In a post-industrial revolution world in which machines have mostly triumphed over traditionally handmade items, it is becoming difficult for certain craft traditions, including Egypt’s deep-seated tent-making, to survive, not to mention stay competitive. Built in 1600s, the Tent Makers Market, the so-called El Khayameya, is Cairo’s sole remaining medieval covered market which takes its name from the bright colored fabrics, including appliqué works, cushions, covers, Egyptian cotton bed covers, wall hangings, car covers and traditional Egyptian galabeyas (floor length dress clothes.) The market is also famous for its colored fabrics used for the large street tents set for funerals, weddings, shop openings and other gatherings. But it seems that the Tent Makers Market, where the Kiswah (the cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca) was designed and manufactured until 1960s, is getting less and less popular these days. “The new generations lost interest in our fabrics because machine-made wall hangings and cushions that are imported from China are cheaper and are to be found everywhere. The number of locals and tourists visiting the market is decreasing day after day,” Gamal el-Zahabi, the owner of a small shop in the…
