Traditional Weaving and Handloom Practices as a Tourism Development Tool: A study of Umden-Diwon Village, Ri Bhoi District, Meghalaya
Keywords:
Traditional weaving, Handloom Practices, Integration, Tourism Development, Community Empowerment
Abstract
In Meghalaya, 80 % of the population lives in rural areas, and many of the residents are involved in various economic activities, which is essential to improve their quality of life. Apart from agricultural activities, the handloom sectors are considered important by many rural communities. The purpose of the study is to assess the current scenario of the traditional handloom practices and to examine the perception of local communities of Umden-Diwon Village on integrating traditional handloom practices as a tourism development tool. The study adopted a mixed-method approach, using a structured questionnaire and interviews. The result of the study reveals that the majority of the weavers' communities see tourism as a tool for development, in the context of socioeconomic growth, cultural preservation and community empowerment. Integration of the traditional handloom practices with the growth of touristic activities within the local community is also very challenging. Therefore, the study recommended that it is very important in creating policies that support sustainable tourism development, long-term cultural heritage, preservation and community empowerment in the region.
References
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Alcalá‐Ordóñez, A., Brida, J. G., Cárdenas‐García, P. J., & Segarra, V. (2023). Tourism as an instrument of economic growth: Empirical exploration at the regional level in Spain. Natural Resources Forum. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12386
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Chi, C. G. Q., Cai, R., & Li, Y. (2017). Factors influencing residents’ subjective well-being at World Heritage Sites. Tourism Management, 63, 209–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.06.019
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Johnson, P. A. (2010). Realizing Rural Community-Based Tourism Development: Prospects for Social Economy Enterprises. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 5(1), 150–162. https://journals.brandonu.ca/jrcd/article/download/349/81
Joo, D., Cho, H., & Woosnam, K. M. (2019). Exploring tourists’ perceptions of tourism impacts. Tourism Management Perspectives, 31, 231–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.05.008
Khazaei, A., Elliot, S., & Joppe, M. (2015). An application of stakeholder theory to advance community participation in tourism planning: the case for engaging immigrants as fringe stakeholders. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(7), 1049–1062. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2015.1042481
Mbaiwa, J. E. (2011). Changes on traditional livelihood activities and lifestyles caused by tourism development in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Tourism Management, 32, 1050–1060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.09.002
Meynell, A. L. (2021). A Sustainable Model: Handloom and Community in Meghalaya, Northeast India. In Sustainable textiles (pp. 165–196). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5967-6_8
MEYNELL, A. L. (2022). Blurred Boundaries: Exploring Textile Heritage of the Khasi Bhoi, Karbi and Khat-ar Lyngdoh of the Ri Bhoi District in Meghalaya, Northeast India. The Highlander, 2, 1-27. Retrieved from https://journals.highlandinstitute.org/index.php/thehighlander/article/view/16/8
Mishra, A., Das, P., & Sangma, W. S. N. (2021). Handlooms Micro-enterprises for Empowerment of Women in Meghalaya. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 10(01), 2493–2500. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1001.289
Mondoñedo, M. E. S. S. (2021). Stakeholder theory and the sustaninable recovery of the tourism sector. Atlántida Revista Canaria De Ciencias Sociales, 12, 31–56. https://doi.org/10.25145/j.atlantid.2021.12.03
Noonan, D. S., & Rizzo, I. (2017). Economics of cultural tourism: issues and perspectives. Journal of Cultural Economics, 41(2), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-017-9300-6
Parida, R. C., & Tada, B. (2018). The Contribution of Handloom and Handicraft Industries for Rural Economic Growth: Study with Reference Sagalee Sub-Division of Papum Pare District, Arunachal Pradesh. International Journal of Management Studies, 5(2(3)), 57. https://doi.org/10.18843/ijms/v5i2(3)/06
Perkins, D.D., & Zimmerman, M.A. (1995). Empowerment Theory, Research, and Application. Retrieved from https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/117200/ajcpbf02506982.pdf?sequence=1
Pradhan, S., & Khandual, A. (2020). Community, Local Practices and Cultural Sustainability: A Case Study of Sambalpuri Ikat Handloom. In Sustainable textiles (pp. 121–139). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38532-3_7
