Traditional knowledge and IP

1. Traditional knowledge and IP Group 5 Anjana Barua D.N.Jana Amir Ullah Khan Ranjit Kumar R.Kalpana Sastry Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

2. Indigenous knowledge • History shows that skills and knowledge base of societies encompasses all fields • Patronage of art/culture in ancient times • India with a rich heritage • Has been a repository of knowledge wealth • Now how do we preserve and gain competitive advantage? Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

3. Preserve and gain competitive advantage Issues in protection • Individual Vs Community rights • Time bound monopolies • Prime goal of IPR – public domain • Historical wrongs The tribe that dances never dies Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

4. The players in the game • Concerned individuals • Traditional societies • Fashion designers, entertainers, drug firms, bio tech companies • Sociologists, Anthropologists, Historians • Future generations Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

5. What do we have • we have, on the one hand, traditional innovation systems with a definite set of values and, more importantly, societal roles promoting that innovation • we have a bureaucracy that makes a rule and a form out of everything • we have corporate interests Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

6. Case Study- • Kalamkari- • the technique of painting cloth with a pointed bamboo kalam or pen, • Kalamkari is almost an industry in Andhra Pradesh., • However, most of the Kalamkari work one sees today is a mix of printed and pen work • and is generally aimed at the home furnishing market. Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

7. Art since 16th century • Ethnic, colorful and eye catching Kalamkaris play an important part in folk life and rituals. • This art, which has its origin in Andhra Pradesh, has been passed on from father to son down the generations. • Kalamkari works represent Hindu mythology and its symbolism or Mughal scenes. • Appreciated in Europe since 16th century, these are used as wall hangings Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

8. Srikalahasti school • Kalamkaris are used in clothes, cushion covers, bedspreads, etc.  • Hand painted cloths of Sri Kalahasti, Andhra Pradesh, works of art drawn entirely by hand, were originally created predominantly for the temples as narrative murals.These murals tell the stories of the great Hindu epics in picture form Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

9. Masulipatnam school • Masulipatnam designs are Iranian in character with intricate and delicate forms. The old traditional block prints were largely used with Persian motifs like trees, creepers, flowers and leaf designs. Later came the Dutch influence when there was an increase in demand from Europe. This style of Kalamkari was mainly done on bed covers, curtains and also garments, as it was a popular demand from the west. In the nineteenth century, block prints reached its peak and even today it is largely produced for Indians and foreigners Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

10. Masalipatnam school The Masalipatnam kalamkari uses wood blocks to print designs. However  the use of vegetable dyes and mordants make it still a time consuming process  . Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

11. Process • The process involves treating of cotton fabric with buffalo dung. Then myrobalan,a tanin containing pod is pounded and soaked to produce a liquid This is combined with milk and used to soak the fabric. • The myrobalan acts as a mordant binding the dye to the cloth and the milk keeps the drawn line from running. The initial drawing is done with a rust iron solution, created by soaking rusty metal with molassas, water, and bran for 14 days. • After drying for one day, the cloth is boiled with madder, vegetable dye. The red only penetrated the areas treated with alum. Many more processes are used for the remaining colours.  Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

12. IPR portfolio? • GI? • Designs • Process patent? • Product patent on wide use of dyes as herbals and other value additions • Protection of motifs • Trademarks Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

13. People speak • The knowledge people possess regarding vegetable dyes was the individual property of the artisan group. We should give them back that knowledge." says L. Kannan of PPST. • The wheel has turned full circle and people are going back to vegetable dyes. Since there is a danger of industrial houses overshadowing the artisan leading to his marginalisation, one's work should be oriented towards bringing him back into the picture. "We need to tread cautiously, for attempts to encourage the craft could be counter-productive. Several corporate companies are trying to make powder extracts to make the process easy. It will have an adverse impact on our ecology if certain dyes are produced in bulk as roots, barks and flowers have various uses in medicine and other fields." Kanan, Local artisan from Srikalahasti,The Hindu Frontier magazine,June1999 Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

14. Solution from artisans • The ideal solution is for promotion to be linked in a sustainable way with the community of artisans and ecology. Smaller scales of production using a wide variety of natural resources would be the answer, says Kannan. Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

15. What do we do? • Building awareness • Databases for archival value for libraries/research • Teaching ‘cultural knowledge’ in universities • Using virtual net • Lease enabling organizations to overcome over exploitations Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A

16. Sustainable answers • Conservation techniques for resources • Policy for collection-BDA etc.,. • Train locals in sustainable use • Value addition • IPR policy • Benefit sharing-community,cooperatives,state • Respecting the ethical considerations • Quality consciousness,rel. sentiments,generation art • Self Practicing ethics and value in true sense Program on HIPSCA,IIM-A