Sisnu comes closer to becoming fabric in Dzongu

GANGTOK, 19 May: A fortnight-long training on the locally available natural fibre – the Giant Himalayan Nettle (Girardinia Diversifolia) - was held by the Ecotourism & Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) in collaboration with Mutanchi Lom Al Shezum (MLAS) at Lingdong Gram Panchayat House from the 25 April to 09 May, an ECOSS press release informs.
The training focussed on traditional methods of extraction, processing, spinning and knitting of the unique fibre of this plant which is locally known as Koju Sherong (Lepcha) or Bhangrey Sisnu (Nepali) or Allo (Kulung Rai). The objective of this training was to impart a certain level of skill among the participants to enable them to independently produce quality nettle yarn from locally available plants, the release explains.
This, the two NGOs which collaborated for the training believe, can then be used for making high value organic hand knitted and woven nettle fibre products in village homes generating additional livelihoods and supplementing household incomes.

ECOSS is executing a NABARD-funded pilot project in the Dzongu to explore the economic potential of the nettle plant as an alternate cash crop to the disease affected large cardamom.
Giant Himalayan Nettle grows wild in the forests of Dzongu and in most parts of the state. It has been utilised to successfully establish a handmade export-oriented cottage industry of women producer groups in the Sankhuwasabha district of Eastern Nepal that is dominated by the Kulung Rai community.
In Sikkim, it has similar ethnic roots amongst the Lepcha community who earlier used it to make cloth and for many articles of daily use as well as in religious ceremonies and traditional medicine, ECOSS informs.
This was the second training conducted by ECOSS on the topic, the first was a 3-day affair held in October 2010 when ECOSS had arranged a trainer from Sankhuwasabha through the Himalayan Natural Fibre Federation of Nepal to introduce the basic steps for collection, processing, extraction and spinning of nettle yarn.
The first training was found to be too short to effectively impart the skills, hence the second training was organised through the same organisation, it is informed.
Around 32 youth and some elders from different villages in Dzongu attended the training, including several trainees and instructors from the local training centre of the Department of Handlooms and Handicrafts and a women’s Self Help Group from Noom.
Chandri Kumari Kulung from Sankhuwasabha was present as the Master Trainer and taught the trainees the traditional method of nettle fibre extraction by boiling the stripped bark with wood ash and then beating the boiled mass with a wooden mallet and washing in a stream. The fibres cleaned of plant lignin are then rubbed with locally available white clay and dried in the sun. The dried fibre is dusted, loosened and yarn is then spun using a small wooden drop spindle. The prepared yarn is then used for knitting into various items like shawls, stoles, scarves, loofahs etc. It can also be used for weaving into cloth in various types of looms which can include blending with other natural fibres like silk, wool etc.
The training covered the basic methods using local material till quality fibre and yarn was produced. Standard knitting methods and patterns were also taught till sufficient skills were gained. The training established that local plant material and local skills were good enough for establishing a handmade nettle cottage industry. Samples of various products like stoles, bags, blended coat pieces and basic woven yarn brought from Nepal were displayed.
The concluding day of the training had the Power Minister, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, who is also the area MLA, present as chief guest, accompanied by L Moorthy, AGM NABARD, Choden Lepcha, chairman Sikkim Milk Union North District, Norden Lepcha, Dy Director DHH, Mika Lepcha president MLAS, RP Gurung CEO ECOSS, members of various Panchayats, Zillas and JFMCs.
The ECOSS CEO briefed the audience on the genesis and objectives of the pilot project and highlighted the potential of nettle for the district and State. The next steps will be to upscale the project with the help of the State Government and other agencies and set up a cooperative network of self help group clusters to begin field cultivation to expand raw material base (for which experimental nurseries had been already started), and to establish a central processing and training centre for making quality yarn and for training in handmade woven and knitted products.
He also disclosed that collaborative technology transfer through the Uttarakhand Bamboo & Fibre Development Board was also envisaged as they were engaged in extensive research on nettle fibre.  The Master Trainer expressed satisfaction with the level of skills acquired by the trainees and remarked that some of them had done extremely well and were capable of becoming trainers themselves.