Shaping Textile-Making: Its Occupational Forms and Domain

Abstract

Occupation can be understood as an entity, a thing in itself, which is separate from individual's subjective experiences of occupational engagement. Drawing on selected findings from a reflexive ethnography of a Welsh guild of weavers, spinners and dyers, this article explores the occupation of textile-making itself, its occupational forms, traditional practices, skills and knowledge and how these contribute to textile-making as an occupational domain, or sphere of action. The findings from fieldwork in Wales and Japan reveal the nature of the traditional and transmissible patterns, processes, practices, skills and knowledge incorporated in textile-making and how these are influenced by history and culture. The findings also identify the increasing complexity of textile-making's occupational forms as makers incorporate multicultural patterns of action and creative innovations. As a contribution to occupational science, the study highlights the value of understanding occupation in its historical and socio-cultural context and how creativity and innovation shape textile-making as an occupation.

Keywords:

• Occupational form
• Occupational domain
• Textile-making
• Tradition
• Innovation

Acknowledgements

This article is based on selected findings from a PhD thesis completed by the author in 2009 with supervision from Dr Gail Boniface and Dr Wyn Bellin, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.