Damascus-Sana
The Syrian folklore was demonstrated in its best form in the exhibition set up by the Ministry of Culture in Khan Asaad Pasha, through its display of the folk costumes of various environments in addition to the artistic handicrafts that express the rich cultural heritage of our country.
The lobbies of the khan were decorated with the costumes of the Syrian governorates and their countryside with their beautiful and varied colors, to bring back the audience of the exhibition held within the days of Syrian culture to the memory of the ancestors, their stories and their fingerprints, in addition to the handicrafts rich in art and thought from the manufacture of musical instruments, Damascene swords, carving on wood, painting on glass, engraving on copper, mosaics, arabesques, hand looms, pottery and glass And weaving silk napkins, wood turning, oil making, and others.
The Minister of Culture, Labana Mashouh, said in a press statement that the purpose of the exhibition is to introduce the Syrian heritage, revitalize its industry and revive it, and pass on these crafts to future generations, pointing to the importance of embracing craftsmen and taking care of their production by allocating a number of rooms in the khan to practice their trades and provide them with all the necessary facilities.
Rola Akili, director of heritage at the ministry, indicated to SANA that the shows held by the directorate varied from shadow imaginations, costumes, oriental sticks and a group of crafts, stressing the importance of bringing back the heritage that is a culture, identity and civilized symbol of our country.
The craftsman Bashar Jawdat Halabi, a specialist in the manufacture of the Damascene oud, explained that he made this instrument by hand, and this makes it distinguished by its tarab sound, its resistance and its survival for more than a hundred years.
Muhammad Al-Hallaq, a handcrafted glass craftsman, showed that he works from broken glass pieces by melting and then blowing in the old way to show the appropriate shape for making vases and various glassware.
As for the craftsman, Mamoun, a barber, a craftsman of wood turning, he mentioned that the lathe he worked with was before the existence of electricity and energy means, and he manufactures with it all types of furniture, soft arabesque pieces and traditional wooden artifacts such as kibbeh, samovar and mahbaj, and it requires the craftsman to master painting.
Riyadh Suleiman Al-Sioufi, a craftsman with Damascene sword making, described this profession as a long tradition that is still practiced in the same way, starting with the manufacture of the blade from steel, then the handle and the sheath, and its inlay with gold and silver, pointing to the distinction of the Damascene sword with flexibility, sharpness and hardness.
The craftsman, Madiha Al-Naama, explained that she works on the craft of the loom, which is very old, noting that the piece that is made via the loom is distinguished by technology, quality and beautiful art that is reflected in the spirit of its maker.
Bilal Ahmad