The Everlasting Pursuit: It was a success

So I am already off track with my updates because I have been so busy! When I got back home from my last blog post, 2 Saturday s ago, I found out another girl Samira wanted to go to the workshop. I ended up having 2 women going, so my association was well represented. We made it to the workshop smoothly and the ladies learned a lot, I think. They were more excited that the teacher was from the delegation than learning. Having any kind of contact with anyone from the delegation makes them feel special and important. The teacher focused on the process of making a carpet from choosing the wool, dying it, setting up the loom, and weaving patterns while stressing all the quality points within. The women know how to do all of these things; however, they do not pay attention to detail which makes their output products non-desirable for sale or even not up to quality standards set by the delegate. My counterpart thought I was attending to learn along with them but this was a good way to prove that I am not here to weave, by her seeing that this workshop was put together by a volunteer just like me. Yet, I paid attention to better understand the processes so one day I can convey the quality factors in making “sellable” rugs to my women. My credibility is not quite there with them. This is why integration has been my main focus since I got to site; to build relationships and trust. Also, I am hoping that the ladies I took retained information to influence the others. The girl Samira came over on Sunday, 2 days after she returned, and told me to come over so she could show me something. To my surprise she had dyed some wool the same color as we did at the workshop and said she did it that color because that is the color tourist like! I was so excited, this means she was paying attention and she is really interested in weaving to sell, not just for her own home. Now I am hoping to gather the women to have her show them the combination for the dye and have them all do it together. I think the women will pay more attention if one of their own is showing them new techniques. The village we visited was great; the women were so friendly and exceptional hosts. We ate 5 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks with tea, Moroccans can’t live without tea every 2-3 hours) and each setting was so delicious…dangerously good! After I returned to site I already had to leave Tuesday to head to Rabat for the dentist and I am on the train now from Rabat back down to Marrakesh. I don’t mind though because I took an amazing shower this morning and it was hot the whole time!! Just as I got everything out of my system on my last post things have been coming around. The workshop was a success, the women have a better idea about why I am here, I got a hot shower, and had a lot of internet access to skype my family! Here are some pics from the workshop…I tried to post a video of the ahaydus, traditional singing and dancing, but it didn’t work, sorry. Bslama!

P.S. Little did I know I was not on the train to Marrakesh...somehow I got on the wrong train. However, I am finally in Marrakesh and when we switched trains we met a guy from London traveling down to Namibia by ground along the coast of Africa. He also somehow missed the train we were supposed to be on...weird. This is only the third time in my life I have traveled by train but I thought I had them figured out. But anyways, this guy is going to Namibia with the Great Freedom Movement, a group of spiritual people that are training how to live off of energy and they are going to meet the Rainbow Warrior tribe there...pretty interesting. We gave hime some assistance to get through Morocco, so hopefully he makes it there safe. I keep saying we because a fellow PCV from Ouarzazate had to go to dentist as well, so we traveled together. Also, one more story...this is why I want to continue with my daily updates so you all don't miss the good stuff. On my way down the mountain for my trip to Rabat I had to leave really early to catch the 7:30am bus. Well if you catch an early transit out of the mountain you are usually on it with the people that live high up in the mountain because there only way out is really early...these are usually people that don't come out of the mountain much and are much farther away from "modern civilization." Anyways, I thought I heard a baaa, then I heard it again for sure...sure enough I was riding down with a sheep under one of the seats in a transit van. They gotta do what they gotta do and sometimes there is no other way! Enjoy the pics...

Here is the teacher giving lectures. He didn't spend much time lecturing because women just weren't interested. But it was necessary to explain what they were going to be doing in the hands on areas. You can see wool in the basket on the left and those ping pong paddle looking acessories are the brushes for the wool. They are not easy to use...quite an arm work out!

Here they are preparing the color mixture for dying the wool.

Adding the water...I thought this picture was cool looking...do you like my counterpart's groovy bathrobe outfit in the backround. Trust me they brought there sunday's best to come to this workshop...literally.

Here is a girl from the hosting village pounding a clear crystal which will be used to activate the dye. I don't know what it is called in English yet, just Berber...and right now I forget that.

There is the wool waiting to be put in the dye as he is stirring the dye so it is thoroughly mixed.

Here is just there contraption of powders to make the according color.

The wool is being stirred to get a good mix.

Here they are removing the wool. Notice the steam...the water has to be a certain temperature for the wool to dye correctly.

I finally got a picture with my counterpart, Moohou!!!

Here they are preparing the first steps of the loom. They post sticks in the ground the desired length of the rug and walk around them as much as the desired width of the rug... this is called the eed...it is the part of the rug that comes out at the ends and is tied to start and finsih the rug.

Here is the eed set to desired width and length being put on the loom ends.

That is Samira, one of my girls, on the far left, the president of the Association of the hosting village, Khadija, and my counterpart Moohou on far right. They are tying the eed tight to asure an even and tight weave.

I just love my counterpart!

Here they are finalizing the loom setup. They re-use everything...see the old sandals being used to brace the loom.

This woman is cranking the loom pulling it tight for a nice weave.

This is the part that actually creates the weave. There is string on each side and the front string is tied to be behind the back string to create the weave.

This is the finalized color being put in the sun to dry.

This is a wonderful contraption used to cut the wool evenly to make shag rugs. I am hoping to introduce this to my women because they cut as they go and it makes the shag way uneven...and they use a dull knife so it is rather fuzzy and unattractive.

This is Samira working a rug that was already started at the association we visited.

Here are the women working on the demo rug.

Here are my women...these are common rugs styles of the south...however, ours do not resemble this. One day I will get you all some pictures of our styles.