Visiting an Oriental Carpet Store with Juilliard Graduate Florence Paget and Savvy Mom Ruth Paget
Even though the sign on the Oriental Carpet display room on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, Californai said, “Trade for Dealers Only,” I wanted to learn more about hand-woven carpets. My daughter Florence was learning to crochet, knit, and sew at her Waldorf School and had just started weaving baskets. I wanted her to know more about “Oriental Carpets,” too.
I took Florence by the hand and popped my head into the
display room. The owner was on the
telephone talking. I smiled and motioned
my hand around the room.
The owner nodded “yes” and motioned for us to come into the
store.
He was speaking in a language I had never heard before; it
was not Arabic or Farsi. I suspected it
was Dari or Pashto, two of the languages of Afghanistan. Dari and Farsi were related I later learned, but they did not sound alike I thought.
I asked Florence what carpets she liked.
“I like that long, thin red one,” she replied. I had worked for an art gallery that sold
Persian carpets and said to her, “That is a kilim carpet that you can weave on
a portable loom.”
We talked about the colors she liked best in each carpet
while the conversation continued. When
the owner finished his conversation, I said, “My daughter is learning to knit
and sew at school. Could you tell us
about your carpets?”
He gave us a short monologue that was very informative:
“They are made by Afghan rebels. The traditional styles have remained the
same, but the colors have changed.
Customers wanted new colors in the 1980s. The rug patterns are the same as those in
Iran, but are colored differently, because the vegetable dyes use different flora.”
I immediately told Florence, “ ‘Flora’ means plants.”
The owner could see that not only was I interested, but
Florence was, too. She got right up
close to the carpets he was holding to examine the knots.
He took out some smaller carpets that were more Florence’s
size and said they were prayer rugs of the Balkh tribe.
He told Florence, “Uneven lines mean the rug was made in a
village. In towns people use patterns to
weave.”
The owner told me, “Silk Turkish prayer rugs are not rally
used for praying. Wool is better to go
on the ground.”
“Wool protects knees better,” I said.
He told me as Florence was examining a pile of rugs that
seventy members of his family made a living from weaving.
“Without weaving, the children and adults would starve. Doctors, teachers, and parents, who are
refugees all have to eat,” he said.
I thanked him showing us the carpets when he had so many
responsibilities.
“It was my pleasure,” he said. “Let your daughter look at the carpets as
long as she would like. I have to get
back to the phone.”
“I understand,” I said and was truly thankful for his time.
By Ruth Paget - Author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
 |
| Ruth Paget Selfie |
