The Kashmir Tribal
Art Society

Among the largest Scheduled Tribe groups in Jammu and Kashmir, the Gujjar Bakarwal are known for their rich cultural heritage and deep connection with nature. Their pastoral lifestyle revolves around seasonal migration — transhumance — moving between lower valleys in winter and higher alpine pastures in summer.

Every year, families travel established nomadic routes through the forests, mountains, and valleys of the Himalayas. These journeys are not only economic necessities but cultural traditions — passed down through the Gojri language, folk songs, and elder storytelling.

Tribal women are the keepers of oral history and cultural memory. During evenings in temporary settlements, elders narrate stories about ancestral routes, customs, and community values — knowledge rarely written but carried through language.

Through embroidered clothing, traditional dress, beadwork, and jewellery, these women ensure that traditional designs, techniques, and cultural meanings survive and are appreciated by future generations.