Traditional straw chair weaving in Akkar struggling

In a special feature today, Al Mustaqbal, drew attention to the traditional straw chair weaving craft still steadfast in a shop owned by Abdel Salam Dari’I in Wadi al Jamous, Akkar in the North. Dari’i, Al Mustaqbal wrote, has taken over the trade from his ancestors, worked 13 years with his father and persisted on his own for 30 years. Still struggling despite the difficulties, Dari’i explained to Al Mulstaqbal reporter that in the past he used to make ordinary square straw designs but that later he developed the profession and bought electric machinery and saws to meet his customers’ demands. Years ago, he said, many artisans worked in the industry, but now some are dead and others discontinued the craft because they could not afford to get the machinery or repay accumulated debts to wooden merchants or other materials needed. However, Dari’i went on to say, demand on his special chairs improved recently, specifically from Beirut, Beqaa and Tripoli more than from local Akkari clients, and heritage restaurants were in the forefront. In conclusion, Dari’i lamented that keeping this trade was not an easy thing due to the expensive materials involved, calling on ministries concerned about rare traditional craft skills at risk of dying out to intervene. (Al Mustaqbal, July 3, 2018)
 

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