#and traditional craftspeople often live in incredible poverty

[obstinatecondolement]

This is something I did look into a few years ago without any luck, but does anyone know of anywhere I could buy a Navajo floor spindle from a Native seller? I can find any amount of them for sale from various general spinning/weaving/etc. suppliers, but I am reluctant to buy a tool relating to an indigenous crafting tradition from Some Company (or even Some Etsy Shop run by a non-Native) that does not remotely benefit the (very marginalised) community that the tool originates from.

I am a hobbyist spinner who does not make any money from spinning, and would not try to exoticise the fact that I was doing a Navajo style of spinning or position myself as an expert in it. I am interested by using a large spindle supported on the floor to spin largely because it looks more ergonomic and I am interested in learning styles of spinning that are new to me.

Also though, if anyone is aware of if the general consensus among Navajo craftspeople is that they would rather that non-Natives do not try to learn this kind of spinning, and can point me in the way of any information along those lines, that would be appreciated, because I do not want try to take ownership of things that are not mine to take.

I am also unclear about whether "Navajo spindle" is a term that is being used by non-Native spinners as an umbrella to group together various traditions of spinning? I am (passingly) familiar with the spinning and weaving traditions in the Navajo community, but there is something on The Woolery's website called a Blackfoot Spindle, which, has the following in its product description:

These Blackfoot Spindles were produced in coordination with Marilyn Wright (featured in Summer 2013 Spin Off magazine). They are handmade with a notch cut into the shaft that helps facilitate this almost lost spinning technique. Includes illustrated instruction pamphlet. This technique of spinning was almost lost. At the turn of the last century the tribal elders of the Blackfoot Confederacy declared that all spindles should be burned and that there would be no more spinning. A very relaxed way to spin on a unique spindle. Order this Navajo style spindle for sale today.

Like... I am not saying that all members of the Blackfeet Nation would be like "Well, tribal elders said a century ago that there was to be no more spinning, so I'm glad that tradition is (almost?) gone, actually" or that they wouldn't want it to be revived (or that there aren't efforts within that community to revive it that I am not aware of), but it feels to me like it does not fall to non-Native spinners to revive or ~save~ this style of spinning the way that this ad copy seems to be suggesting and that it's kind of a patronizing thing to imply.

Also, given that many spinners refer to chain-plying as "Navajo-plying" when Navajo spinners say that it is not something that originates in their spinning tradition, this leads me to believe that the term "Navajo spindle" may be used in a way by non-Natives that is flattening out and equating diverse spinning cultures originating in the Americas.

Anyway, the last time I was exploring this I kind of lost steam and decided to make a one-off donatation to Adopt a Native Elder to send a yarn bundle to a traditional Navajo weaver instead, so that I was actively supporting a non-hypothetical Navajo craftsperson in making a living from their crafts instead of just indulging in navel gazing about whether making my own spindle was a more respectful way to engage in their crafting traditions than buying a "Navajo" spindle from Some Company would be, which may well be what I land on doing again, but if there is a Native spinner out there who sells spindles I would love to support their business.

[roundtheworldrambles]

Fes (Part 1)

Day 23 - Fes

We began our day in Fes outside the Royal Palace - with it’s famous “7 golden gates”, impressively detailed and patterned brass doors, surrounded by traditional Islamic tile work (called zellige). The security was quite high around the palace, and we were warned against taking photography of other doors or of any policemen, as it is considered illegal. Though the King of Morocco lives in Rabat, the capital, he often comes to Fes, and the palace is therefore not open to the public.

Outside the “7 Golden Gates” of the Palais Royale of Fes. Fun fact - apparently they use lemon juice to keep the doors polished!

Incredible details and zellige mosaics on the golden doors. Zellige is mosaic tilework made from individually chiseled geometric tiles set into a plaster base. This Islamic art form is seen throughout Moroccan architecture.

According to a numerous Moroccans I met, King Mohammed VI, the current king, is generally well liked in Morocco, and has introduced many progressive political changes during his tenure. These include initiatives focused on poverty, free education, expanding civil liberties, granting more rights to women (women are now no longer able to marry before 18 years old) and reforming the constitution in 2011 during the Arab Spring, moving more power away from the monarchy and towards the elected parliament.

Moorish Architecture in Bab Mellah of Fes - the Jewish Quarter

Following our visit to the Royal Palace, we walked to the nearby Bab Mellah of Fes, the old Jewish Quarter of the city. Although this area no longer hosts a Jewish Community, there is beautiful Moorish architecture and old synagogues that remain. When the city of Fes was established in 808, Jewish people from other areas of Europe and the Middle East began to settle in the Mellah. In the 14th-15th century, Fes and Morocco saw a major influx of Sephardic Jews from Spain, when they were fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. At it’s peak, Morocco was home to over 250,000 Jews, many of who have since emigrated following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

Beautiful remaining architecture in the Bab Mellah of Fes - with storks perched on the top of the buildings!

Following our visit to the Royal Palace and the Mellah, we took a quick detour up into the hills surrounding Fes, where there was an incredible vantage point over the city. There was extensive above ground cemetery beneath the lookout, with countless rows of white-washed tombs, inscribed with beautiful Arabic designs and writing.

View over Fes from the above ground cemetery on the hill

We visited a pottery workshop in the mid morning, where craftspeople make the traditional ceramics Morocco is so well known for. There was an incredible display of artistry, from the assembly of elaborate “zellige” tile mosaics, painting intricate designs on dishes, hand-welding silver designs onto pottery, and fashioning tagine pots. The work is completely done by hand - from the foot-driven potter’s wheel, to hand-torching molten silver, to chipping designs with small tools.

Ceramic Work at the Pottery studio - all completed by hand

Although the pottery was incredibly beautiful, I found it very difficult to see the job conditions with my background in workplace injuries. Despite the fact that this workshop being supported by the government, and is considered “good” by Moroccan standards, there was absolutely no personal protective equipment in sight. The physical demands of the job and corresponding risk of injury were quite shocking to me. I noted that most of the workers were relatively young - all under 30 or so.

Following the pottery workshop, we ventured into the historic medina of Fes, with our guide Hischam, who was born and raised in the heart of the old city. Fes has one of the biggest and oldest medinas in the world, dating back to the 9th century. According to our guide, there are more than 9000 (nameless!) streets in the medina, and over 40,000 dead ends. Needless to say, it is one of the biggest labyrinths in the world! We walked through sections of the medina where the alleys were so narrow our shoulders brushed against both walls.

Squeezing through narrow alleyways in the medina, or “old city” of Fes

Cars are not able to drive through the medina, so it is typical to see donkeys laden with bags or small scooters and Tuk Tuks navigating the small streets. It is common for people living in the medina to do all their baking in a communal oven, and these are scattered throughout the alleyways.

A donkey - easiest way to get products in and out of the medina!

The souk (market) section of the medina is organized into many different artisan’s quarters - with specific areas for the carpenters, bakers, spice sellers, and metal-workers, to name a few. In the clothes-dying section, the dye runs between the cobblestones, and you need to watch your footing!

Souks in Fes’ Medina (old city)

The medina has an incredible number of active mosques - over 350! You can often hear numerous calls to prayer simultaneously, which is quite a mesmerizing sound. We stopped by the beautiful Bou Inania Madrasa in the heart of the medina. A madrasa is an Islamic school which also functions as a congregational mosque.

Bou Inania Madrasa