Threads of tales
Threads of Tales is a remarkable initiative that intertwines the traditional art of Nakshi Kantha embroidery with the rich narratives of Bengali mythology and folklore. This project not only preserves cultural heritage but also promotes cross-cultural understanding and creativity, making a significant impact on the global arts and culture scene.
As a recipient of the British Council's International Collaboration Grant (ICP), the "Threads of Tales" project exemplifies innovative cultural preservation and storytelling. The ICP is a transformative programme that fosters global partnerships in the arts and culture sector, supporting collaborations between UK artists and their international counterparts with substantial grants.
Among the awardees are Rumana Yasmin, founder of Bok Bok Books, an independent publisher, specialising in children's books that celebrate Bengali culture and people, and Katerina Don, Curator at HerStory Foundation and Publications, which works to preserve and promote cultural heritage through storytelling and publications, empowering communities by highlighting their unique narratives and fostering mutual understanding.
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Let's immerse ourselves in the Threads of Tales through an enriching conversation with Rumana and Katrina.
How the journey unfolds
Rumana
When I first learned about this programme through social media, I was already working with a group of women on Nakshi Kantha. It felt like the perfect theme for our project—deeply rooted in heritage yet full of potential for new storytelling. When I reached out to Katrina, the very idea that came to mind was the one we are now bringing to life.
As a children's book publisher, I also saw an opportunity to use our platform to publish children's books in a way that hadn't been done before. Beyond that, we saw another gap—very few folklore books from the Bengal subcontinent are available in the UK.
By bringing these stories to a new audience, we hoped to make them more accessible, ensuring that a rich storytelling tradition finds its place in contemporary children's literature.
Given the challenges of producing cloth books for children in the UK and the limitations on mass production, we decided on a dual format: the cloth book would be created in Bangladesh, while the paper book would be published in the UK.
This approach not only allowed us to navigate practical constraints but also broadened the reach of the project.
The British Council, as a global organisation, has long supported the arts, and though the competition was tough, submitting our proposal felt right—it carried a sense of possibility.
Through the ICP grant, organisations from two different countries have come together to collaborate. This is crucial for the artistic community—not only to exchange knowledge but also to tap into shared resources, helping us all grow.
Nakshi Kantha, the theme of this project
Katerina
Bok Bok Books and HerStory Foundation both create meaningful children's books. We had both been thinking about fabric books and how they connect with the textile traditions of Bangladesh.
Nakshi Kantha, with its intricate stitches and deep cultural roots, has a powerful visual language. While today, people mostly see it as a decorative or functional item, Nakshi Kantha has a long tradition of being a form of diary keeping and storytelling.
This craft has always been close to my heart—a thread linking us to the past, reminding us of the women who came before us. While the format may evolve, the emotion remains the same, no matter the country or culture.
Ibraheem Paling, a young Nakshi Kantha artist who learned the craft from his grandmother - joined our team as an artist and the synergy was just right. Together, HerStory and BokBok.
We have been exploring folklore through Nakshi Kantha and we are going to produce two different books - one in cloth here in Bangladesh and a paper book in the UK.
The book that HerStory Foundation is creating for this project is, Nakshi Kantha serves as a stitched story prompter. The symbols and motifs embroidered woven into the fabric are lifted from ties into existing narratives and like a shared collective consciousness.
Through this, we would like to continue the storytelling traditions that exist in Nakshi Kantha for future generations and different cultures.
The heart of the project: Research, illustration, and storytelling
Katerina
The journey from winning the ICP grant to bringing this project to life has been incredible—one shaped by connection and discovery.
The research phase has been beautiful and enriching. We have collected personal stories—fragments of childhood folklore, especially Chader Buri, the central image of both books. We record retellings of fairy tales and lullabies and this material was interpreted by the three artists Ibraheem Paling, Kazi Istela Imam and Farah Khandaker to create new variations on old motifs.
We had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Folk Art Museum in Sonargaon and the National Museum in Dhaka. Each embroidered piece spoke of a past deeply intertwined with the present. Another invaluable part of this journey has been our conversations with Professor Niaz Zaman, whose work on Nakshi Kantha has been a guiding light for this project.
The project is taking shape for both HerStory and Bok Bok. Our Nakshi producer, Sraboni Mohalder has a productive and positive outlook, her workshop set-up is in Shatkira and we are about to start production.
In January, Rumana conducted a series of workshops in Bangladesh, and soon, we will travel to the UK, where we will present storytelling performances developed from our research. The collaboration is unfolding smoothly and we are learning from each other and the process.
Rumana
The most critical part of Bok Bok Books' side of the project is the illustration of the children's book, which requires an in-depth understanding of Nakshi Kantha's language, and the insights gathered through HerStory's research.
The paper book will be divided into chapters, first introducing Chader Buri—the storyteller and guardian of this book—alongside Nakshi Kantha's cultural significance. Other chapters will explore themes such as ghosts, dice games, mythical creatures, and more—about fifteen in total.
These themes have been drawn from history and mythology specific to this region, ensuring that children in the UK gain an authentic glimpse into these narratives.
Future aspirations of this project
Katerina
We hope this project is the beginning of a series of cloth books. In Bangladesh, there are very few publishers producing soft material books for children, despite the country's large population and the growing need for books that support cognitive early development. The insights we gain from this project will help us create more children-centric books in the future.
As a cultural object, the books we are producing are meant to be preserved, carrying their value across generations. Too often, Nakshi kantha is either reduced to commercial products or locked away in museums, distant from everyday life. But its true beauty lies in its individuality—each piece reflects the woman who made it, with no set formula, no fixed design. Through this project, we want people to rediscover its essence—not just as a craft but as a living, evolving form of storytelling.
Rumana
After production, the paper book will be closely linked to schools in the UK, offering children a chance to engage with Bengal's rich storytelling traditions.
HerStory books will also be featured in storytelling events, bringing these narratives to life through interactive experiences. Beyond that, we plan to donate copies to schools and institutions, ensuring they are used, preserved, and appreciated as valuable cultural and educational resources.
To document this journey, we are archiving the entire process on our website—capturing this project's research, collaboration, and evolution from an idea to a tangible piece of history.
The British Council supports peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding, and trust between people in the UK and Bangladesh through its Arts programme initiatives such as Connections Through Culture Grants, International Collaboration Grants, and the Cultural Protection Fund, which foster creativity, cultural exchange, and innovation.
These initiatives create opportunities for people in Bangladesh and the UK to engage and collaborate.
The British Council provides networking, funding, insights, and resources to the global creative sectors, empowering artists, and cultural professionals to achieve their ambitions and realise their potential.
To explore these opportunities, visit the British Council's website and social media channels.
