessibility, difficult terrain and weather, lack of accommodation and community access, the areas have been largely ignored or neglected. The establishment of a base camp close to the area of operation i.e. in difficult valleys above 5,000 feet has allowed the possibility of opening up the area. The base camp established by HF is in a secure place with provision of accommodation, camp arrangement, meals and security. The possibility of travel into the area because of community outreach established by HF along with potential for reaching even remote areas would provide the basis for undertaking research activities.
The topics related to the area include the following. The various topics of research need to be identified which will maximize the areas’ attractions and potential for community development: The following is an initial list of topics:
• Anthropology
• History
• Cultural heritage
• Flora and fauna
• Crafts
• Vernacular heritage and architecture
• Local and improved construction techniques and materials
• Heritage safeguarding methodologies
• Disaster mitigation and disaster management
• Seismic related studies
• MDG status and methodologies for meeting MDGs
• Archives of Best Practices developed by ERRA, I/N NGOs
• Botanical aspects, flora and fauna
• Value added agricultural produce
• Water harvesting, environmental conservation
• Alternative energy sources, water, solar, biogas
• Tourism related: natural, tangible and intangible heritage, community attractions etc.
• Application of technology for improved literacy, health status of the area.
• Involvement of corporate sector for improved delivery of agricultural produce, value added products based on agriculture etc.
Methodology and Timelines
The Research Institute will be established under Heritage Foundation and will have its own Board of Advisors of eminent persons drawn from the world of Academia, civil service organizations, public organizations and corporate sector.
The Institute is being planned to have a core administrative and research facility. It will create the platform which will encourage research through interaction and arrangement with various universities, and will allow students and scholars from various universities as well as corporate sector to focus on maximizing the potential of the area. The core facility is being established in Chattar (near Battal) NWFP, where a residential campus has been created by HF. The work on documentation of heritage is being planned through cooperation with ERRA, which will help in identifying heritage at risk and modalities for its conservation.
Discussions with various universities for signing MOUs are in progress. Some small scale programmes are being initiated though students summer camps to be held from July onwards. Long term research will be undertaken from January 2009
Further research will also be undertaken on renewable energy sources i.e. sun and wind to facilitate livelihood programmes and improved quality of life.
Tent accommodation in the pine forest, Base Camp, Karavanabad.
KIRAT
KAPIT
• Introduction• KaravanGhar
• Buildings
Introduction
The Karavan Programme for Indigenous Technology or KAPIT was devised immediately after the Great Earthquake 2005 that devastated large parts of Northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005.
KAPIT was initiated in mid-October 2005 for earthquake-stricken communities to build permanent shelters and the work was continued through the winter months of 2005-2006.
KAPIT envisioned the following:
Providing an architectural design solution that uses local materials and technology that can be built by communities themselves and incorporates earthquake-resistant measures; technical drawing sets and illustrations of the design have been distributed for free in a building manual and poster format
Involving volunteers who are building trade professionals (architects, engineers, construction managers, and advanced students) to guide the construction process on site; students and faculty from local universities (Department of Architecture, University of Engineering and Technology Abbottabad, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, and University of Karachi) as well as international academies (American University at Sharjah, Glasgow University, U.K.) and individual architects and architectural students from Iran, Australia, Ireland and USA have been among the volunteers
Arranging for the provision of building materials and tools that are not available locally (lime, GI flyproofing mesh, chicken wire, GI roofing sheets, spades, axes, hand-trollies etc).
KAPIT also initiated research efforts to document local/traditional and international building practices in relation to earthquake-resistance.
KaravanGhar poster. Map of the Siran Valley.
KaravanGhar
The KaravanGhar programme was carried out from November 2005 to March 2006 as part of Emergency Phase Housing.
