Recently, I went to a meeting of the KTAA to hear a presentation on Persian Carpets. This is one of the treasured keepsakes of living in the Middle East, and some day we will probably buy one. Although purchasing a carpet isn't like going to the carpet store back home. This is a significant, life-lasting investment. These carpets can cost thousands of dollars.
The speaker was a passionate Kuwaiti woman wiht Persian roots. She started collecting carpets at age 8 and learned from her grandmother. One of the most import things I learned is that because I don't speak Farsi (spoken in Iran), I will always get "Taken". Carpet dealers love to make deals-and I guess if you can't speak the lingo, you will pay much more.
It was an interesting evening and I did learn alot. Because the patron of the KTAA, Sheika (as in Princess) Altaf Al Sabah was in attendance (she sat right in front of me) there were hundreds of pictures being taken. I even made it into the Arab Times (newspaper!)--because I was sitting behind her (not because i was there!). There were some beautiful carpets there.
The meeting was held at the Sadu House, which is an old Kuwaiti home now in use as a museum for Kuwait textiles. The weavings and drawings on the walls are also great fun to look at. The red, white and black weavings are traditional bedoin weavings. It was a great way to experience the culture of this country, where there is very little original culture to speak of.
I so wished my sheepherder friend JE would have been with me. I tried to capture the spirit just for you!!
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