Pribadi, I. a. P., & Nastiti, D. (2023). The Stakeholders’ Collaborative Toward the Community Empowerment Based on Village Tourism in the Melung Village. JUSS (Jurnal Sosial Soedirman), 6(1), 107. https://doi.org/10.20884/juss.v6i1.8170
Rachmawati, E., & Fountain, J. (2020). ROLE OF EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. International Journal of Applied Sciences in Tourism and Events, 4(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.31940/ijaste.v4i1.1640
Rahmawati, R., Oktora, K., Ratnasari, S. L., Ramadania, R., & Darma, D. C. (2021). IS IT TRUE THAT LOMBOK DESERVES TO BE A HALAL TOURIST DESTINATION IN THE WORLD? A PERCEPTION OF DOMESTIC TOURISTS. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 34(1), 94–101. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.34113-624
Ray, N. (2014). Rural Tourism Issues And Challenges: A Case From Kamarpukur, India. International Journal of Business Quantitative Economics and Applied Management Research, 1(4), 90-106. Retrieved from https://ijbemr.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Rural-Tourism-Issues-And-Challenges-A-Case-From-Kamarpukur-India.pdf
Richards, G. (2005). TEXTILE TOURISTS IN THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY: NEW MARKETS FOR DISADVANTAGED AREAS? Tourism Review International, 8(4), 323–338. https://doi.org/10.3727/154427205774791519
Rout, H. B., Mishra, P. K., & Pradhan, B. B. (2017). Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism in India: An Empirical analysis. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 7(4), 762. https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v7.4(16).22
Roy Maulik, S. (2021). Handloom—The Challenges and Opportunities. In: Gardetti, M.Á., Muthu, S.S. (eds) Handloom Sustainability and Culture. Sustainable Textiles: Production, Processing, Manufacturing & Chemistry. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5665-1_5
Saad, S. (2021). Culture and Handicraft Tourism in India: Tourism supporting sustainable development goals. Retrieved from https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/c96b6e10-866c-4381-bc08-fb0f29012b4d/content
Sangchumnong, A., & Kozak, M. (2017). Sustainable cultural heritage tourism at Ban Wangka Village, Thailand. Anatolia, 29(2), 183–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2017.1414435
Shafieisabet, N., & Haratifard, S. (2020). The empowerment of local tourism stakeholders and their perceived environmental effects for participation in sustainable development of tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 45, 486–498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.10.007
Sharma, H., Karmakar, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2021). The Possibility of Sustainable Development of Sualkuchi (The Biggest Silk Village of Assam) Handloom Sector Through Promotion of Rural Tourism. In Design science and innovation (pp. 213–221). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2229-8_23
Shukla, P. S., & Shamurailatpam, S. D. (2024). Sustainable Tourism in India: an Integrative approach for economic development and poverty alleviation. In Emerald Publishing Limited eBooks (pp. 121–141). https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-015-020241011
Soundarapandian, M. (2002). Growth and Prospects of Handloom Sector in India. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Mumbai. Retrieved from https://www.nabard.org/demo/auth/writereaddata/File/OC%2022.pdf
Textile Value Chain. (2020) Types of Handloom. Retrieved from https://textilevaluechain.in/in-depth-analysis/articles/basics-of-textiles/types-of-hand-loom
Textiles Department. (2024). The Official Web Portal, Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved from https://meghalaya.gov.in/dept/41
Zadel, Z., & Bogdan, S. (2013). Economic impact of cultural tourism. UTMS Journal of Economics, 4(3), 355–366. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/105319/1/775077062.pdf
Adebayo, A. D., & Butcher, J. (2022). Community Empowerment in Nigeria’s Tourism Industry: An Analysis of Stakeholders’ Perceptions. Tourism Planning & Development, 20(4), 583–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2022.2127865
Ahmed, Z., Hussain, A. H. M. B., Alam, R., & Singha, A. K. (2021). Perils and prospects of Manipuri handloom industries in Bangladesh: An ethnic community development perspective. GeoJournal, 87(3), 2125–2140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-020-10365-3
Alcalá‐Ordóñez, A., Brida, J. G., Cárdenas‐García, P. J., & Segarra, V. (2023). Tourism as an instrument of economic growth: Empirical exploration at the regional level in Spain. Natural Resources Forum. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12386
