journaldelamedina-blog

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THE LANGUAGE OF WAVES

Three months have passed since Interference, an international light art project in the Medina of Tunis and the first of its kind on the African continent, filled the public space for four days.

Light was switched on, illuminating our neighbourhoods and bringing people together from near and afar.

After switching it off, all material traces vanished, but memories and emotions continue to linger on, reminding us of the unique encounters we were fortunate to experience.

مهرجان متاع الضوء؟

Light art? In the Medina?

People’s first reactions to the concept were mostly surprised and sceptical, “Aren’t bigger and more acute issues at hand, than projecting bubbles on to walls?”; “Why not look at the ground and illuminate the garbage polluting our alleys instead of projecting abstract shapes on to our walls?”, were comments I overheard from passers-by in the Medina.

Fair enough, I understand the scepticism. The idea is far-fetched and might not come to mind when thinking about strategies to promote heritage, intercultural dialogue and arts in the public space for the community. However, give the whole idea some thought and the medium’s relevance in current society begins to surface.

Interference is a vision that allows no obstacles; a vision that art is for all; a vision that money is not the key-factor for the success of your idea; and most of all, a vision that through the help of others we can achieve almost EVERYTHING.

Interference owes its successful execution to the voluntary help of others, help which wasn’t only offered by the more than 150 restless and engaged volunteers, but also by the community of the Medina. From the early days of organising to the festival itself, acts of helpfulness and generosity were omnipresent. You could spot anything from passers-by helping volunteers carry their equipment, compassionate friends and family donating food and drinks, to neighbours allowing the use of their electricity for the testing of artworks or project enthusiasts offering to share their homes with artists and volunteers. These countless gestures of self-devotion to a cause are what gave the festival its sturdy base.

No budget? No problem. Aymen Gharbi and Bettina Pelz, the two masterminds behind the project, were going to prove that money could not get in the way of their vision. The idea attracted and brought together people and artists from different backgrounds and environments, some of them having never heard about Tunisia before except for maybe the negative news that they had heard in the news. Nevertheless, they were convinced by the project and prepared to, at their own cost, join the adventure.

Upon landing in the Medina, everyone soon realised that collaboration and understanding functions beyond languages and cultures.

Meet Tom Groll, one of the two German artists with Kuno Seltmann, responsible for the piece Biocenosis in Nahj al-Maktaa, an artwork defined as, “a mix of photographic footage from the Medina, the artists’ home area and natural phenomena, collaged in a projection environment.” When asked how he selected the specific space for his artwork, he answered:

“The space has a surreal ambiance and feels like a film set. Part of a building is in ruins of which nothing but a facade remains, allowing you to glance through broken windows looking out to a Tunisian flag. I feel like it’s a magical spot where everything is possible, observing the people living in harmony with each other, the cats, sheep and us, the foreigners, in the middle of it all. One of the first times I was checking out Nahj al-Maktaa I heard someone shout loudly and laugh. I took photographs of the site and then of him. Then two of his brothers followed and we started communicating through facial expressions and gestures. While we were testing a projection I started filming them and then projected their images on the walls. It was a blast for them and for me!” And so a beautiful relationship between Tom, Kuno and the three Nahj al-Maktaa brothers began to unfold.

Everyone who visited the festival would agree, that while the whole Medina was buzzing with visitors, this site on Nahj al-Maktaa managed to keep its calm and peaceful energy, at times taking on a meditative character.

Imagine a vast and open space surrounded by buildings and facades in ruins, reflecting images of swaying trees, underwater organisms, which deceive your senses, draw you in and make you feel like you and the wall are one.

Hypnotized and enchanted, sits Makrem, one of the three brothers, facing the artwork, falling under its spell until he’s torn out of it by the realization that the image has morphed in to an image of himself. The installation,  Biocenosis, mixes here and there, us and them, making it impossible for us to distinguish; who are we and who are they? Is it even important to distinguish this? This piece of work brought people together from different types of upbringing and environments, speaking completely different languages yet still managing to communicate with each other.

Meet Makrem, Mehrez and Flen, three brothers and almost prominent young men in the neighbourhood around Nahj al-Bacha.