The work was organized through teams of volunteers to guide construction of self-built improved vernacular houses, popularly known as the KaravanGhar. Architects and student volunteers hailed from the American University at Sharjah (AUS), Glasgow School of Architecture in UK, LSU and Colombia University in USA, Iran Ireland and Australia internationally, and from Karachi U, UET Abbottabad, Hyderabad & NCA Lahore, nationally. The KaravanGhar was built by salvaging stone and wood from the debris while lime, steel mesh and g.i. sheets were provided through the generosity of individual and corporate donors and UNDP. The programme was carried out in 75 remote and dispersed villages of the Siran Valley, Mansehra, NWFP, completing almost 1200 units by March 2006, including 100 units sponsored by NOKIA. The KaravanGhar methodology was utilized by the Japanese NGO NICCO, who built another 300 units in Chikar, Azad Kashmir.
Early KaravanGhar built between November 2005 and January 2006 by families.
Philosophical Basis of KaravanGhar
• Correspond to lifestyles, cultural norms and traditions of the community
• Avoid imposition of culturally inappropriate interventions
• Avoid use of alien forms which negatively impact topographic environment
• Restore pride in vernacular construction techniques
• Maximize use of volunteers in rebuilding lives
• Utilise building activity for community regeneration
Salient Features of KaravanGhar
• Construction with salvaged materials
• Stable masonry foundations
• Improved stone masonry with bond stones
• Stabilized lime/mud/sand mortar
• Fly proof mesh for corner strengthening and wooden bracing at cill, lintol, roof levels
• Wooden posts for foundation-wall-roof connectivity
• Mud/sand plaster on chicken wire mesh
Buildings
A prototype school building was designed in order to utilize local labour and materials. The structural design was developed by M/s Amin Tariq & Associates, who had also worked on the structure of the KaravanGhar. Being an institutional building certain additional safeguards were built into the structural design. Since insufficient experimentation has been carried out to test the performance of traditional construction techniques, it was considered prudent to add R.C.C. beams at plinth and roof level, strengthen the corners with steel angles and ensure that the whole structure was tied together by using steel plates and angles at all wood junctions.
Early sketch done by Sameeta.
Sectional drawing rendered by Zulfi.
The salient features of the building for seismic resistance are as follows”
a. Maximum use of local materials. Mostly stone is used; though brick has also been used in a couple of buildings to accelerate progress
b. Stone masonry in walls laid with bondstones in stabilized lime/sand mortar
c. Use of g.i. fly proof mesh and vertical steel angles to strengthen corners
d. Use of wooden bracing (in the form of ladder) at cill and lintol level
e. Use of wooden posts and steel vertical angles for foundation-wall-roof connectivity
f. Use of wooden trusses and light galvanized iron sheet roofing
g. M.s. angles and plates to tie all joints of trusses, posts and trusses, posts and battens etc.
h. Reinforced concrete beams at plinth and roof level
Plan showing classroom layout, rendered by Zulfi.
All possible efforts have been to have the buildings well finished along with ease of maintenance. At the same time most of the structural elements have been exposed to portray the different elements and principles underlying an earthquake resistant structure, endowing it with structural integrity
Because of the importance of fulfilling seismic requirements, the steel plates and angles initially posed difficulties. Due to lack of skills and equipment and the remote nature of the sites, it took some time to organize this work. However, through an apprenticeship programme two young people have been trained in the use of grinders and welding equipment for cutting and welding various kinds of m.s. plates and angles. The use of reinforced concrete has also posed considerable difficulties in view of the carriage costs, erection of formwork and pouring without adequate equipment e.g. mechanical mixers and vibrators etc. Since the use of r.c.c. beams was a precondition by ERRA, it has been followed to provide additional safety factor; however, further research needs to be done in order to minimize the use of reinforced concrete.
The stone masonry and woodwork was carried out by local labour, however, specialized help was brought to the sites for concrete and steel work. The introduction of r.c.c. beams and steel corner angles added to the cost considerably. In the process training of the local skilled and unskilled labour was also carried out.
Since the staff is now familiar with the construction principles required for the structure, the same basic structure is being utilized for construction of the Heritage Museum, Basic Health Unit as well as community/research centre.
