Ukraine, Egypt explore preferential trade deal: Zelenskyy    Egypt, Russia's Rosatom review grid readiness for El-Dabaa nuclear plant    Mastercard Unveils AI-Powered Card Fraud Prevention Service in EEMEA Region, Starting from Egypt    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    China's factory output expands in June '25    Egyptian pound climbs against dollar at Wednesday's close    New accords on trade, security strengthen Egypt-Oman Relations    Egypt launches public-private partnership to curb c-sections, improve maternal, child health    Gaza under Israeli siege as death toll mounts, famine looms    EMRA, Elsewedy sign partnership to explore, develop phosphate reserves in Sebaiya    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt Post discusses enhanced cooperation with Ivorian counterpart    Egypt's Environment Minister calls for stronger action on desertification, climate resilience in Africa    Egypt in diplomatic push for Gaza truce, Iran-Israel de-escalation    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt, Tunisia discuss boosting healthcare cooperation        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Egypt discovers three New Kingdom tombs in Luxor's Dra' Abu El-Naga    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Garagous pottery factory closes in blow to Egypt's intangible heritage
Published in Ahram Online on 22 - 04 - 2021

The sad news of the closure of the pottery factory of Garagous, in Qous village, Qena governorate, stirred a lot of pain and raised many questions.
The factory that was established in 1966 by the Jesuit and Brothers in Qous serves as one of Egypt's most authentic practice of intangible heritage, to say the least.
"A court order with an eviction notice came out some eight month ago and we have been appealing since then," explained Nour Bastawi, the lawyer representing the artisans of the pottery factory.
"The court order was issued because the archbishopric filed a lawsuit against the artists who were leasing the factory, claiming that they were demolishing the old pottery furnaces, and this is not true. They have switched the fuel used from solar to natural gas and inserted it in the old furnaces," he told Ahram Online.
Bastawi added that the adjustment was implemented by the Handicraft Chamber of Egypt to ensure the factory remained safe and was not subject to demolition.
"However, the implementation of the court order came without prior notice and the result is that today about 20 families have lost their income and the artisans don't have access to their tools. How can this possibly happen to people who represent Egypt's heritage, whose handicrafts are worldwide famous, and who have just trained 25 young people of Garagous' finest on the trade to ensure sustainability?"
Garagous pottery is a reflection of traces of Naqada's predynastic civilisation in Egypt (4000-3000 BC). In its shades of blue and green, this unique pottery reveals also layers of ancient Egyptian, Coptic, and Islamic motifs. The biggest value it represents is the passionate hands that mastered the trade since they were children.
According to the book titled Garagous, The Story of 21 Years of Jesuit and Brothers 1946-1967, by Father William Sedhom, published in 2018, the idea of establishing a pottery workshop in the village of Garagous was formulated in 1946 as part of the human development project of the Jesuit Brother's Association.
Father Stephane Montgolfier and Father Maurice Fenoye launched their human development journey in Garagous, along with some nuns from Notre Dame des Apotre.
Among the people they consulted with were Tharwat Okasha, the late renowned Egyptian thinker and one-time culture minister; the late Hassan Fathy, a famous architect; late writer Ahmed Ragab, and late architect Wissa Wassef.
Their efforts materialised into a complex housing, a school, church, library, youth centre, and a workshop/factory for pottery and tapestry making and was conceptualised and built using Fathy's unique and sustainable architecture.
"I worked in the factory right after I finished school in 1963 and my uncles were the ones who were building it with architect Hassan Fathy. I have spent all my life in this factory," laments Fawaz Sedhom, one of the oldest artisans of Garagous factory.
"We are currently exhibiting our products in Alexandria and we need to access our goods in the factory," Sedhom adds.
Sedhom represents some 20 families who have been practising this trade for decades and are now facing an unknown future.
"The eviction is catastrophic. The factory represents a great part of Egypt's heritage that should be saved," noted Father William Sedhom, director of the Jesuit Culture Centre, Cairo.
Meanwhile, the factory remains closed, for the first time in its history, rendering the fate of the people who dedicated their life to working there unknown.


Clic here to read the story from its source.