Blouse Item Number: 2615/9 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Open-backed blouse with machine embroidered green bodice and pearlescent red and pink patterned breast piece. Three-quarter length sleeves are trimmed with a shiny silver ribbon and a thick band of coarser cross-hatched white and red fabric. The back has two sets of red ties at the neck and across the back. The inside of the blouse is lined with brown, beige, black and white patterned fabric.
History Of Use
Blouses of this type were worn by women of the Hindu Koli caste. Members of that caste assisted in the production and gathering of this clothing. The cloth for the clothing was purchased in Kodinar town, 7 km. to the east of Dhamlej. Blouses of this type were also worn by women of other castes. Koli women also wore distinctive jewellery, including small bracelets called bangli in Gujarati made of plastic or gold, silver ankle chains called chhdi, solid silver anklets called sakada, and large gold nose rings called kadi. Such blouses were also worn by women of other castes.
Iconographic Meaning
The type of clothing helps to communicate the caste of the wearer.
Narrative
Blouse was collected with the help of Hindu Koli people. This collection was gathered with the enthusiastic participation of villagers in Dhamlej, reflecting Derek Johnson’s rapport with them. They allowed him to take photographs of them demonstrating how the clothing is put on and worn. These photographs are available in the Museum of Anthropology collection documentation file for accession 2615.
Cultural Context
daily use
Item History
- Made by Lakmanbhai Chavada (Maker) in Dhamlej, Gujarat, India between 1998 and 1999
- Collected during January 1999
- Owned by Derek Johnson before February 25, 2004
- Received from Derek Johnson (Donor) on February 25, 2004
What
- Name
- Blouse
- Identification Number
- 2615/9
- Type of Item
- blouse
- Material
- metal, silk fibre ?, dye and synthetic fibre
- Overall
- height 38.5 cm, width 71.7 cm
Who
- Culture
- Gujarati
- Creator
- Lakmanbhai Chavada (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- Derek Johnson
- Received from
- Derek Johnson (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Dhamlej, Gujarat, India
When
- Creation Date
- between 1998 and 1999
- Collection Date
- during January 1999
- Ownership Date
- before February 25, 2004
- Acquisition Date
- on February 25, 2004
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 2615/0009