JERUSALEM – In his shop in Jerusalem’s Old City, Palestinian craftsmanIssam Zughair makes traditional lanterns for Muslims marking the holy monthof Ramadan, battling competition from cheap Chinese imports.
Zughair’s shop is decked out with lamps both large and small, some hangingfrom the ceiling and others displayed outside to draw the attention ofpassers-by during lively Ramadan evenings.
He learned the trade from his father, a carpenter who originally madelanterns out of wood.
“My father opened this shop in the 1950s — we want to protect thatheritage,” Zughair said, sitting with his wife in their small home abovethe business.
The largest lantern in the shop is two metres tall, shaped to resemble amosque and created specially for Ramadan.
It was made from sheet metal and glass, using a technique that is believedto date back to the Fatimid caliphate in 10th century Egypt.
Zughair believes the lantern is the largest traditionally-made one inJerusalem.
“There is no-one that rivals me in building them,” he said.
The 67-year-old imports materials from Egypt and Turkey and crafts thelanterns in his Old City shop.
He can add Koranic verses, religious phrases or names of God, according tothe wishes of buyers.
Lanterns play a special role during Ramadan, which began on Monday.
As Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, nocturnal life takes on addedsignificance. Traditionally, lanterns light the way for religious events.
Najeh Bkerat, from the Al-Aqsa Academy for Science and Heritage inJerusalem, said they are a symbol of Islamic culture and heritage,especially during the fasting month.
“People carry them as an expression of the light, the goodness and the joyof Ramadan,” he said.
– Walls and China –
Zughair said he starts to receive requests for personalised lamps a monthbefore Ramadan.
Clients are from Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank as well asArabs from Israel itself, the majority of whom identify as Palestinian.
The lanterns sell for between 10 and 1,000 shekels ($3 to $280), dependingon their size and the intricacy of their design.
But Zughair said he has seen a major slump in demand for the more ornatemodels since the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising, or intifada,in 2000.
Israel began constructing a wall in 2002, cutting off Jerusalem from muchof the West Bank.
Israeli authorities said it was necessary to curb Palestinian militantattacks, but critics labelled it as collective punishment and a land grab.
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“Before the intifada, all of Palestine used to come to buy from me, buttoday I have lost 70 percent of my customers as a result,” Zughair said.
The purchasing power of Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem hasdeclined by 30 percent since 2000, said Ziyad Hamouri from the JerusalemCentre for Social and Economic Rights, citing the wall as a key barrier totrade.
Zughair also faces another threat ?- cheap Chinese knock-offs.
“I don’t have any competitors in the market except China,” he said.
– Ramadan atmosphere –
In a shop selling household appliances inside a gate of the walled OldCity, Hamzeh Takish displayed a selection of small Chinese-made plasticlanterns, some of which play popular Arabic songs.
Their prices start from just 15 shekels ($4).
“I don’t sell the traditional lanterns, people here are looking for new –every year they introduce new designs,” he said.
Alaa Wael, 27, was buying six Ramadan lanterns, two for his home and therest for relatives.
“They only cost 10 shekels, the type doesn’t matter to me,” he said.
“What is important is that it works and adds a Ramadan atmosphere.”
Ramadan in Jerusalem is not limited to lanterns.
The labyrinthine streets of the Old City are festooned with lights anddecorations for the whole month.
Four committees, representing different neighbourhoods including theChristian quarter, compete to have the most eye-catching displays as tensof thousands of Muslims flock to Al-Aqsa mosque for prayer.
The committees provide food to the needy throughout the month.
One put up a 12-metre iron and nylon Ramadan lantern, with familiesgathering to watch.
“We start working a month before Ramadan,” said Ammar Sidr from the BabHata neighbourhood committee.
“We’re experienced in decorating and coordinating colours and adding somepersonalised touches.” -APP/AFP
