Tonga Knowledge Archive
by partner for the Gwembe Valley Basket Weavers
The story
The Tonga basket weavers of the Gwembe Valley carry their entire design language in memory — the meaning of each coil, the plants that give each colour, the songs sung while weaving. The eldest weavers are in their eighties. This campaign records that knowledge on video, in the Tonga language, and returns every recording, photograph and design to the community as their own copyright — never ours.
Where the money goes
- Video recording and Tonga-language interviews₹1,60,000
- Editing, subtitling and community archive₹1,40,000
- Weaver honoraria for their time and knowledge₹80,000
- Community-owned copyright registration₹20,000
Total published budget₹4,00,000
Funding model
Flexible funding
The community keeps whatever is raised by the deadline and puts it to work, even if the full goal isn’t reached.
The Thread of Days
Funds release against evidence at each milestone — the making of this project, stitched day by day.
Programme launched and community consent recorded
Tranche released · Tranche ₹1,20,000
First cohort mid-point review
Evidence under review · Tranche ₹1,60,000
Completion and community handover
Not yet started · Tranche ₹1,20,000
Field reports
4 September 2026
Halfway, and finding our rhythm
The mid-point review is in. Attendance has held strong, the first pieces are finished, and the community has asked to extend one of the sessions. We have submitted photographs and a short film to the Sanchaari review team so the next tranche can be released against evidence.
5 August 2026
We have begun
The first workshops are underway. This week the community gathered to record consent, meet the master practitioners, and set out the season ahead. Thank you to every early supporter — your contribution is already at work on the ground.
Supporter wall
Ananya Rao
₹15,000
“For the next generation of weavers.”
Vikram Menon
₹80,000
Meera Iyer
₹1,50,000
“Thank you for keeping this alive.”
Anonymous supporter
₹15,000
Rohan Desai
₹80,000
Questions
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Support Tonga Knowledge Archive
Choose a tier or your own amount. You’ll receive a printable acknowledgement, and this campaign’s progress updates the moment your contribution clears.
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