Makrem can be spotted from as early as 5am in the morning spreading Bkhour (incense) around the Medina and instantaneously spreading smiles and happiness through his positive energy. His two brothers can be heard shouting, mostly when they exclaim discontent at the amount of cars and traffic jams in the Medina, frantically trying to bring order to the crowded alleys. Otherwise, the brothers are all masters at keeping themselves busy, clearing the streets of branches and litter or hitching a ride with a scooter passing by. They’re never bored or sitting around killing time. There’s always something to do, something to move, someone to greet.

With Tom and Kuno arrived their new calling, which was to make sure that all of the artists’ needs were met. If the lamps weren’t turned off in time for a light rehearsal at night, Mahrez would make sure he could find some blankets to cover them. Early some mornings, the Maktaa brothers would pass by the house where Tom and Kuno were staying, to check on the artists to see if they could be of any use or to simply spread incense in their home. For the duration of the artists’ stay, they were absolutely restless in their attempt to help.

Meet Kuno Seltmann, the second driving force behind Biocenosis. When asked about his fondest memory of his time in the Medina, he replied, “I was sitting on the ground in Nahj al-Maktaa one night, waiting to record the first prayer of the muezzin. A few minutes after the call to prayer had started, one of the Maktaa brothers (the strong one, who’s name we never heard) came out of his house, ready to begin the day. I was touched so deeply because every night he had been spending with us on the Biocenosis site, watching us, always doing something, helping us and helping others until midnight. He gave us so much of his energy by being there, by relentlessly helping us; and all that after an unimaginably long day of hard work, collecting and carrying things around the Medina. He is such a strong person and has a great heart. After he recognised me, sitting there at the very beginning of the day, he smiled and insisted on helping me back to my apartment.”

The risk of bringing someone (in this case, artists) to a foreign place, is that they could bring along pre-existing ideas and concepts, which might be completely out of context with the new space they currently find themselves in, possibly forcing them on an environment which might not necessarily agree with and accept them. Interference, however, proved the exact opposite thanks to the sensitivity of the artists and the welcome they found among the Medina residents.

In physics, the term interference is defined as, “a phenomenon in which two waves superpose to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or the same amplitude.” Interference took over this definition and made it a social phenomenon.

In this case, the waves represent the Medina and light art; the local community and foreign artists; UNESCO world heritage and a contemporary art form; waves completely different from each other but neither one of them considering themselves to be higher or lower; waves which manage to meet and communicate at eye level, respecting and embracing differences and similarities.

In Tom’s opinion, the positive result and impact of the festival owed their success to powerful resonance, triggered by impulses of passion and optimism. This resonance managed to move  many people and awaken their appreciation for an art form, which was previously unknown to them. Thanks to the high level of community involvement, participants were able to understand, study and become part of the movement and art, as opposed to only being consumers or observers. Tom explains this visibly by describing a stone being thrown in to the water, the stone symbolising an impulse and the ripples the expanding resonance.

Tom describes the festival community as a driving force, “Finding myself in a foreign country, I still felt completely at home. I was welcomed on the spot and reminded of this hospitality every day through the smiles, hugs and kisses I was receiving everywhere I went. This warmth charged me with so much energy.” He considers himself lucky, not only to have been able to contribute to the festival, but also to have been able to discover and experience Tunis first hand, being catapulted directly in to the middle of the community, living and sharing everything with them. “Now being back home in Germany, it’s impossible for me to explain my experiences to my friends.…So much happened on an emotional level and was so deeply touching. I’m sure this goes for all of the other German artists.…it was a magical experience filled with magical encounters. It might not have been our primary goal as artists to achieve something spiritually moving, but it ended up being the case. The title of our piece Biocenosis came to life, thanks to our site, the presence of the three Maktaa brothers as well as us the artists. This took our piece to another level and gave it a human character with emotions and its own energy.”

Now when I walk on Nahj al-Bacha I am often  asked, “Hey, where did the light people go? Will they come back next week? Where’s that guy with the ripped pants? (referring to Kuno) I miss him!”

