Association Zaouia · Sidi Yahya Ou Youssef
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
SIZE
1m 16cm x 68cm x 2cm — 3ft 10in x 2ft 3in x 1in
WEIGHT
1600 g
MATERIALS
Cotton Thread
PRODUCT ID
#26956
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
Rouna Ouaari
Rouna was born in Ait Chaa Ouali, but moved away from her home village when she got married. She lost her husband in 2009 to cancer. Together they had four daughters and four sons, two of their daughters are now married and moved to their husbands’ villages. Another daughter is pursuing her high school studies in the nearby small city of Tounfite. Her last daughter is teaching at the local association’s kindergarten. All of her sons travel around to the big cities in Morocco doing construction work. Rouna specializes in weaving pile knot rugs, which she learned from her mum and other local women. She joined Association Zaouia when it opened three years ago, but they have not had enough sales to allow her to earn a sustainable income. She wishes that her daughter will become a teacher and have a nice family of her own in a bigger city with better opportunities. If she can afford it, she would also like to do her pilgrimage to Mecca.
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
