In Pema Gatshel’s Dungmin gewog, lies one of the most remote chiwog, Bangyul. The ancestors of Bangyul worked in cotton fields and weaved their clothes. In recent years, only the Bangyul Kapa Detshen kept the tradition going but they too closed shop when the Covid pandemic came along. But now, they are back in business.
Processing cotton yarn manually is not easy, but that is a thing of the past. The new machines are the Bangyul Kapa Detshen’s new manpower and it is what motivated the members to come back to work.
“After receiving this machine, we can finish a year’s work of ginning and carding in a day,” said Tashi Choden, the Chairperson of the group.
“There is a difference while spinning yarn from carded cotton with a machine and doing it manually. It is soft and easy with the carding machine,” said Shanki, a member of the group.
“We can spin yarn in equal sizes when carding and ginning are done with the machine. So, when we weave it looks beautiful,” said Wangmo, another member.
The new machines gave the Bangyul Kapa Detshen hope. A hope to increase production and earn some more.
“Due to Covid, we could not cultivate cotton for a few years and could not make the products. This year, we want to start cultivation again. And we have also recruited additional members now. After receiving the machines, we can do other farming works at the same time,” added the Chairperson.
The group sells their yarn primarily in Thimphu. They also take orders to make finished products.
There are five members at the moment and seven more will be joining the group soon. The Tarayana Foundation formed the group to promote indigenous products and empower women in the village in 2019.
The group received two ginning machines from the Agency for Promotion of Indigenous Crafts and one carding machine from the Tarayana Foundation in 2021.
