Association Zaouia · Sidi Yahya Ou Youssef
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
SIZE
1m 64cm x 84cm x 2cm — 5ft 5in x 2ft 9in x 1in
WEIGHT
3000 g
MATERIALS
Cotton Thread
PRODUCT ID
#26734
Beni Ourain style rugs are pile knot rugs intricately designed and are used as two sided rugs in Oued Ifrane. There is the summer side, when the pile side is placed face down on the ground to keep things cooler. During the winter, the pile side is placed up to keep things warmer. You can find these carpets with natural wool from the local sheep or cotton yarn bought from the village market. Depending on the size of the rug, it can take weeks to create. Each knot needs to be individually tied and cut, so one person is only able to create a meter in two weeks.
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MEET THE MAKERS
Fatima Ait El Hajj
Fatima is a native of Sidi Yahya Ou Youssef. She lives with her two daughters and has two sons who do small construction work in the city of Tetouan. Her husband works multiple small jobs to make ends meet. Fatima learned how to weave, when she got married at the age of 20, from her mother and other young brides. She makes rugs that are specific to her village of Zaouia. She joined the weaver’s association in 2012 to improve her family’s living conditions. Through weaving, she hopes to afford a heart surgery needed to treat her heart condition.
VISIT THE VILLAGE
Association Zaouia hosts visitors in their village — share tea, watch the artisans at work, and see the craft up close. Visits start at $17 per person, and most of it goes straight to the group.
Sidi Yahya Ou Youssef, Morocco · about 4 hours from Fez