Earthquake Area Rehab - KAPIT
Publications
- Books
- Book Reviews
Books
Makli under the Sammas by Suhail Zaheer Lari, 2016
Written by acclaimed historian Suhail Lari, who is also an avid photographer, the book traces the history of the Samma rule in Sindh through a spectacular pictorial journey of the remarkable structures built in 14th and 15th c. at World Heritage Makli.
Size: 25x25 cm, 210 pages,186 photographs
Link
Makli Under The Sammas- Part I
www.hoggit.com/File/15011/Makli-Under-The-Sammas-Part-1
Makli Under The Sammas- Part II
www.hoggit.com/File/15012/Makli-Under-The-Sammas-Part-2
Makli Under The Sammas- Part III
www.hoggit.com/File/15013/Makli-Under-The-Sammas-Part-3
Hard Publish Book is available in 2500 PKR.
Sepulchre of Mirza Jan Baba Father of Isa Tarkhan the Second – Conservation and Rehabilitation by Yasmeen Lari, 2017
The publication is a record of conservation that was carried out in 2015-2016 by Heritage Foundation of Pakistan. A full record of procedures is provided, and innovative approaches e.g. rational behind the use of bamboo domes for providing protection to vulnerable parts, are explained.
Size: 20x20 cm, 96 pages, 176 photographs
Link
Sepulchre of Mirza Jan Baba Father of Isa Tarkhan the Second-Conservation and Rehabilitation Part 1
Sepulchre of Mirza Jan Baba Father of Isa Tarkhan the Second-Conservation and Rehabilitation Part 2
Hard Publish Book is available in 1000 PKR.
The Green Manual
Towards a Sustainable Future: Build Back Safer with Vernacular Methodologies By Yasmeen Lari, 2015
The pictorial green manual provides detailed information regarding 13 green methodologies ranging from mud brick making, making of earthen cook stoves and eco-toilets to safe earth/lime/bamboo safe shelters, raised hand pumps, raised farming, rainwater harvesting and organic fertilizer and organic soap. The information is based on the strategies use in disaster affected areas of Pakistan and provides low income, zero/low carbon alternatives.
Size: 15x21 cm, 105 pages, 190 photographs
Link
The Green Manual
Towards a Sustainable Future Build Back Safer with Vernacular Methodologies
www.hoggit.com/File/15021/The-Green-Manual-Towards-a-Sustainable-Future-Build-Back-Safer-with-Vernacular-Methodologies
Hard Publish Book is available in 500 PKR.
Sethi Haveli
A Gem in the Heart of Historic Peshawar From Wrecked Vestige to Splendour By Yasmeen Lari, 2015
This book presents a pictorial and graphic record of restoration/conservation work carried out by Heritage Foundation of Pakistan (HF) on the remarkable Qadri Manzil, popularly known as the Sethi House or Sethi Mansion. The book provides information on the original features and the painstaking effort that was lavished on it to stabilize it and restore it to its original glory.
Size: 22x28 cm, 96 pages, 179 photographs
Link
Sethi Haveli-Part I
www.hoggit.com/file/15024/sethi-haveli-part-I
Sethi Haveli-Part II
www.hoggit.com/file/15025/sethi-haveli-part-II
Hard Publish Book is available in 1250 PKR.
Disaster Preparedness Manual, By Y. Lari, A. Meadows and P.S. Meadows, 2013
The booklet has been prepared in order to foster a culture of preparedness in the face of disasters. It has been written by three eminent professionals in the field who have worked together on several projects related to severe earthquake and flood disasters that have confronted Pakistan since 2005. The publication of the book was supported by Scottish Government International Development Fund. A DVD with specially enacted skits on disasters is attached to the booklet.
Size: 15x21 cm, 40 pages, 47 Photographs
Link
Disaster Preparedness Manual
www.hoggit.com/file/15023/disaster-preparedness-manual
Hard Publish Book is available in 500 PKR.
• Heritage Foundation Preservation Guides, 2008, prepared by Yasmeen Lari. Price: Rs. 500 for set of 7 Preservation Guides:
HFP PG-1 Protecting Historic Assets (4 pages); HFP PG-2 Undertaking Historic Conservation (8 pages); HFP PG-3 for Owners of Historic Properties (2 pages); HFP PG-4 Work at Historic Sites (10 pages); HFP PG-5 Cataloguing Heritage Sites (4 pages); HFP PG-6 Hospitality Guide for Heritage Sites (4 pages); HFP PG-7 (16 pages).
