Berber weaving is very dependent on female culture and is traditionally passed on within the home. The young apprentice is expected to learn the different weaving techniques, patterns, colour ranges and colours of the designs. Historically, women wove carpets for their families, and men traditionally produced more specialized carpets as professional master weavers. These inspiring patterns were the motivation for the production of more modern carpets.
In the Imperial Cities of Morocco and in many developing countries, carpets were historically a favoured gift to be given to people belonging to the elite social classes and were also used to adorn palaces and other sacred spaces. The more urban carpets were also used as prayer rugs and hammam mats. Travellers interested in Amazigh carpet weaving can visit a Moroccan weavers' cooperative and watch a demonstration of Berber carpets or consider taking a private tour of the Amazigh villages of Morocco where they can see first-hand woven carpets. Some old carpets are also kept in museums such as the Dar Batha Museum. These intricate carpets can be purchased in the souks of Fez, Marrakech and Rabat.
The bright colours, deep patterns and weaving techniques of the different regions have their own style. Each tribe has a characteristic pattern and commonly unfolds a story, revealing the acts of ceremony, or patterns that often relate to fertility and protection. Like any other type of abstract art, interpretations can be best guided by additional knowledge of the culture, songs and legends.
Women of the Loom
In rural Morocco, weaving involves the social gathering of women. Berber women sing and chant about times of prosperity and romance and tell stories of superstition and magic. Women are the main weavers of decorative textiles and are helped by their daughters or young girls who learn the craft as they grow up.
For these women, weaving is a centuries-old tradition, passed down from generation to generation. A young Amazigh girl traditionally learned the art of weaving from relatives. It is a skill that inspires great respect and prestige. All phases of yarn production - washing, spinning and dyeing - are carried out by women in almost all the Amazigh tribes of Morocco.
For Solana Pyne, VOA journalist, Berber Women Try to Keep Rug Making Alive (Berber Women Try to Keep Rug Making Alive, Profitable) but, unfortunately, the art of Berber weaving could be lost with the next generation:
"With the little money that reaches the weavers, young women choose not to learn the craft. "I have five daughters. Only one of them knows how to weave," said Ms. Lchguer. "Our daughters say that we have ruined our health by making carpets, and we get nothing out of it. They want to learn new crafts," said Hassi. "They don't want to learn this one anymore. And with every child who refuses to learn an art that has been endured here for centuries, they are inches away from extinction".
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