Women Weavers OnLine
N'kob
Piece 3.12732 was made by Fadma Elwardi, who did not want her picture to appear. She is 24 years old and has been weaving for several years. She lives with her parents, and when I asked what she does with the money she earns she says it's used "to survive," which means she gives the money to her father and he uses it for household expenses. Fadma said he also gives her some, and when I asked what she used the last amount for, she said she got new clothes for a holiday. This is a pile rug, in a lattice design that several N'kob women make. The main color is black with the lattices in gray and white with an unusual bit of red, which you can see best in this detail. There are accents in the borders in red, orange and blue. In a few spots the red has faded into the white, but not seriously - I can't find it in the photos. The size is about 3'6" x 5'4" and the price is $185.
This is Fadma Ahouli, and she made the rug below. She's still single and lives with her father. When she earns money for a rug she gives it to him. It is fairly typical for the men to know about, and handle, the marketing instead of women. Many of the sales are at the Friday market in Tazenakht, about 1 1/2 hours away over a dirt road. It would be hard for the women to be away from home all day since they have so many chores to do, and many would be shy about appearing at the open-air market in front of strange men.
Piece 3.12736 is a knotted rug in the Tazenakht style. There are three central panels and three main borders. The end panels have a dark blue ground and the center one is mainly red, with a little gray and green in it. Notice how the four diamonds in the center panel blend with those alongside them. There are also touches of black, white, gray and orange, seen better in this detail. This piece measures 3'10" x 5'5" and costs $320.
This is Rqia Agourram and she made the rug below. Her daughter is also a weaver and made the belt she is holding, which is for sale on a previous page.
Piece 3.12752 is a small flatwoven akhnif. The ground is a light denim blue with some abrash or color change at the left end, one of the signs of a handwoven rug. The red center has embroidery around the edge, and highlights in red, orange, dark green and a black-purple which you can see better in the close-up. You can also see the embroidered border, which looks like a series of small flowers. The size is about 2' x 3' 2 1/2" and the price is $105. SOLD, but could perhaps be remade.