• National Register of Historic Places of Pakistan: Heritage Assets of the Siran Valley, 2008, edited by Yasmeen Lari. Price: Rs. 500.
• History of Sindh by Suhail Zaheer Lari, 1995 & 2002. Price Rs. 600.00.
• Neither Persian Nor Islamic: History of Muslim Painting by Suhail Zaheer Lari, 2002. Price: Rs. 600.00.
• Lahore Heritage Guide by Yasmeen Lari, 2003. Price: Rs. 395.00
• National Register of Historic Places of Pakistan: Peshawar Document 1, 2003. Price: Rs. 500.00
• The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj by Mihail S. Lari & Yasmeen Lari, 1996 & 2002. Price: Rs. 1,700.00
• Karachi Sentenced by University Students, 2001. Price: Rs. 1,000.00
• Karachi Heritage Guide by Yasmeen Lari, 2000. Price: Rs. 395.00.
• The Jewel of Sindh: Samma Tombs at Makli Hill by Yasmeen Lari & Suhail Zaheer Lari, 1997. Price: Rs. 1,500.00.
• National Register of Historic Places of Pakistan: Karachi Documents 1-9, 1987, 1994, 1996. Price: Rs. 350.00.
Book Reviews
An Illustrated History of Sindh by Suhail Zaheer Lari. Published by Heritage Foundation, new edition, 2002.
"A valuable addition to the few authentic books available on the subject in the English language" by Hasan Mujtaba, Monthly Newsline, March 1994.
"The political history is interspersed with accounts of the development of the Sindhi language and literature and the spread of Sufism. The book contains references to important articles, books and original sources. Short as the book may appear, it has succinctly given all important information, making it a handy, useful and connected history of Sindh from the earliest days. It will form an important guide for research workers and students of history and literature of Sindh" by I. A. A., Daily The Nation, 9 December 1994.
"Suhail Zaheer Lari has done a good job by unfolding details about Sindh which were not hitherto commonly known to people. It is indeed a very profound study" by Col.(Retd) Ghulam Sarwar, Daily Pakistan Times, 20 April 1995.
"A Reference Work" by Narayani Gupta, Department of History and Culture, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, September 1995.
"As with all Heritage Foundation publications, the layout and presentation are superb" by Umbereen Beg-Mirza, Monthly She, November 2002.
"But what is more remarkable is that he has brought to his narration of events a more balanced interpretive angle. This gives the story a heretical slant and makes it exciting to read. Lari has a historian’s natural bent as you can see in the linear record that his brief book tries to maintain. It is his penchant for neglected facts that adds excitement to what otherwise would have declined into ideological routine" by Khaled Ahmed, Weekly Friday Times, Nov 29-Dec 5, 2002.
Neither Islamic Nor Persian: A History of Muslim Painting by Suhail Zaheer Lari. Published by Heritage Foundation, 2002.
"A systematic and very comprehensive account of Muslim art, beginning with the birth of Islam, winding down to the Timurid period, the Ottoman empire, and ending with the Mughals and Emperor Aurangzeb. Lari is extremely thorough, meticulously recording an amazing number of manuscripts and paintings, their dates, the rulers they were created under, and often why they were painted.
After reading the book, it is almost guaranteed that one will drop the established western compartmentalisation and adopt Lart’s view instead" by Zehra Hamdani, Weekly Newsline, August 2002.
"The cover of Suhail Lari’s latest book is deliciously enticing. Indeed the entire layout of the book is unusually beautiful...The same attention has gone into the book’s presentation is amply visible throughout the text of this remarkable little book...The book is a comprehensive guide to the artists and craftsmen behind this typically Muslim art form...it gives the reader a great introduction into the fascinating world of Muslim painting" by Umbereen Beg-Mirza, Monthly She, June 2002
"The questions Lari has raised ought to be discussed in art schools to educate the minds of the students rather than send them out in the world as glib technicians" by Dr Akbar Naqvi, Monthly Herald, July 2002.