Interference was an encounter of many waves, that met and learned from each other, each set of voices adding and taking knowledge. It proved that art is a universal language that can break barriers and prejudices and bring people together to confront, embrace and learn to love each other’s differences and voices. Kuno added, “I think meaningful exchange works in a very personal way. All of the deep connections I had with people in Tunis really opened my mind to many subjects that I haven´t thought about before. I came to the realisation that somehow, no matter where we come from, we’re all affected by similar things in life. There are so many meeting points! It opened my mind to talk to all the people about their great thoughts, ideas and ways of seeing reality. The experience of meeting people who are riding the same wave, really touched me and it is this which still connects me with my Tunisian friends! New ideas can grow from this connection.”

We all await the next wave of Interference!

Text: Emily Sarsam

Special thanks to: Tom Groll, Kuno Seltmann, Elizabeth Dobie-Sarsam Image 1: Sabina von Kessel - Tom and Kuno at the site of BIOCENOSIS

Image 2: Emily Sarsam - Mehrez at the site of the artwork on Nahj al Maktaa

Image 3: Emily Sarsam - Makrem at the site of the artwork on Nahj al Maktaa

Image 4: Emily Sarsam - A preview of BIOCENOSIS on Nahj al Maktaa

Image 5: Mehdy Khmili - The team of INTERFERENCE

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Meet Am (uncle) Taieb!

One would never except to find this little enchanting workshop in Souq al Hafsiin, just off of Nahj al Qasbah. Upon entering, one is taken aback by the endless stacks of colourful leather reaching all the way up to the ceiling. This is where Balghas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balgha) are produced through needle, thread and leather. Behind a sewing machine we find Am Taieb, working away on a pair of these traditional shoes.

-Am Taieb, could you please tell us a little bit about your craft, the Balgha, and how you started working in this sector?

My dad was the one to spark my passion! When I was little I studied at the “Sadiqia” school and after class I would help him in the workshop. Our family has been producing the Balgha for generations and now my children have inherited the craft, and are we proud of it!

Everyday we learn something new, which makes me glad and feel lucky to get up in the morning and go to work!

-Is producing the Balgha your passion or is it simply a job to make money?

Of course, from the beginning we had to find a way to generate an income. I had to help my dad and then take over the business. But at the same time it was our passion. I would head straight to the shop after school, taking over the piece he was working on to enable him go to the mosque. I’ve been helping him since I was 5 years old and even though I was studying at the “Sadiqia" school and afterwards continued my education at “Lycée de Carneaux”, my love for the craft of the Balgha kept growing stronger!

-I can feel you’re truly passionate! Your workshop is unlike the other Balgha workshops, tell us a little bit about your relation to it and the pieces you produce here.

I would say my shop is “typical” and I’ve grown very attached to it and the products that are produced here. I especially love leather and always try to create new products. Even though I have other shops in Souq al-Balghajiya (a part of the souq, where the Balghas are produced and sold), I stay here in my workshop. I’m not a big fan of commerce and buying and selling! I prefer to work in production so I always stick around here!

-Could you tell us a little bit about Nahj al-Qasbah? You seem to be the only Balghaji (Balgha producer) here.

Nahj al-Qasbah used to be something else! There never used to be these fast food shops. They were all either for Shawashiin ( Shashia producers, the traditional Tunisian felt hat) or Jewish traders selling clothing. Most of Souq al-Hafsiin was occupied by Shawashiin.

My grandfather was a Balghaji (someone who produces the Balgha) working in Souq al-Mar, close to Bab Manara, which used to be called Souq al-Balghajiya. Afterwards my father ended up working in al-Wakala (a large building which has been split up in to many parts, workshops) “as-Samaaʕa”, which got its name due to its function as a home for students from Samaaʕa in Nabeul, that came to live in the Medina. Afterwards my family moved to a workshop in al-Khalduniya right by Souq al-Attarine and now after decades of moving around we’ve ended up in Nahj al-Qasbah.

-We heard about your experience with the “Association de sauvegarde de la Médina de Tunis”. Could you tell us a little bit about it?

It was a great experience and I hope for more similar projects in the future! Our crafts needs to become more visible! I’ve been to plenty of Arab countries and I can speak with certainty when I say, our craft is unique!

-Am Taieb, what’s the situation of your craft today?

The Balgha used to be of better and of stronger quality, one could almost say they were as sturdy as Qubqab (wooden clogs) and made the same clacking noise when walking!

