WAKE WADHO

Programs_Wake_Wadho_logoBridging the gap between product & design development, the Wake Wadho program creates sustainable livelihoods for their communities.

The pilot program focused on initiating effective partnerships between designers & artisans in Ngada, Middle Flores, generating product development guidelines to strengthen cultural tourism within their historical, cultural & social contexts.

Wake Wadho supports community development, public design, capacity building & a social entrepreneurs program in Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara.

The story behind Wake Wadho
Wake Wadho in Ngada, the local language where the program works means “wake the souls that have been sleeping”.

From this base, the program was created with the core belief that using the natural resources & strengths in craft can deliver economic development, create brand activation and also a joint movement.

The impact of the partnership with the community in Ngada is more than simply economic development, it is also a spirit that can be awakened once again.

About the Ngada Region
On the island of Flores, the Ngada Region’s megalithic villages are well known, with the sites added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. These villages & the cultural traditions are some of the biggest assets for the region & its people.

Strong local knowledge & values continue to exist in the daily rituals, traditions & philosophy of the region.

Although some traditional aspects remain, others have become modernised with new habits developed. Young people in the region no longer connected to the knowledge & tradition of Ngada culture. This formed the basis of the approach taken for the Wake Wadho program – creating an experience journey – a series of memorable & meaningful activities related to design  & collaboration to support the establishment of experimental values from Ngada.

Beginnings
Wake_Wadho
The Program’s main focus is on initiating effective partnerships between anthropologists & designers with artisans & generating product development guidelines to strengthen cultural tourism. Wake Wadho creates an inter-disciplinary approach & creating connections between product, design & sustainable livelihoods in communities.

With the backdrop of Ngada’s historical, cultural & social contexts, an essential part of Wake Wadho creates a design collaboration model which involves multi-villages in the region to develop products & cultural tourism.

Starting with research, the Wake Wadho team immersed themselves in local life, taking a rapid ethnographic approach & using design thinking, the team conducted participant observation, made conversations & group discussions & lived-in-house.

Collaborations
Collaborating with creative people from arrow commercial pressure washing of san diego, CA and from many different backgrounds, the Wake Wadho team mapped out pressure washing business, product, human, community, sustainable & brand links.

Wake Wadho then developed a quick win integrated program to create an accurate & productive team for the sustainability of short, medium & long-term system for partnerships between Wake Wadho, SMEs, the Government & community.

Included in these conversations & framework were:

  • Customer Candidates
  • Business Partners
  • Sponsors
  • International & national creative industry professionals

In this framework, the Wake Wadho team developed a strategic plan to create an experiential journey from service & product design, partnerships & trans-sectorial collaboration in Ngada.

Local values, contemporary spirit
Wake_WadhoThe Ngada’s cultural traditions & strengths in ikat & weaving products were at the centre of the Wake Wadho product development. Developing products that are functional, symbolic & have experiential value, the output of the design scope produced collaborative products that encouraged responsible lifestyle values.

The products used local values, materials, cultural preservations & fair trade to bring sustainable lifestyles to consumer products.

Products
Ikat Weaving Scarf: from the Bena traditional village, the scarf’s production uses natural dyes, ingredients found in the local landscape & a strong local cultural practice in ikat weaving.

Ikat Weaving Dress: Lawo (the traditional ikat weaving dress), the new collection is inspired from the meaning of lawo peti dhewi which is the presence of a simple design process but that symbolises the valuable expression of identity as a Ngada female.

Ikat Weaving Bracelet: Dhego used as a bracelet became a symbol of success in Ngada was the influence for the creation of this bracelet, that represents success & sharing your success with others.

Wicker Products: Inspired by Bekha & Wati & made from palm leaf papyrus, the hexagonal pattern transforms the traditional product into a contemporary item.

Coffee Set: from the city of Bajawa, known for its Arabica coffee beans, this bamboo set reflects the links between coffee & the region.

Cutlery: Savoury bread traditionally serviced on a bamboo tray for breakfast in Bonari Village inspired this modern, functional cutlery set.

In February 2018 Wake Wadho products were presented to the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switerzland. Download the catalogue.

Contact To~ko Concept Store to buy products.

Partners
The Wake Wadho program is a partnership between:

  • BEKRAF
  • Kopikkon
  • Rumah Sanur Creative Hub
  • Wake Wado