Traditional Coppercraft In Tunisia Under Threat

By Chinasaokwu Helen

The run-up to Ramadan is traditionally a time for people in Tunisia to get their copper kitchen utensils polished.

While it’s a month of fasting and prayer for Muslims worldwide, it also sees families gathering before dawn and after dusk to eat together.

It is a busy period for artisans in Kairouan, a city known for its copper craft.

Mohamed Zaremdini has been working as a copper craftsman for 15 years.

He says it is a much healthier material in comparison to others and people want to make their kitchens look beautiful by polishing them.

“Customers come from Tunis and all over the country because they know that in Kairouan, we only work with high-quality copper. There are merchants who work in counterfeits. But here, there are only four people remaining who do this job,” he says.

But artisans in the town face many challenges. The craft is under threat, including competition from cheaper Chinese imports.

For some families though, maintaining the tradition is important. Fathi Andellaoui has come to collect hi spots.

At Ramadan every year, we get out the copper pots at home. This is part of the heritage of our ancestors and our family,” he says.

In Kairouan, a city founded in 670, craftsman have passed down techniques and know-how from generation to generation.

Third-generation copper artisan, Rami Chaabani, says this are tough and the challenges of the craft outweigh its benefits.

“We wake up at 2 in the morning. Yesterday, I arrived here at 3 and I’m still standing. In the end, the customer pays me 40, 50, or 60 dinars ($30). We barely earn anything,” he says.

He hopes the government will pay attention to the threat facing the traditional crafts.

“In return, I could teach a young person. This way, the craft would be passed down through generations,” he says.”However, if things continue as they are, there won’t be any coppersmiths left in four or five years,” he warns.

Even the peak season of Ramadan is no longer the guarantee of a future for the copper artisans of Kairouan.

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Ollus Ndhomu

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