Artistic kilim weaving needs more attention
From ancient times, humans have used the skins of hunting animals to cover and protect the body from climate change, as well as as a mat.
Gradually, with the spread of animal husbandry and wool spinning, weaving became popular among the primitive tribes and became one of the first tribal arts and crafts.
Although it is not clear where and by what ethnic group the first weaving of the original fabrics, which took place at the same time as the weaving of the kilim, was first done, but based on archeological excavations, there is evidence of weaving among Inhabitants of the Iranian plateau and neighboring lands have been obtained.
In the caves of the southeastern part of the Caspian Sea, artifacts have been found that prove the breeding of sheep and goats and the spinning of their wool and hair by the people of this region eight thousand years ago.
Kilim weaving is an introduction to carpet weaving and it can be said that the beginning of kilim weaving was about three thousand to five thousand years BC.
Due to the cheap price of this traditional art and the beauty of the design and colors used in it, it always has middle class consumers.
Today, kilims are used not only as underlays but also as beautiful art frames, bags, upholstery and many other items.
One of the things that has made its education popular among all sections of society is that learning to weave kilims does not know a specific age, literacy or gender and is set up with minimal facilities and space.
Kilim weaving is a good activity for housewives and even those with the least literacy can play a helpful role in the family economy by learning it.
The song of the cricketers of the women of Selseleh city also expresses the ancient acquaintance of the people of this land with handicrafts and especially the art of kilim weaving.
The originality of the design and pattern, as well as the nativeness of the patterns used in the dynasty kilims, have made the woven kilims in this city very popular with buyers.
It was very important to visit the Cultural Heritage Handicrafts Training Center and talk to the students under its training. Most of these women had university degrees and did not attend these classes. Government jobs after graduation , Lack of insurance and finally interest in handicrafts.
Among them were elderly women who mentioned attending these training classes to help the family economy and benefit from home-based business facilities and insurance coverage, and a 50-year-old woman among them asked to pay attention to Women’s insurance was over 50 years old and he said: Today’s life has become such that women should work alongside men and help the family economy, officials should also think about insurance for women over 50 years old.
She continued: My husband is a worker and he is not covered by any insurance. I have applied for insurance, but they say that women over 50 are not covered by insurance. The insurance law should also consider women weavers over the age of 50.
The head of Selseleh handicrafts training center says: in 1981, the first carpet weaving and kilim weaving workshop was held in the city, and in 2006, the cultural heritage and handicraft kilim weaving workshop was opened and started in the city.
Ozra Salehi continued: So far, more than four thousand people have been trained in carpet weaving and kilim weaving and have reached the production stage.
He added: kilim weaving training courses are 45 days and students are introduced to technical and professional after receiving the skill card.
Salehi stated: After receiving the skill card, the students will be introduced to the operating banks to receive home business facilities.
The head of the city’s kilim weaving training continued: Up to 500 students have already benefited from the handicrafts weavers’ insurance.
He added that many of these students work as workshops and some as soloists (at home): Kilim weaving is an art that is welcomed by all sections of society and at any age, and They are interested in learning this art.
Salehi stated: Most of the products are sold in handicraft exhibitions in the province and other provinces of the country.
The head of the city’s kilim weaving training said: Perhaps one of the reasons why kilim is more popular than other handicrafts is its reasonable price, because the price of kilim is much lower compared to carpets.
He continued: Less raw materials are used for weaving kilims, and in terms of weight, they are lighter than carpets and are woven sooner.
Salehi added: Unfortunately, the only province where male weavers are few is Lorestan, and kilim weaving training has not yet been cultured among men, and that is why most weavers in the province are women.
The head of Selseleh kilim weaving training pointed out: during Nowruz, the city’s kilim products are exposed to the interested people in the handicrafts exhibition.
The head of Selseleh handicrafts and tourism, stating that it is one of the most important production industries of Kilim city, said: Selseleh city has the first place in the field of kilim production in the province.
Mukhtar Azizi continued: There are over 250 kilim weavers in the city, 200 of whom are single weavers (home weavers).
He added: There are four kilim production workshops in the city and in addition, the cultural heritage and handicraft kilim weaving training workshop of the city is also operating and providing free education to students.
Azizi stated: In each training course, an average of 15 people are trained and introduced to technicians and professionals to receive a skill card.
The head of the cultural heritage and handicrafts of the dynasty continued: After receiving the skill card, these people will also benefit from home business facilities.
He stated that two types of traditional design kilims and carpet kilims are woven in the city, noting that kilims are more reasonably priced than machine-made carpets, and if they are mass-produced, they are even more profitable.
Azizi stated that one of the problems facing the city’s kilim industry is the lack of a market for selling products in the city and said: the produced kilims are sent for supply and sale either to the exhibitions in the center of the province or to neighboring provinces. Are sent.
The head of Selseleh cultural heritage and handicrafts stated: One of the approvals of the provincial planning committee was to create a handicrafts market to supply products in the city, which we hope will bear fruit in the near future and we will see the sale of our handicrafts in Selseleh city.
The head of Selseleh Cooperative, Labor and Social Welfare Department also stated in connection with the existing kilim weaving cooperatives in the city: 25 cases of kilim weaving cooperatives with a membership of 180 people have been registered in the city.
Hamidreza Momeni continued: out of these registered cooperatives, only one cooperative has received facilities in this field.
He added: Considering the plan of resistance economy and the need for non-dependence on foreigners, paying attention to handicrafts and their products is very effective in this field.
And now the pleasant sound of the cricket of the women of the dynasty is waiting for more attention of the officials for the prosperity and prosperity of this fast-growing industry.