Dungaria Kondh - Kapadaganda Shawl

Can you guess the names of the handlooms in this image?

That is me in the centre flanked by two gorgeous women.

Do you know-

My Silk Saree's name?
The names of the exquisite shawls by the graceful women standing to my left and right?

It was great to pose with these lovely enterprising Dongria-Kondh delegates.
They were draped in the beautiful Kapadaganda shawls.

Happy that the Geographical Indication (GI) application for these unique shawls was submitted after our suggestion and follow-up.


However, there some points of concern-

Fake Product Copies

These unique designs & patterns are being copied & sold by other non-tribal community.

Multiple Spellings/Names
Multiple spellings are being used to refer to these tribes and their products.

Is it-

• Dongria
• Dungria
• Dongariya
• Dungariya
• Dongaria
• Dungaria
• ...?

The most commonly-used spelling is the first one- "Dongria".
However, GI application has been filed using- "Dungaria".

Similarly, is it-

• Kapdaganda?
• Kapdagonda?
• Kapdagunda?
• Kapadaganda
• ---?

The full name of the GI application-

"Dungaria Kondh Embroidered Shawl (Kapadaganda of Rayagada District, Odisha)"

A simple search on Google will give a host of results for - Dongria and Kapdaganda.

Many articles have already been written about Dongria and Kapdaganda.

By mentioning any other name, we may lose out those results.

You may note that I have named the title of this blog post as - "Dungaria Kondh - Kapadaganda Shawl."

Search-results and correct information and right representation is much needed in this tech and digital age where hashtags rule.

Have been sharing & stressing that we must use a common/uniform spelling reflecting the local/traditional name and being true to the pronunciation to refer to a particular product.

That name should be used widely and popularly known by all.

This is much needed for BRANDING.

That is how products become brands.

We cannot simply coin a new name or use a relatively unknown name that is not used by everyone.

Doing so, we will have to lose precious time and energy in clarification that this name refers to the same product as the other well-known name!

Consumers search for products by using the popular name.

Why waste efforts or take chances of losing customers when it concerns the "invaluable treasures of incredible products"- it is the tagline of GIs of India.

More information regarding why we need to pay attention to spellings and correct representation in my previous post-

Odisha Geographical Indications and Spellings-

http://www.anitaexplorer.com/2020/04/odisha-geographical-indications-and.html

I can proudly claim with a large degree of certainty that apart from inspiring the filing of many GIs of Odisha, this writer has even informed and influenced even the names of products of some of the GI applications like-

TARAKASI

CHHENAPODA

Many people are using different spellings for even these and more local products viz for the above two- Tarkashi, Chenna Poda etc are the spellings used.

Owing to the information shared and awareness being continuously created, and even direct intelligence-sharing with stakeholders and GI experts, more of them are aware and are taking action after understanding these concerns.

In fact, even the name- "ODISHA RASAGOLA" was amended from the previous application filed that had double "l" in the spelling of Rasagola.

A lot of efforts and outreach has already been done and is still being done in this regard-

One of the blog posts- 

Rasagola Dibasa: Spelling Is RASAGOLA- 

http://www.anitaexplorer.com/2018/07/rasagoladibasa-spelling-is-rasagola.html

Now, over to the Odisha Handloom saree worn by me:

My Saree's name is Khandua.
It has the GI tag.
No, Khandua is NOT a "Tribal" product.
However, sad to find that it's now being sold by organizations that are supposed to sell Tribal products!

Plus, many wrongly refer to Khandua Saree as Sambalpuri Saree!

Please note that they are both different varieties of Odisha handloom Sarees.

Plus, both are types of Ikat- i.e. Bandha Kala of Odisha - in other words, tie-and-dye handloom textiles of Odisha.

Using Sambalpuri for Khandua is NOT okay.

High time "chalta-hai" (it will do) attitude is discarded.

More in this post-

Khandua or Sambalpuri? Sab Chalta Hai?

http://www.anitaexplorer.com/2023/04/khandua-or-sambalpuri-sab-chalta-hai.html

Got a chance to get myself clicked with these local representatives at KISS University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha thanks to the World Anthropology Congress (WAC) 2023.

Feel privileged to attend it and to present three papers related to Geographical Indications - GIs of Odisha, Bharata.
4 of my Abstracts were selected, but could present 3 as the date and time of 2 papers clashed.

This image was clicked on Day-4 of the Conference when I got the chance to present 2 papers at KISS University.
Thanks to Prof Binaya Bhusan Jena for kind reference and invitation. Would have never learned or joined otherwise.
Thanks to Prof Debendra Biswal for all inputs & support.

Thanks to Madam Dr. Sujata Acharya for all the enthusiasm. Always great to connect.
Thanks to organizing team of WAC 2023🙏

Had you seen these Kapadaganda shawls earlier? Heard of Dongria tribe before?

Please share in the comments below.