📖 Read the full paper here
We are happy to share that our paper on the Godna Tattoo Festival has been published in Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture (Routledge | Taylor & Francis Group).
This work — led by Sagar Jhariya as first author, with contributions from our team — explores the cultural, aesthetic, and social significance of Godna, the traditional tattooing practice of Central India. The paper engages with Godna not just as body art, but as a lived practice of identity, memory, healing, and belonging. It reflects on how the Godna Festival has become a space where these meanings are celebrated, negotiated, and carried forward across generations.
This publication reflects the shared vision of Paigam Organization and Johar Field School — to document, conserve, and amplify Indigenous Adivasi knowledge systems through community-engaged and collaborative approaches. Our work is grounded in the belief that knowledge is not extractive, and that research must remain accountable to the communities who hold and sustain it.
The fieldwork and relationships that shaped this work were made possible through the trust and generosity of community members. We extend our gratitude to Pankaj, Vijay, and many other knowledge holders whose lived experiences and participation continue to keep these traditions alive.
We are also thankful to the Mandel Center for the Humanities at Brandeis University for supporting this work.
We see this publication not as an endpoint, but as part of an ongoing journey — one that continues through festivals like Godna Tihar, collaborations with artisans, and efforts to bring Godna into contemporary forms such as handcrafted textiles and everyday objects.
🙏 Kudos to the entire team at Paigam, Johar Field School, and the community members for their trust, knowledge, and continued collaboration.
