Tibetan dolls born out of a German mother’s need

Raghav Guleria

Dharamsala, April 27

Creating a series of high quality and child-friendly dolls in support of Tibet’s unique culture has been the primary inspiration for Dolls4Tibet.

The toy-making firm makes dolls inspired by the rich cultural tapestry of Tibet. The dolls are made by women —Tibetan and Indian — based in Dharamsala.

These dolls came into being as a necessity — the mother of all inventions. When Samdol Lhamo was just two years old, her German mother, Mona Bruchmann, and Tibetan father, Karma Sichoe, were searching for a doll that she could culturally identify with. After scouring the corners of the market, Bruchmann decided to take matters into her own hands and create the perfect doll for her daughter herself.

As the couple was developing the doll for their daughter, it dawned on them that such a doll would be ideal to be produced by women. They employed Tibetan refugee women, who were unskilled or otherwise marginalised, creating unique Tibetan handicrafts that reflected the rich culture of the area.

The much-loved doll resonated with the couple’s young daughter, who cherished and identified with the doll’s features and colourful costumes. A designer by profession, Bruchmann and her husband, a renowned thangka painter, were inspired to provide supportive training for vulnerable women of the Tibetan community. So, the journey began as they employed their first Tibetan trainee in the spring of 2007, then a second, gradually growing to the current workshop with 16 craftswomen.

Bruchmann trained the first few women herself. Talking to The Tribune, she reminisced the days bygone and said, “We created the five Tibetan nomad mini-dolls so that young children could identify with the Tibetan nomad life. Our project aims to empower artisans by training them in new skills and creating meaningful, income-generating and enjoyable work opportunities within a homely and supportive environment. Additionally, we seek to preserve Tibet’s endangered culture.”

Bruchmann said the firm’s aim was to create uniquely personalised dolls. To ensure this, they offer buyers the option to swap the eye, skin, hair and dress of their dolls with any other dolls from the same category. The training programme of the firm aims to encourage cross-cultural understanding and social integration — an important aspect of refugee life.

Filled with Himalayan sheep wool, Mona’s dolls symbolise the chords of togetherness, connecting people who have been residing in these hills for generations.

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