Every piece used to be sewed, now they’re glueing them! People only care about how they look and not the quality anymore. The Balgha isn’t what it used to be in 1972. We used to produce the Naʕal which was a much stronger model.

-Am Taieb, it’s been a pleasure to speak with you, before we end the interview, one last thing. What’s the secret behind your craft?

Giving and taking! This goes for the Blagha and every other craft! If you can manage to do your job with content and satisfaction and develop a passion for your craft then with a little bit of patience, nothing but good is out there waiting for you!

This was our conversation with Am Taieb, a story of a unique and special craft, the Balgha, and a tradition that has been passed on over generations and lives on through Am Taieb’s son and through who ever may follow! In the spirit of the Tunisian proverb, “ "صنعة بوه لايعايروه “ - “respect your father’s craft”!

Interview held by Yosr Hizem

The beautiful photographs were taken by Med-Amin Chouikh.

Contact him here: https://www.facebook.com/medamin.chouikh 

or here: amin74@live.com 

For more information about the project “BALGHA” between the Association de Sauvegarde de la Médina and Balgha artisans, check here! 

https://www.femmesdetunisie.com/la-balgha-dhier-et-daujourdhui-remise-au-gout-du-jour-a-dar-lasram/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sePfW4z9FNU&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh4x3aI6-T0

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Faces and Places - What Place in the Medina resembles you most?

My name is Rhouma and I'm from "Centreville". My whole life, I've loved the old town of Tunis and I’ve always hoped that one day I would have the chance to live there. Luckily, I now work in a beautiful guest house and I pass by the Medina more often.

Which place have you chosen and where in the Medina is it located?

The steps of the Zeytouna Mosque and the square that is infront of it.

Why did you chose this place and what does it mean to you?

There's a lot of movement and joy in this place. The people passing by come in all different types of colours. It's very cosmopolitan.

How do the faces and facades, that you see when you walk in the Medina, influence you?

I feel as if I've travelled in time and visited the period between 1900-1960. This was the golden age of Tunis, when the city was the source of movement and the world was beautiful!

Tell us about the faces and facades of the Medina that you like and dislike and would like to discover what's behind them.

Old windows make me lift my head, only to find, that the green of age has begun to take over. It's as if you could suddenly feel the good old days, when passerbys flirted with their cheeky glimpses and songs in the middle of the night.

PS: I'm a big fan of the movie "3sfour es-Sta7" 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUyQ1JuxadU)

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جماعة المدينة - شكري

صنعت بوه لا يعايروه ،عندي 25 سنة في ها لمحل، تعلمت على الوالد، صنعتي ثمينة موجودة كان داخل حيوط لمدينة، سواك ولوبان لنساء، و البخور ما اغيب على دار، الريحة هي الروح  سر وكمون كل مكان

سئلنا شكري على تعاملات ناس المدينة، قالنا "الكلمة كانت تقضي "، غابت الثقة مع ناسها, المدينة عندها سرها مش كان في حكاياتها، التعاملات هي المحرك الأساسي بين ناسها

The community of the Medina - Shokri

Like father like son, I've been working in this store for 25 years. I learned everything from him. My craft is precious and found only within the Medina's walls. „Siwek“ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak) and „Louban“ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankincense) for the women and „Boukhour“(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhoor) can not be missed in any home. The smell is the soul, secret and „Camoun“(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumin) of each place. 

We asked Shokri about the relationships between people living in the Medina. He told us, „People used to keep their word, nowadays trust has disappeared. The Medina has a secret, which isn't written in its stories, relationships are the fundamental motor between its people. (Shokri’s incense shop is located in Souk de laine, in the Medina of Tunis)

Text & Picture: Asma Allal

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Faces and Places - What Place in the Medina resembles you most?

Selwa Jebali - Kimaenti

- Tell us about yourself and your connection to the Medina:

My connection to the Medina isn’t new but I feel like every day it grows a little bit. Everyday I discover new stories and places. I used to come to the Medina in Ramadan before fast-breaking at dusk, to walk around and get lost in the little alleyways. In 2013, I passed by Nahj el Bacha and by chance found a little store for rent. I called up the owner to make all the arrangements. I felt a lot of strange energy around the place…I felt like a little girl in a magical word with all of the Medina’s buildings and people.