"Suhail Zaheer Lari, besides being an intellectual, is a very interesting person ... The book is very well produced and contains 40 illustrations and 40 colour plates ... and concise history of art under Muslim domains" by Shamim Akhter, The Daily News, 10 June 2002.
"There is excellent research mixed with good story-telling that fills the book with nuggets you don’t find in textbooks ... One can go on and on about the stories in this book which is liberally interspersed with miniature reproductions of good quality" by Khaled Ahmed, Weekly Friday Times, May 10-16, 2002.
The Dual City : Karachi During the Raj by Yasmeen Lari and Mihail Lari. Published by Oxford University Press and Heritage Foundation. 1996 and new edition 2001.
"The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj is a monumental and comprehensive documentary on Karachi in all its aspects, and the first book of its kind to be published ... Encompassing a vast panorama of history, politics, architecture and arts and crafts illustrated with hundreds of maps, paintings and photographs (some rare and out of print), this volume is a must for schools, colleges, art and design institutions, reference libraries, clubs, and the intelligentsia. The authors have produced a tremendous piece of documentation which is destined to become a classic" by SK Rahmat Ali, Monthly Newsline, October 1996.
"Karachi’s best-known architect and conservationist Yasmeen Lari, together with Mihail Lari, has confirmed her good reputation by writing a high-quality historical and architectural history of the city of Karachi. It is a coffee-table volume with 400 rare illustrations, 144 of them in colour. Anything you ever wanted to know about the mega-city before 1947 is here, from Alexander’s legendary Krokola around 330 BC, the story of the British take-over in 1839, to stories behind all the landmark buildings" by Khalid Ahmed, Weekly The Friday Times, September 12-18. 1996.
Reports/Proposals
• Introduction
• Moenjodaro: Heritage for Development & Empowerment
Introduction
Since the early 1980s, Heritage Foundation has been preparing several proposals for the protection and conservation of heritage assets of the country. It is due to such proposals that the Foundation has been able to achieve considerable progress in awareness raising as well as heritage safeguarding.
Although it is not always possible to achieve desired progress; however, it is important to continue to point the direction in order that we are able to protect our heritage for future generations.
Moenjodaro: Heritage for Development and Empowerment
Vision & Mission
Develop ownership and stake of the community in the world famous site, through participatory heritage safeguarding activities.
To spread the benefits of investment into surrounding communities of World Heritage Sites by utilizing heritage for development.
Present Condition
The communities around Moenjodaro present a picture of neglect and apathy. There has been little investment in improving the quality of life in the area.
- The community has no linkage or involvement with the World Heritage Site and thus has no feeling of pride or ownership.
- The villages in the vicinity present a picture of a waste land with no apparent investment in infrastructure by Sindh/Town Governments for the past several decades.
-The law and order situation is unsatisfactory.
Needs
Heritage Foundation believes that through sensitive initiatives, the communities can play a vital role in the safeguarding of the World Heritage site. At the same time, heritage-related activities will be a vehicle for fostering pride and sense of ownership through mechanisms devised by the Heritage Foundation for utilizing heritage for development and poverty alleviation..
- As in the case of other marginalized communities it is essential to focus on provision of physical and social infrastructure:
- Physical Infrastructure
Improvement of environmental conditions through provision of water supply, sewerage and solid waste disposal.
-Social Infrastructure
Strengthening educational system with emphasis on girls schools.
Health care facilities
- Additionally, it is essential to create Heritage-related Infrastructure for poverty alleviation consisting of the following:
Pro-poor community based tourism facilities for livelihoods and income generation
Upgrading of village(s) where basic visitors’ infrastructure could be developed e.g. Dhand, Bulreji, Buggi etc.
