Between the Loom and the Ledger: An Analysis of Community Composition and the Transformation of Chaliya Participation in Handloom Weaving Cooperative Societies of Kannur, Kerala

The Chaliyas are the migrant weavers in Kerala. They have migrated from the neighboring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. With their fine cotton weaving skills, the Chaliyas contributed to a large extent to Kannur’s textile heritage and economic development. For the study, data have been collected from 35 actively functioning cooperative societies. The paper examines the institutional distribution of the Chaliyas and their representation in the present context of weaving transformation.

Chaliya, Kannur handloom, Weaving Practices, Labour transformation, Handloom weaving cooperative societies Kannur

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