Threads of a cultureSecaucus resident featured in NJN folk art

Tag : crocheting threads
Unlike other styles of embroidery, where the thread and designappear on both sides of the fabric, Kutchi embroidery is primarilydone on the front side of the fabric.

"You don't take the needle and thread up and down through thefabric, but rather across the fabric. That's why it can be donefaster," Thakkar explained. Thakkar, a married mother who runs aNew York City-based jewelry company with her husband, said teachingother girls and women how to do Kutchi embroidery is a priority forher.

"It's sort of not being taught in the homes anymore, so I reallywant to teach others to do this so it doesn't get lost," shestated.

Thakkar has not yet taught the craft to her own daughter, whoattends second grade at the Huber Street School. But she plans todo so in the future.

"Right now, she's too little and I don't yet trust her with aneedle, but I will teach her when she's older because right now,very few women are passing this skill on to their daughters,"Thakkar remarked. "In India today, all the younger girls are moreinto education. So very few are learning embroidery, knitting, orcrocheting. And even in my native Gujarati, the girls today do notknow how to do the embroidery style that the area is known for."

Ironically Thakkar said it is Indian American girls who are moreinterested in learning about Kutchi embroidery, perhaps because ithelps them maintain a link to their native culture. Meanwhile,girls in India are attracted to the Western clothing styles ofAmerican teens, and consider old-fashioned clothes unfashionable.

"Since there is more of an interest in it here, I hope to teachKutchi embroidery to girls in America," said Thakkar, who has livedin Secaucus since 2003 and has been in the U.S. for 12 years.


Culture in Context


"One of the reasons I love folk arts and working with folks life somuch is because I love stories. I love the stories of people'slives. And folk art objects are also stories," said Rita Moonsammy,the curator of the state exhibit. "They're stories of a individual,of a community. We're helping unfold stories so that people canunderstand [what's in the art] and see the person behind it and seethe community and the history."

Thakkar came to the New Jersey Museum's attention after she appliedfor a state grant to teach Kutchi embroidery.

Although she did not receive the grant, Moonsammy and othersinvolved in the program were impressed with her work and reachedout to her.

"Perhaps people will see the program and become more interested inKutchi embroidery, not just in seeing it," Takkar reflects, "butalso in learning how to do it themselves."


"Culture in Context: A Tapestry of Expression" can be seen Friday, June 27 at 8:30 p.m. and again on July 2 at11:30 p.m. on New Jersey Network.