Ara, E., Tucker, H., & Coetzee, W. J. (2022). Handicrafts-enacted: Emplacing non-human agency in ethnic tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 50, 345–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.01.008
Bareh, H. (1991). The art history of Meghalaya. South Asia Books. Retrieved from https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Art_History_of_Meghalaya/HckrAAAAMAAJ?hl=en
Baruah, S., B. (2016). Umden eri cluster, Meghalaya. Retrieved from https://sriparna.in/d-umden-eri-cluster-meghalaya/
Chi, C. G. Q., Cai, R., & Li, Y. (2017). Factors influencing residents’ subjective well-being at World Heritage Sites. Tourism Management, 63, 209–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.06.019
Choudhury, K., Dutta, P., & Patgiri, S. (2018). Rural tourism of North East India: Prospects and Challenges. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 23(2), 69-74. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331744708_Rural_Tourism_of_North_East_India_Prospects_and_Challenges#:~:text=Northeast%20India%20witnesses%20a%20good,not%20yet%20got%20it%20momentum
Cohen, J. H. (2001). Textile, tourism and community development. Annals of Tourism Research, 28(2), 378–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0160-7383(00)00060-8
Craig, G., & Mayo, M. (1995). Community Empowerment. Zed Books. http://books.google.ie/books?id=oRIL6kHLVgoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Empowerment+and+community+planning&hl=&cd=2&source=gbs_api
Deery, M., Jago, L., & Fredline, L. (2012). Rethinking social impacts of tourism research: A new research agenda. Tourism Management, 33(1), 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.01.026
Devi, C. V. (2014). Handlooms for Livelihood in North-Eastern Region : Problems and Prospects. 32(4), 427–438. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292846807_Handlooms_for_livelihood_in_north-eastern_region_Problems_and_prospects
Diengdoh, D.R. (2017). A study of women workers in eri silk handloom industry in ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya. http://hdl.handle.net/10603/250798
Eki, A. K. T., Ngadilah, C., & Eky, Y. E. (2024). Empowerment Poor Communities with the Strengths - Perspective in Empowerment Theory. Eduvest - Journal of Universal Studies, 4(2), 650–657. https://doi.org/10.59188/eduvest.v4i2.1066
Esichaikul, R., & Chansawang, R. (2022). Community participation in heritage tourism management of Sukhothai historical park. International Journal of Tourism Cities, 8(4), 897–911. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijtc-03-2021-0035
Faulkenberry, L., Coggeshall, J., Backman, K., & Backman, S. (2000). A Culture of Servitude: The Impact of Tourism and Development on South Carolina’s Coast. Human Organization, 59(1), 86–95. https://doi.org/10.17730/humo.59.1.353730461t724j02
Hani, U., & Barua, U. (2015). Craft Culture & Tourism: Scopes of improvement and promotion. Bandung Creative Movement (BCM), 2(1). Retrieved from https://jitl.web.id/index.php/bcm/article/view/5800
Johnson, P. A. (2010). Realizing Rural Community-Based Tourism Development: Prospects for Social Economy Enterprises. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 5(1), 150–162. https://journals.brandonu.ca/jrcd/article/download/349/81
Joo, D., Cho, H., & Woosnam, K. M. (2019). Exploring tourists’ perceptions of tourism impacts. Tourism Management Perspectives, 31, 231–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.05.008
Khazaei, A., Elliot, S., & Joppe, M. (2015). An application of stakeholder theory to advance community participation in tourism planning: the case for engaging immigrants as fringe stakeholders. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(7), 1049–1062. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2015.1042481
Mbaiwa, J. E. (2011). Changes on traditional livelihood activities and lifestyles caused by tourism development in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Tourism Management, 32, 1050–1060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.09.002
Meynell, A. L. (2021). A Sustainable Model: Handloom and Community in Meghalaya, Northeast India. In Sustainable textiles (pp. 165–196). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5967-6_8
MEYNELL, A. L. (2022). Blurred Boundaries: Exploring Textile Heritage of the Khasi Bhoi, Karbi and Khat-ar Lyngdoh of the Ri Bhoi District in Meghalaya, Northeast India. The Highlander, 2, 1-27. Retrieved from https://journals.highlandinstitute.org/index.php/thehighlander/article/view/16/8
Mishra, A., Das, P., & Sangma, W. S. N. (2021). Handlooms Micro-enterprises for Empowerment of Women in Meghalaya. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 10(01), 2493–2500. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1001.289
Mondoñedo, M. E. S. S. (2021). Stakeholder theory and the sustaninable recovery of the tourism sector. Atlántida Revista Canaria De Ciencias Sociales, 12, 31–56. https://doi.org/10.25145/j.atlantid.2021.12.03