Revitalization of existing craft skills
Establishment of master artisans workshops with training
Packaging and marketing linkages for crafts
Production of replicas based on artifacts
Heritage-safeguarding through Community Effort
Identification and training of youth as guides
Identification of areas of site which could be maintained by community groups
Proposal
The safeguarding efforts for Moenjodaro have been confined to the Federal Department of Archaeology or public organizations created for its protection. There has been little or no attempt at involving the community at large into safeguarding initiatives. The public sector efforts e.g. PTDC at developing tourism have also not yielded adequate results. Thus, in spite of investment of millions of dollars on the Site, little advantage has accrued to the community who, not surprisingly, have little or no interest in this World Heritage Archaeological site. Thus, the Site remains isolated without being owned by those who, as the inheritors, should be the direct beneficiaries.
In order to foster pride and ownership, ways have to be devised to engage the community in meaningful ways in safeguarding in order that they are able to gain direct benefits. It is essential to provide the much needed social and physical infrastructure for which the relevant government departments should come forward, however, for immediate gains, community heritage safeguarding and community-based tourism initiatives need to be undertaken through the involvement of selected villages. The proposed methodology of pro-poor tourism is expected to develop a sense of ownership along with revitalization of crafts, and poverty alleviation through income generation.
The following are essential:
- Security
- Improved accommodation of selected village households
- Re-construction of kitchens and bathrooms for visitors
- Identification of intangible heritage sources: groups or individual singers/dancers, folk story tellers etc.
-Artisans who could be utilized for setting up artisans’ workshops at the site.
-Utilization of the police building at the Site for setting up artisans workshops
-Involvement of youth from the Cadet College for training local youth as guides
-Identification of areas of the Site for safeguarding by the community
-Arrangement for package tours from urban areas e.g. Karachi, Hyderabad and other parts of Pakistan.
Sindh Crafts
• Introduction
• Outcome
Introduction
Crafts in Pakistan are extremely diverse and are a potent expression of the skill and ingenuity of the artisans belonging to various regions of the country. A need for systematic cataloguing and mapping of crafts has been felt for a long time, even though efforts have been made by public and private sector for craft promotion. In order to carry out sustained promotion, rejuvenation and utilization in contemporary products, the first step is the cataloguing and mapping of the numerous craft skills that exist in the country.
A study on development potential of crafts by women in Pakistan published by UNIDO in the early 2000s confirmed that Sindh has been extremely rich in handicrafts pointing out that its “textiles are very famous especially block printing and tie-and-dye. It also enjoys a reputation for textiles, pottery, clay, carved furniture, leatherwork and carpets.” However, due to various drawbacks and non-existence of supportive environment, it is clear that there has been a decline in artisanship in the entire province.
In July 2006, Department of Culture, Government of Sindh, approached Heritage Foundation (HF) to collaborate in mapping non-architectural crafts of Sindh. Since 1980, HF has been engaged in the cataloguing and mapping of heritage assets of the country and has published several documents in the National Register of Historic Places of Pakistan series relating to Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
Due to the importance of the project, HF undertook the work particularly as it provided an opportunity to initiate a National Register of Crafts of Pakistan. An MOU was signed by Department of Culture and Tourism with HF in August 2006. The arrangement was envisaged as a partnership in order to bring about greater awareness regarding the existing and almost extinct crafts and lay the basis for their revival. For this purpose, HF developed a methodology which would yield as wide a range of existing crafts as possible. It has been our endeavour to cover all major crafts and to make the inventory as comprehensive as possible, however, because of the difficulty in accessing remote areas, 100% coverage could not be ensured.
After a workshop was conducted by HF, field visits by HF Craft Coordinator and Deputy Director, Social Welfare Department were undertaken to all the five districts in order to clarify and provide direction to the participants. Each participant was given a small honorarium to cover the cost of travel and photography. On the basis of the HF Crafts Inventory Form, work on collection of field data was undertaken.
Outcome
The field data received from various sites has been compiled and Inventory of Crafts of Sindh is being developed for the districts of Badin, Matiari-Hala, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Thatta.
Based on the experience gained from the work in the five districts of Sindh, an inventory of crafts of various towns of Karachi is also being undertaken.