BIG Big | Stitched Dyeing Tutor
Veronica, Ah Big, known to the village aunties as 'Big Big Tutor', is a freelancer who has been working part-time as an indigo and natural dyeing tutor since 2017. Her secondary school was near the village of Pokfulam, and as she passed through the village every day, the place was so mysterious that she was afraid to enter. But in 2013, when she and her friends wanted to visit Bethanie but could not get in, they decided to venture into the mysterious Pokfulam Village. The village was hosting the Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Arts Biennale, and the villagers were setting up for Mr Shui Wo-tin's photography exhibition, so they found out that they could join the village tours in the future and get to know Pokfulam Village better. From then on, she organised several tours and was later invited to become a volunteer tutor at the Village Aunties' Studio, leaving a legacy of her favourite craft in the village.
Why did you learn natural dyeing?
Before I was formally introduced to natural dyeing, whenever I saw natural dyed fabrics from ethnic minorities in China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and India, I had many questions. How are the patterns made? Are they all printed? Why are some of them indigo and some dyed? It wasn't until September 2015, when I had the opportunity to take a course on Japanese shibori dyeing in Hong Kong, that I really began to understand the origins of natural dyeing, the principles and methods of production. As I learned, I realised the power of immersion.
What has inspired you about natural dyeing?
Apart from learning about the origins of natural dyeing, the production method and the different techniques of tie-dyeing, you also learn to appreciate the relationship between the earth and man. Natural dyes come from the earth's resources. Every flower, grass, tree, sand, stone, even insects and animals are natural. Human beings use their wisdom to take from the earth, and they should also use their wisdom to give back to the earth, to cherish and protect the seemingly unlimited, but not unlimited, resources of the earth.
Furthermore, how to choose between natural and synthetic dyes is a perennial question, and there is never a single answer, nor is there a simple right or wrong answer. Throughout my studies and practice I have used books and information on the internet to gain a rough understanding of the role of natural and synthetic dyes in the present day, both individually and in combination. I have also gained a slight understanding of the rise and fall of natural dyes in different places at different times, as well as the impact and changes that synthetic dyes have brought to the dyeing industry.
In class, I would explain to the students that the purpose of teaching natural dyeing is not to create a competition between natural and synthetic dyes. Rather, I hope that through natural dyeing they will learn more about the relationship between nature and man, reflect on their own lifestyles and consumption patterns, especially from a consumer perspective, step out of the mainstream and realise that we do have choices. This is the journey I have been on in my quest to understand natural dyeing. As for the pros and cons of natural and synthetic dyes, different sectors of the fabric dyeing industry today will have their own needs.
How did you meet the village aunties? an what part of the training do you find most impressive?
In September 2015, when I started learning Japanese shibori dyeing, I also studied bamboo art with Master Ng Kong Kin to make miniature fire dragons. Later I also noticed that Alice was studying natural dyeing. It was only in 2018 that Alice shared her ideas and the direction of the Village Aunties' Studio with me and asked me if I would be interested in joining the volunteers to teach the Village Aunties the techniques of stitched and tie-dyeing. So I was lucky enough to get involved with the Village Aunties.
Between 2018 and 2021, I met with the Village Aunties several times, and due to the outbreak of the epidemic, the classes were cancelled and they learned through a mobile group instead. However, no matter how we interacted, the village aunties were always enthusiastic about learning and the experience of teaching them was both enjoyable and harmonious. As well as the basics of embroidery, dyeing and knotting, we also learnt techniques for making different patterns together.
The most impressive class was Katano Shibori in 2021. The village aunties had set up the workshop in such a way that they were looking forward to the class, and had prepared pork bone congee and fried bean curd rolls for everyone's lunch, as well as Chinese assorted cakes for refreshments, which I still enjoy to this day for the added touch of humanity. That day we started by making the tools to make Katano Shibori and understanding the steps by looking at the diagrams. It was an experience from start to finish. The six-hour class was tiring and time-consuming, but everyone was so engaged that they went home and continued working even before they were finished, not worrying about difficulties or mistakes. Regardless of the outcome, I am grateful for every opportunity to teach the village aunties and for every chance to learn and improve.
What is the experience of making art and teaching in Pokfulam Village?
Pokfulam Village is one of the last remaining settlements on Hong Kong Island and there are many hidden lanes in the village that have not had a name for over 200 years, but in 2013 the Community Arts Biennale invited young people and children in the village to create names for the lanes, using clay to make street signs in the shape of a Pokfulam water duck. The names of the roads are all related to the geography of the village or the lives of the villagers, and there are stories behind them. Every time I found a road sign, I took a photo to record it and wondered if my artwork could have such a soul.
I am not a villager, but I still hope that this unique place will be noticed by society and preserved forever. Meeting the Village Aunties and sharing what I have learnt about tie-dye and natural dyeing has given me an added sense of mission in preparing the teaching materials, and I would like to do my part in preserving traditional culture. The members of the Village Aunties' Studio have their own special skills and insights, much more experienced than I, with my limited knowledge of tie-dye techniques, but not embroidery. Their humble attitude to learning is also something I need to learn from.
What is the role of natural dyeing in the development of the Village Aunties' Studio?
The establishment of the Village Aunties' Studio has served as a unifying force for both the village of Pokfulam and the Village Aunties themselves. By promoting natural dyeing, the aunties are able to bring their knowledge and skills from their homes to the village, and from the village to the community, so that people from inside and outside the village have a more authentic way of knowing Pokfulam Village. Natural dyes come from the earth, which is the root of nature, just like the village of Pokfulam, which is the origin of the Village Aunties and the place where the Village Aunties' Studio is rooted. This village is our home. What is precious here is not only the bricks and tiles that history has left behind, but also the attitude of Pokfulam villagers to help each other and their dedication to preserving and promoting the spirit of Pokfulam village. Through pottery, natural dyes and other handicrafts, the Village Aunties' Studio is able to tell the story of Pokfulam Village's history, culture and the meaning of its presence. Every lesson is a practice of heritage.
What do you think about the development of crafts in the 21st century?
Modern society no longer believes that the main purpose of women learning traditional crafts is to meet the daily needs of the family, and the mode of inheritance is no longer limited to "mothers teaching daughters and daughters teaching daughters; passing on skills orally, with demonstrations by hand, and without writing down the skills". Traditional handicrafts can evolve over time and be integrated into modern life, adding artistic elements to express individuality and affirm personal values. Those who learn to make handcrafts can go beyond their personal and family boundaries, or even turn handcrafts into a career, becoming a professional or developing talents. In the process of developing our creativity, we need to reflect on the resources used for creativity, their nature and uses, especially those resources taken directly from the earth.
No matter what form it takes, as long as someone promotes it, the seeds of natural colouring will have a chance to be sown in people's hearts. How deep they go and how lush they grow will depend on how committed the learner is and how willing he or she is to explore the experience of learning the art from the ground up and to bring that experience into his or her own life and work, or even into the community and inspire those around him or her - this is what I have previously referred to as "the power of immersion". Nowadays, with advances in technology and the availability of a wide range of craft courses, we are no longer constrained by geography and media in the 21st century, and with the acceptance of the 'new normal' after the epidemic, face-to-face classes are not always necessary. There is still a lot of room to explore and improve the ways and means of promoting natural dyeing and handcrafts.