Noonan, D. S., & Rizzo, I. (2017). Economics of cultural tourism: issues and perspectives. Journal of Cultural Economics, 41(2), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-017-9300-6
Parida, R. C., & Tada, B. (2018). The Contribution of Handloom and Handicraft Industries for Rural Economic Growth: Study with Reference Sagalee Sub-Division of Papum Pare District, Arunachal Pradesh. International Journal of Management Studies, 5(2(3)), 57. https://doi.org/10.18843/ijms/v5i2(3)/06
Perkins, D.D., & Zimmerman, M.A. (1995). Empowerment Theory, Research, and Application. Retrieved from https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/117200/ajcpbf02506982.pdf?sequence=1
Pradhan, S., & Khandual, A. (2020). Community, Local Practices and Cultural Sustainability: A Case Study of Sambalpuri Ikat Handloom. In Sustainable textiles (pp. 121–139). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38532-3_7
Pribadi, I. a. P., & Nastiti, D. (2023). The Stakeholders’ Collaborative Toward the Community Empowerment Based on Village Tourism in the Melung Village. JUSS (Jurnal Sosial Soedirman), 6(1), 107. https://doi.org/10.20884/juss.v6i1.8170
Rachmawati, E., & Fountain, J. (2020). ROLE OF EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. International Journal of Applied Sciences in Tourism and Events, 4(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.31940/ijaste.v4i1.1640
Rahmawati, R., Oktora, K., Ratnasari, S. L., Ramadania, R., & Darma, D. C. (2021). IS IT TRUE THAT LOMBOK DESERVES TO BE A HALAL TOURIST DESTINATION IN THE WORLD? A PERCEPTION OF DOMESTIC TOURISTS. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 34(1), 94–101. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.34113-624
Ray, N. (2014). Rural Tourism Issues And Challenges: A Case From Kamarpukur, India. International Journal of Business Quantitative Economics and Applied Management Research, 1(4), 90-106. Retrieved from https://ijbemr.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Rural-Tourism-Issues-And-Challenges-A-Case-From-Kamarpukur-India.pdf
Richards, G. (2005). TEXTILE TOURISTS IN THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY: NEW MARKETS FOR DISADVANTAGED AREAS? Tourism Review International, 8(4), 323–338. https://doi.org/10.3727/154427205774791519
Rout, H. B., Mishra, P. K., & Pradhan, B. B. (2017). Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism in India: An Empirical analysis. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 7(4), 762. https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v7.4(16).22
Roy Maulik, S. (2021). Handloom—The Challenges and Opportunities. In: Gardetti, M.Á., Muthu, S.S. (eds) Handloom Sustainability and Culture. Sustainable Textiles: Production, Processing, Manufacturing & Chemistry. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5665-1_5
Saad, S. (2021). Culture and Handicraft Tourism in India: Tourism supporting sustainable development goals. Retrieved from https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/c96b6e10-866c-4381-bc08-fb0f29012b4d/content
Sangchumnong, A., & Kozak, M. (2017). Sustainable cultural heritage tourism at Ban Wangka Village, Thailand. Anatolia, 29(2), 183–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2017.1414435
Shafieisabet, N., & Haratifard, S. (2020). The empowerment of local tourism stakeholders and their perceived environmental effects for participation in sustainable development of tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 45, 486–498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.10.007
Sharma, H., Karmakar, S., & Chakrabarti, D. (2021). The Possibility of Sustainable Development of Sualkuchi (The Biggest Silk Village of Assam) Handloom Sector Through Promotion of Rural Tourism. In Design science and innovation (pp. 213–221). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2229-8_23
Shukla, P. S., & Shamurailatpam, S. D. (2024). Sustainable Tourism in India: an Integrative approach for economic development and poverty alleviation. In Emerald Publishing Limited eBooks (pp. 121–141). https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-015-020241011
Soundarapandian, M. (2002). Growth and Prospects of Handloom Sector in India. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Mumbai. Retrieved from https://www.nabard.org/demo/auth/writereaddata/File/OC%2022.pdf
Textile Value Chain. (2020) Types of Handloom. Retrieved from https://textilevaluechain.in/in-depth-analysis/articles/basics-of-textiles/types-of-hand-loom
Textiles Department. (2024). The Official Web Portal, Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved from https://meghalaya.gov.in/dept/41
Zadel, Z., & Bogdan, S. (2013). Economic impact of cultural tourism. UTMS Journal of Economics, 4(3), 355–366. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/105319/1/775077062.pdf
