South Asia Collection Resources: Asia at Work

Bhoona coolie, vat-beater (indigo)

Asia At Work

Within the vast body of literature on Asia held by the Asia Collection at the University of Hawaii are fascinating illustrations of the people of Asia and the environment in which they live. These images are a visual record of the lives of the people and their surroundings. The sheer number of illustrations makes digitizing all of them an impossible task, so we have decided to concentrate on the theme "Asia at Work." Work is the activity by which so many of us identify ourselves. The tools we use, the human interaction and cooperation that occurs in the course of its performance, and the skills we employ all, to a great extent, help define who we are.

For the purposes of this website we are digitizing photographs, drawings, and paintings in books published from the early 20th century and before. The illustrations must either depict people at work or in the case of portraits identify the person by his/her occupation. We hope that the website will give its viewers a visual image of Asia and provide for students a resource which will enrich their study of Asia and its people.

This website is being produced by interns from the University of Hawaii School of Library and Information Studies and is an ongoing project.

To access the images concerning South Asia follow the link below:

Asia At Work: India Collection