Exploring the traditional Emirati craft of Safeefah making, and how it started and the different techniques behind it, and learning more about what the Bidwa Social Development Programme by Irthi Contemprary Council are doing to harness this craft and grow it.
The intensity of general colors cast a deep yet charming feeling over the workshop room in the Bidwa Social Development Programme center in Dibba Al-Hisn, Sharjah, which was filled with elderly Emirati craftswomen weaving with palm fronds. The palm fronds were divided into different sections based on color, which lay on either side of the three women who were gently weaving them. “It started with my ancestors,” says Fatima Ahmed with her head bowed and legs crossed, fingers going through the palm fronds swiftly. “As a child, I was taught how to clean and assemble the palm fronds before they were dyed as Khoos.” Only after learning the basics of the craft could she go for the Safeefah.
“Safeefah” is an Emirati craft of weaving the palm fronds (Khoos); it can be translated to wicker as they slightly resemble each other in terms of technique. Training in the craft of Safeefah making is provided for the artisans by the Bidwa Social Development Programme, which is an initiative of Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council.
The process of creating Safeefah starts by plucking the fronds from the palm tree and leaving them out in the sun to harden for a week in the summer, and a month in the winter. “If we leave the Khoos out at night it would get soiled, so keeping it inside maintains the texture until the next morning,” says Amna Al-Dhanhani, who learned the craft from her mother-in-law in Dibba Al-Hisn.
In observing the comparison between the different Emirati crafts, the Safeefah indeed turns out to take longer to make, over weeks or months, depending on the season. As a result of hardening, the Khoos will turn white and ready to be woven or dyed. Khoos provided an artistic expression for women through the process of dying, which was traditionally done using powdered spices and other cooking ingredients. “The powders were made available in Dubai after they were imported from India,” says Al-Dhanhani. The practice would be conducted indoors, initially boiling water in a large pot, then adding the ingredients before dipping the Khoos inside. The shade of the available primary colors depended on the amount of ingredients added to the water. Once again, the Khoos would be left out to dry on chopped wood to preserve the color.
In a sense, it was considered very ergonomic in the past because the palm tree had several practical uses aside from being considered a source of wholesome nourishment. The power of it now is that it is elegantly refined and used as a cultural souvenir. “It takes two days to complete one meter, or a day if it’s shorter,” says Fatima Ahmed.
“We used to make it for ourselves in the beginning, and if a friend or neighbor asked we’d make it for them too,” Amna Al-Dhanhani reminisces. “We started selling the separate pieces of Khoos afterward.” Ten pieces of Khoos would cost one dirham, or ten if it was a household item made using Khoos.
To name a few items that were made using the Safeefah: “Makhrafa” for a basket, “Maghta” a cover for food, “Khasaf” a basket to hold dates, “Sarood” a mat for food, and “Haseer” a rug to sit on. Each item featured a different style or color depending on the area. “The best type of Safeefah was known to be made in Dibba Oman,” said Fatima Ahmed.
As part of its objective to provide a fresh narrative for different crafts, and empower the women practicing them, Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council is experimenting with Safeefah making by implementing and developing techniques using different materials and dying processes to create a wider library of color.
The Council’s first product line will be launched on September 2019, at the London Design Fair, debuting a Safeefah leather woven with leather weave among other handmade masterpieces. Buyers will be able to purchase it by the meter and choose their preferred color.
Like the brands that showed interest in Irthi’s innovative take on traditional crafts at the Premiere Vision Paris, I’m hoping the honed products will receive acclaim from the industry and prove to be a mirror reflection of the ever-evolving UAE.
Official links for Irthi:
- Website: irthi.com
- Instagram: @irthicouncil
- Twitter: @irthicrafts
References:
http://wam.ae/ar/details/1395302643780
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