The Medina shares with you and teaches you positivity. In the Medina, they taught me not to say: “Why is your shop closed (msakker) ?”, but rather, “Why is your shop decorated (mzeyyin) ?”.

What a beautiful way to express yourself!

The Medina isn’t only a place to shop and sell things, but a place of encounters and conversation…speak to the people and they’ll tell you about their concerns in hope of condolence, which can even at times be relaxing. As you know…our culture loves to talk!

The Medina influences me and my art.

In my work, I want each piece that I create to be unique. Each piece contains antique elements and textiles. In the end, my work resembles the Medina, which owes it’s beauty to these beautiful old things that have remained over the years.

Working in my shop has exposed me to the modern spirit of the Medina.

- What place that resembles you have you chosen and where is it located in the Medina?

The rooftops of the Medina.

- Why did you chose this place and what does it mean to you?

There’s a sense of openness on rooftops with no end of nature or sky in sight. Up over the roof- tops, one can feel the positive energy and vibes of the Medina. It’s a place where you can just let go of the world and lose yourself.

The rooftops of the Medina create a world of their own, from where you can see all the different people and roofs. Those that are empty and vast, covered with satellite dishes or full of plants.

I want my art to resemble the Medina and to portray a marriage between the old and new.

In my opinion, humans and art should function like trees. Planting their roots deeply in to the earth and letting their leaves and blossoms reach high up to the sky.

Origins are everything. I’m very proud of my own roots, in Qsar Hilal. My family worked a lot in tailoring. The world of textiles, dyeing and tailoring really influenced me and directed me towards creativity and art.

I can find myself in the Medina, especially when I lose myself in it’s streets. Moments like these evoke feelings and images in me of a woman. A woman that doesn’t reveal everything at once, except for what is already visible.

Every time you stroll in the Medina, you find something new. The Medina is like a mother that never stops giving.

Photographs: Med-Amin Chouikh

Interview: Zeineb Mediouni, Emily Sarsam

Follow Selwa here: https://www.facebook.com/kimaenti/

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Faces and Places - What Place in the Medina resembles you most?

“The Medina is passion; she’s the woman whose love you can’t ever get over. Even if find a new love, she remains the one you long for and love.”

Jamel! Jameyyel! Brother, Jamel! Hey, Jamel!

Every time you find yourself wandering in the Medina, you are bound to hear one of these calls. The same goes for me. Whenever I go for a walk, I find the same smiling face, wearing a Tunisian Shashia, taking me back in time.

Jamel Ben Saaidane; everyone knows him and he knows them all just as well. In no quarter, street or little alley will you find anyone who does not know him, be it even just by sight. Jamel is one of many invisible threads that ties together the people that live or work in the Medina, without you even noticing!

To get to know more about this interesting character, we invited Jamel to join us for coffee and tell us a little bit about himself.

- Wild Tunis Ben Saaidan…why Wild (son of) Tunis?

I call myself Wild Tunis because before everything, I am Tunisian, and I’m from the neighborhood. Wild Tunis wants to show and present the Medina as he sees it, without a lot of make-up but with her flaws, her battles, her pretty side and the old and new things she beholds.

In my opinion, Wild Tunis is also a way of life, which puts its country before everything else and is led by strong commitment and voluntary work.

- Jamel, introduce yourself and tell us how you see yourself personally?

I’m Tunisian, no more no less than other Tunisians. I have a vision for Tunis, which is for the country to return to being the big and powerful nation that it was once before. This is why I try to do my best. For example, everyone used to sweep up in front of their homes, everywhere you looked was clean. Therefore, I try to start with myself before others and try to be a good example, by improving myself and representing my country, instead of waiting for my country to represent me.

- How would you like to see Jamel?

The vision I have for myself is always related to what I can offer to Tunis. I would like to have more influence because when you work outside of the system you feel that you can’t help in the ways you would like to without losing your freedom…this is why I can’t imagine working for the state. I can’t stand bureaucracy and closed, unclear things. However, one always needs power influence to be able to progress.

- Tell us about a place in the Medina that resembles you.

Al-Shawashiin: The Souq and everything it beholds. It resembles me because it’s authentically Tunisian. Personally, I’m against the idea that the Andalusians brought the Shashia to Tunis. But just as they brought things to Tunis, the Tunisians themselves created the things that surround us today.

