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Crafts / Etikoppaka Toys

Etikoppaka Toys

State
Andhra Pradesh
Material
Wood · Lac
Rarity
Popular

Toys turned on a lathe and coloured with plants

About

Smooth, brightly coloured lacquered wooden toys from a village in Anakapalli district, coloured only with natural dyes.

Etikoppaka is a small village on the Varaha river in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh, known for its traditional wooden toys. The toys are made of soft wood, shaped on a lathe and coated with lacquer coloured by natural dyes. This way of working is called turned-wood lacquer craft. The wood comes from the ankudu karra tree, Wrightia tinctoria, the same ivory-wood used for Channapatna toys in Karnataka.

The toys are made by village families. They include spinning tops, rattles, animal figures, boxes for keeping jewellery and sacred items such as vermilion, and sets of miniature kitchen vessels. Etikoppaka toys are considered to be one with nature, because the colours come from seeds, lac, bark, roots and leaves.

Over time the toys moved beyond play. Today they are also used as decoration, as useful household items and as gifts. In 2017 the Etikoppaka toys received a Geographical Indication (GI) registration.

How it’s made

The soft wood of the ankudu karra tree is cut and seasoned, and then shaped on a lathe. The craftsman holds a hand tool against the spinning wood and cuts rounded forms, such as the body of a top, a rattle or the parts of an animal. Many Etikoppaka toys are made up of several turned parts that are fitted together.

Colouring is done with lac, a natural resin, and plant dyes. The lac is prepared in coloured sticks, and while the wood spins, the stick is pressed against it, so that the heat from the friction melts the lac into a thin, smooth coat. The colours come from natural dyes obtained from seeds, lac, bark, roots and leaves. Several colours can be laid on in bands.

The toy is polished to a smooth, glossy finish. Because the work is done on the lathe and the colours are made from natural materials, the toys are considered safe for children.

Key features

  • Turned-wood lacquer craft: wood shaped on a lathe and coated with lac
  • Wood is ankudu karra (Wrightia tinctoria), a soft pale wood
  • Natural dyes from seeds, lac, bark, roots and leaves
  • Spinning tops, rattles, animal figures, kitchen sets and boxes
  • Made in Etikoppaka village on the Varaha river
  • Geographical Indication registered in 2017
  • Safe, non-toxic and durable

History

For a long time, Etikoppaka toys were part of daily life in the village and neighbouring villages, and several South Indian customs became attached to them. A girl child was traditionally gifted a kitchen set of colourful miniature vessels, ladles, stoves and even grinders, called lakkapidathalu, on her first birthday. The lacquered boxes were also part of the bride's trousseau, used to hold turmeric, kumkum, betel nuts and fragrant substances. The toys were sold at village fairs, weekly markets, railway stations and bus stands.

In the early stages the toys were made for children to play with, and the natural dyes and wood made them safe and durable. Gradually the craft widened its uses to decoration, utility and gifting. Artisans have received recognition such as awards from the National Innovation Foundation and the UNESCO Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts, and the toys have been displayed at places such as the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Organisations such as the National Institute of Design have helped the artisans through workshops on market-oriented designs. The 2017 GI tag helped to tackle counterfeit products and increase sales, and Etikoppaka toys are exported to several countries.

Facts

  • GI 2017 A registered toy. Etikoppaka toys received a Geographical Indication tag in 2017, which has helped to tackle counterfeit products.
  • Ankudu karra A pale soft wood. The toys are made from ankudu karra, the tree Wrightia tinctoria, also known as ivory-wood.
  • Lakkapidathalu A first-birthday gift. Girls were traditionally gifted a kitchen set of miniature vessels, ladles and stoves, called lakkapidathalu, on their first birthday.
  • All-natural dyes Colours from plants. Dyes come from seeds, lac, bark, roots and leaves, which is why the toys are called one with nature.

Market

Toys, gifts and decor, sold worldwide

Etikoppaka toys are sold at the village, at state handicraft emporia, craft fairs and online, and are exported to several countries. They are sold as toys, decor items, utility boxes and gifts. The GI tag helps buyers identify genuine pieces from the village as against lacquered toys of unknown origin.

Sustainability

Natural dyes and a local wood

Etikoppaka toys are made with a local soft wood, natural lac and plant dyes, without synthetic paints. Choosing certified, natural-dye toys is safe for children and supports the artisan families of the village.

Products

  • Lacquerware toys: The village's signature turned and coloured wooden toys
  • Spinning tops and rattles: Classic turned toys
  • Animal figures: Small rounded animals and birds
  • Miniature kitchen sets: Sets of vessels, ladles and stoves (lakkapidathalu)
  • Lacquered boxes: For jewellery, vermilion and trousseau items

Words to know

  • Lac: A natural resin used as a colourful coat.
  • Ankudu karra: The Telugu name of the tree Wrightia tinctoria, whose wood is used for the toys.
  • Lakkapidathalu: A traditional kitchen set of miniature lacquered vessels gifted to a girl.
  • Turned-wood lacquer: The craft of shaping wood on a lathe and colouring it with lac.
  • Varaha: The river on whose banks Etikoppaka village stands.

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