Copper polishing, a traditional craft in the South likely to vanish

The traditional craft of copper polishing appeared in South Lebanon in the second half of the 19th Century. It emerged in Jwayya through one villager who acquired the skills from a wandering Egyptian craftsperson before it spread among the village youth and people of neighboring towns and villages. One present craftsperson, Qassem Hashem, boasting his 53 year old profession which he inherited from his father, said that his family business of polishing copper utensils provided for his 8-member household throughout the years. Abu Hassan said that he hoped to remain proud and resilient until the rest of his life while practicing his profession. “Living with minimum income is better than destitution and than having to plea for help,” he said. (Al Diyar, 27 March 2015)