Myriam

Artisan from Douar d’Idelssane

Myriam

Artisan from Douar d’Idelssane

Myriam,
The encounter

Myriam is one of the youngest women in the Idelssane collective. She learned to manipulate the material within the collective itself, by learning alongside other artisans.

Myriam is a woman who particularly touched us during our workshops.

Always in a good mood, a smile on your lips, she was one of the pillars of the general atmosphere of the group during our interventions. She is solar.

We are delighted to present her to you here and to have the chance to allow you to meet her and hear her words..

The encounter

Myriam is one of the youngest women in the Idelssane collective. She learned to manipulate the material within the collective itself, by learning alongside other artisans.

Myriam is a woman who particularly touched us during our workshops. Always in a good mood, a smile on your lips, she was one of the pillars of the general atmosphere of the group during our interventions. She is solar.

We are delighted to present her to you here and to have the chance to allow you to meet her and hear her words..

Questions about Myriam's life

Can you introduce yourself ?

"In Arabic ? My name is Myriam, I have 23 ans, I stopped my studies in 4th year. I now work with the association in Idelssane. I am single and I produce crafts.”

Can you tell me about your art ?

“I work on sewing, I make traditional clothes, djellaba. I also work with reed and palm to make small everyday products and more traditional products.”

How long have you been sewing? ?

“I have been sewing since I benefited from the help of the association. Before I didn't know how to do, but I learned at the association.”

How did you learn to sew ?

“I looked at women for a long time, they taught me and I tried to produce with the group.”

What made you want to learn? ?

“I wanted to work on this, because I wanted to improve the Douar and our situation in the Douar.”

Do you pass on your art ? comment ?

“I share with my mother, who always waits for me to call him to show him what I have learned and also with my grandmother, I also share his learnings.”

What do you like about your village and what is your favorite place? ?

“The Douar is small, it's limited, there are not many places. But I like the fields. I like going into nature. It’s my favorite place.”

Do you work alone or accompanied? ?

“I work in a group, when I am at the association, otherwise I work alone at home or with my mother.”

Are you making money from your art? ?

“Non, I'm still learning, I haven’t had the opportunity to make money yet.”

Can you describe your daily life to us? ?

“I go to bed at 10 a.m. and get up at 8 a.m.. I take care of cleaning the house, I prepare breakfast with mom. When I have free time, I sew or do chores around the house. I look forward to coming to the association in the afternoon.

Every day I go to the association, except Sunday. We do lessons between us, we learn to make rugs, the hook, we share our knowledge.”

Myriam et l'association

How did you find out about the FLDF association? ?

“I was at my grandmother’s house and she met a member of the association’s office. And this member suggested that I come and see the association. As I did nothing during the day, I became a beneficiary of the association.”

How long have you been a part of it? ?

“It’s been now 2 years that I have been part of the collective.”

How the FLDF helps you in your project ?

“The association helps me a lot. I learned a lot, women showed me a lot of things I didn’t know.”

Technical questions

What do you need to make your craft ?

“For crafts, I mostly need palm, otherwise I need wool, of fabric for sewing.”

Where do you find your raw materials? ?

“I collect the palm tree in my field, it's easy. For the fabric I have to buy it or otherwise I collect fabrics from home that I re-use.”

What do you transform raw material into? ?

“I make decorations with the palm tree and small rugs.”

Can you explain to me the different steps to make your products? ?

“I put the palm tree in water to make it more malleable for working with it. I use the rope as a base for braiding and otherwise I do folding.”

Myriam's gallery