Wood Carving

Qena / Hegaza

"Hegaza Wooden Craft Project began in 1997 when a French priest/ artist who had come to upper Egypt as part of an expedition, taught a young Egyptian man called Emad and some of his relatives the art of carving wood, in hopes of granting other young men in the area the opportunity to learn a distinguished craft that would guarantee them a steady income. The whole process of this craft is picking suitable trees, drying them and preparing them for carving into shapes. It takes a lot of patience and creativity to do so. The group consists of 11 artisans who are willing to showcase their history, tradition, craft, culture, and skills to the rest of the country, and the world, but also it provides them with an income-generating activity by selling their products in competitive markets through Fair Trade Egypt. The women of the group were not originally encouraged to leave their home to work outside their closed and marginalized communities, but with them getting to work in such a craft, they were willing to go out for work and specialize in it. Hegaza had been collaborating with Fair Trade Egypt since 2002, and since then, achievements are getting bigger. Fair Trade Egypt has several of the decorative animal-themed carvings and serving dishes, and more streamlined functional salad bowls, and other kitchen accessories that will wonderfully accent your home. Purchasing from the Hegaza Wooden Craft Project group ensures the continuity of this beautiful and unique craft, as well as helping the men involved in it to sustain their living."