Tantu and Otu: Ep 0.0, Laying Down the Songlines

Shownotes:

Welcome to Tantu and Otu, a podcast dedicated to telling the story of the ancient textile heritage of the Indian subcontinent. The story of one of the greatest, most diverse, continuous textile and fiber traditions in the world. The deep spiritual significance of the art and craft of weaving in this ancient land, the story of the unparalleled skill of those magicians of warp and weft, the weavers. I’m your host Daki…. join me on this awe inspiring textiles journey, as we go back in time, and draw those ancient threads of the weaving story right into modern times.

* In this episode we trace the threads of this ancient story back to its ancient, spiritual roots, thousands of years back, in the sacred texts of the Vedas.

* Sanskrit devotional song from Rig-Veda Sanhita, recited at beginning of episode

नाहं तन्तुम न वी जाोनमयोतुं ना यं वयेटी समरे तेमाना

“Naham-tantum na vijana-my otum

Na yam vanyanti samare atamaanaah”

-from Rig-Veda Sanhita, 6.9.2

* The “songlines” reference explained

Within the aboriginal culture of Australia, the term “songlines” is used to describe a spiritual track, or pathway, used to follow the paths laid down by specific deities/creator beings, that were important to specific peoples and tribes. Used both as ways to navigate and journey through the vast Australian outback, and as physical manifestations of spiritual journeys that were to be taken within aboriginal animist culture.

* In Next Week’s episode, I will lay out some more parameters or songlines which I will be tracing to tell this story. I will also introduce you to a little concurrent ‘making’ project that I’ll be running throughout the Tantu and Otu journey. And finally we will talk a little bit about my own textiles background, how I came to this whole world of woven fabric, and we will finish by introducing the first textiles story we will explore, the textiles ofthe ancient Indus Valley civilization.

For a daily of dose of my Instagram, come say hello; I’d love to know how you’ve enjoyed listening to this inspiring Icelandic shepherdess.

* The Tantu and Otu podcast is available on Itunes, Google Play, all podcatchers and Stitcher Radio.

*The theme music for this podcast is  Lobo Loco, Peaceful Midnight Beauty, Soft Mix, from the Freemusicarchive.com