- You spoke more about the Shashia than the place.

The space is related to the product, they’re not separated from each other. In the end, they melt together and create an entity.

In my opinion, the Shashia, the Shashia-makers and the Souq are all one.

- Don’t you feel that the Souq is a little bit isolated? Especially for someone who doesn’t know the Medina very well, it isn’t well known. You could close its doors and nobody would notice it. Do you see yourself closed towards other people?

You're right. Just like the Souq, most of the time I’m very open but then there are times whenyou need to break through to get to know me very well and for me to open my door for you.

- Tell us about the first time you went to the Souq Al-Shawashiin and the first impressions it left on you.

I’ve been going to the Souq ever since I was little, but it wasn’t until last year that I started understanding the craft of the Shashia and I rediscovered the Shashia-makers in it. I spent ages listening to their stories about their craft and the problems they face today. These stories impressed me, and they are entrenched in my mind. It’s true that I’ve been living in the Medina for 30 years, but every day I discover new places, even after passing by them every day. This way I get to know myself better through the Medina.

- Jamel, you’re one of the most active people in the Medina. What’s your secret connection to her?

The Medina is passion; she’s the woman whose love you can’t ever get over. Even if find a new love, she remains the one you long for and love. Since I was little, she raised me and I love her. Every event involving the Medina, I try to personally attend and help.

- What’s the difference between Jamel in- and outside the Medina?

Like the plant that you take out of its habitat! Sure, you can adapt and live, but you always feel like your soul is missing something. The noise, the people and the words that aren’t said or heard.

- If the Medina was a person, how would you see its face?

A beautiful woman, neither old nor young. She has mixed features and you can’t define her roots, nor can you distinguish what time of age she comes from. She wears a red dress…

This was our talk with Jamel, which helped us to get to know him better and understand the secret behind the Shashia he wears on his head.

Follow Wild Tunis here: https://www.instagram.com/wildtunis/

Photographs: Med-Amin Chouikh

Interview: Iheb Kassmi

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خرجنا الجريدة اخيرا !! تنجمو تلقاوها في قهوة العنبة و مكتبة الديوان. يعيشكم الناس الكل  الي عاونتونا 

 تصويرة: محمد امين شويخ 

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دورة العشية في فريب الحفصيّة

An afternoon tour of the fripe in al-Hafsia

الفريب تجربة كل واحد فينا عاشها و يعيشها بطريقته...الدورة في أي سوق تخلّيك تشوف ناس تشري وتتعامل مع سلعة أما في سوق الفريب تحس النّاس الكل في رحلة البحث عن الكنز..الفريب فيه سسبينس وماتعرفش روحك بشنوة بش تروح في اخر الدورة هاذاك علاش تحس الناس مختلفين وجوهم،حركتهم و خزرتهم ...كل واحد كيفاه يتعامل مع النّصبة فما شكون يوسّع بالو وتلقاه يفرز بالقطعة بالقطعة وفما شكون يتعدى يهز حاجة يشوفها شوية ويمشي (ممكن الخبرة تخليه يفرّق الباهي والخايب). فالنصبة تحس الناس يتعاونو، ينصحو بعضهم، وفي نفس الوقت يعسّو على بعضهم شكون لقى حاجة باهية. لنسا والبنات خاصّة الفريب بروغرام في الويكاند ولا في السوايع إلي ما يقراوش فيهم. السوق ديما يتبدّل الاصوات والوجوه، الالوان ... تسمع كل واحد كيفاش ينادي على سلعتو 'بدينار يا مدام' 'سلعة عشرة بثلاثة' والجملة الشهيرة 'فرصة لا تعاد يا مدام سعاد In every souq you can observe people browsing and shopping in a specific way, but nowhere is the approach of the buyer towards their desired product quite like it is in the fripe. A trip to the fripe resembles a suspenseful treasure hunt. You never quite know what you’ll find. Everyone has their own mindset, there are those who go to clear their minds, those who sort through each item piece by piece in an almost meditative manner and then there are those who just pass by to pick up that t-shirt they spotted on their way to work. You can feel that the shoppers in the fripe are willing to consult and help each other find something nice, but at the same time you can feel the tension and competition between them, everyone wants to go home with the gem. Every seller has a rhyme, call or song- a way of marketing his products: “One dinar, Madame!" ('بدينار يا مدام’), “A product worth 10 dinar for 3" ('سلعة عشرة بثلاثة’) and the famous reoccurring phrase “You’ll never get a chance like this again, Madame Souad!” ('فرصة لا تعاد يا مدام سعاد’).. النص: زينب المديوني, اميلي سرسم صور: محمد أمين شويخ

