Published:Sunday | July 30, 2023 | 12:06 AM
Paul H. Williams – Sunday Gleaner Writer
Members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Batik Group (from left) Amsale Maryam, Tekle Selassie, Jennifer Virgo and Runako Lawrence displaying pieces of the batik fabrics that they have printed at the recent Christmas in July event.
SHOULD RELIGIOUS people be involved in profit-making businesses? Of course not, some people would argue. There are elements of business that go against religious principles and which might compromise ethical behaviour and practices. Yet, others believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with religious people being involved in profit-making endeavours.
The Batik Group at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Holy Trinity Branch is of the latter view, it seems, as its members are making and selling Jadire™ batik print materials. The name Jadire™ is an African-Jamaican fashion fusion brand created from combining the J from Jamaica and adire, which is the Nigerian word for tie-and-dye. The process is called batik-making.
Established in August last year, the members were trained four months at the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) by Nigerian cultural diplomat Aloa Luqman, who is a master artisan, trainer of trainers and academic.
“It was inspired by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation, who approached the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Holy Trinity Branch, in July of 2022, to partner in its batik-training project,” Amsale Maryam, who is spearheading the group, told The Gleaner.
“As such, persons from the church, Twelve Tribes of Israel and Nyah Binghi were motivated in coming together to form the group and to pursue this awesome training and to demonstrate our individual skill set.”
The seven members are in an individual and collective production effort, and the biggest challenge so far is shortage of funds, especially to buy the unprinted material and the dyes. Production still takes place at the JBDC incubator, but they want to expand, spread their wings, and see people wearing clothes from the batik they have made.
“We would like the business to be developed as a small and medium-size enterprise local Jadire Batik industry in Jamaica, and to further enhance it to the wider Caribbean region and other countries. As the saying goes, the sky’s the limit,” Maryam said. They also intend to train other church members, “as well as other interested persons or groups, sometime in the first half of 2024”.
It was at the Christmas in July event held inside the AC Hotel Kingston on Wednesday, July 12, and Thursday, July 13 that The Gleaner chanced upon the group that was there to sell and promote their products, of which there were many pieces made by different people. “The experience was an awe-inspiring and rewarding one. And we are grateful for such an opportunity that had endorsed us to showcase our talents,” Maryam shared.
Trainer Aloa Luqman was in the house for a while, and saw how his former trainees had come full circle. “I feel very good to see them, because that is the purpose of my being here in Jamaica” was his quick response to a Gleaner question. It is not only about the acquisition of the skills, but also about applying the skills to make money. He went on to explain what is going on with the batik element of his many duties, and was also quick to say how the value-added process benefits a variety of people. There is also the hope to get some of the fabrics exported.
On the subject of church/religious people being involved in profit-making endeavours, Maryam asserted, “Nothing is wrong with it, nothing is wrong with it. How the Church going to survive? The Church must find employment for people as well.”
She intimated in a post-event interview that the days of manna falling from the sky are long gone, and, as such, the Church has to find ways and means to survive and pay its bills. And the offering? It might never be enough for some. The making and selling of batik fabric, then, is one way in which the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Holy Trinity Branch Batik Group is attaining financial stability.