Text: Zeineb Mediouni, Emily Sarsam Photographs: Med-Amin Chouikh

بقيّة الحكاية تلقاوها في جريدتنا الّي تخرج اخر الشهر!

Find the rest of the story in our Journal, which will be published at the end of the month!

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من غادي تبدا الحكاية في زنقة من زناقي المدينة في تركينة فين النسمة العليلة و القهوة البنينة وين تلاقينا وحكينا وين تعاشرنا و عشنا مبين الضحكة و التبسيمة تحتها غنينا وتسلطنا و زهينا وما تسمع كان يا حمة قهيوة حكاية طويلة ما توفاش عرفت فيها احسن ناس عمرناك يا عنبة بحكياتنا و ضحكاتنا و سقيناك من الدمع الي هابط من عويناتنا مفرقتش مبين المعلم والتلميذ و الفلاح و الطبيب والي جايك ومن قريب ومن بعيد و يعاود نفس الصوت حمة قهوة يا احلى تركينة في زنقة من زناقي المدينة... (حمّة - العنبة)

قهوة العنبة موجودة في نهج سوق الربع في المدينة العربي..أول ما تدخلها تحس روحك دخلت في عالم آخر، عالم وسط المدينة العربي. النهج ضيّق ومغطّي بعنبة وفيه ناس أنواع وأشكال: رجال و نساء و أولاد وبنات اليسي، فنّانين و مفكرين و موظفين و توريست... القعدة في العنبة ممكن تتلخّص في كلمة اللمّة...اللمّة في بلاصة تخلّيك مرتاح مع روحك ومع غيرك...

The Grapevine Café (Qahwet el-Anba) is situated in Nahj Suq Ar-Ruba in the Medina, the old town of Tunis. When entering the café’s narrow alley, which is covered with grapevines, you feel like you’ve entered a different world right in the middle of the Medina. The café offers refuge to all people: men, women, students, artists, civil servants, tourists and more.

The Anba is a place, which allows us to feel at ease and peace with ourselves, within a gathering of people. Whether we know these people or not, the atmosphere in the Anba makes us forget the boundaries we usually create between ourselves and strangers and instead lets us feel calm in their presence.

بقيّة الحكاية تلقاوها في جريدتنا الّي تخرج اخر الشهر!

Find the rest of the story in our Journal, which will be published at the end of the month

Photos: Med-amine Chouikh Text: Zeineb Mediouni / Emily Sarsam

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اكبر قرعة هي موجودة في سوق سيدي سريدك

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n7ibbu nushkru ennas elkull illi a3mmru elquestionnaire mta3na a3l jaw fil medina, blesh raykum ma femmash jareedat el medina!

photo ©Med-Amin Chouikh

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السوق الحفصي: رحل عنه سكانه و لكن أرواحهم باقية ما بقي قائما، لتذكرنا بتاريخه المجيد…

#أحكيلي #المدينة #تونس #قرطاجينة #أسواق #حكاية_صنايعية #شاشية #تراث #بقلم_عربي #ويكيبيديا

#A7kili #liveTunisia #stounsi #igers #igersTunisia #Souks #Carthagina #Chechia #artisan #histoiredartisans #discover #loves_tunisia #light (à Medina old Town of Tunis)

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photo: © Med-Amin Chouikh calligraphy: © ياسر جرادي

جامع زيتونة من السطح متاع العنبة

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الحلفاوين place

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الفريب في الحلفاوين

نهار الاحد في تونس

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Elfripe fi Souq Sidi Sridek Hafsia

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La valeur d'un trésor réside dans son secret…

#A7kili #Medina #Tunis #igers #igersTunisia #Loves_Tunisia #liveTunisia #hangingout #old #house #door #arc #hangingout #lost #discover #Stounsi #streetphotographyincolors