حي الفخارين | The Pottery Quarter of Sale
"A traditional potter discovers passion with an anthropologist studying craft traditions in Sale."
حي الفخارين
The Pottery Quarter of Sale
الفصل الأول | Chapter One
أَصْنَعُ الفَخَّارَ فِي سَلَا مُنْذُ خَمْسٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً.
I have made pottery in Sale for thirty-five years.
جَاءَتْ عَالِمَةُ أَنْثُرُوبُولُوجْيَا تَدْرُسُ الحِرَفَ.
An anthropologist came studying crafts.
"أُرِيدُ فَهْمَ حَيَاةِ الحِرَفِيِّينَ."
"I want to understand artisans' lives."
الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two
كَانَتْ فِي الأَرْبَعِينَ، فُضُولِيَّةً، مُحْتَرِمَةً.
She was in her forties, curious, respectful.
"حَيَاتُنَا بَسِيطَةٌ... الطِّينُ وَالنَّارُ."
"Our life is simple... clay and fire."
"البَسَاطَةُ جَمَالٌ."
"Simplicity is beauty."
الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three
رَاقَبَتْنِي وَأَنَا أَعْمَلُ عَلَى العَجَلَةِ.
She watched me working on the wheel.
"يَدَاكَ تَرْقُصَانِ مَعَ الطِّينِ."
"Your hands dance with the clay."
"الطِّينُ شَرِيكِي مُنْذُ الصِّغَرِ."
"Clay has been my partner since childhood."
الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four
"هَلْ عَلَّمْتَ أَوْلَادَكَ؟"
"Did you teach your children?"
"لَيْسَ عِنْدِي أَوْلَادٌ... زَوْجَتِي مَاتَتْ قَبْلَ الإِنْجَابِ."
"I have no children... my wife died before we had any."
"آسِفَةٌ..."
"I'm sorry..."
الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five
"الطِّينُ أَوْلَادِي." اِبْتَسَمْتُ.
"Clay is my children." I smiled.
"تُرِيدُ أَنْ تُجَرِّبِي؟"
"Do you want to try?"
"نَعَمْ!"
"Yes!"
الفصل السادس | Chapter Six
وَضَعْتُ يَدَيْهَا عَلَى الطِّينِ.
I placed her hands on the clay.
يَدَايَ فَوْقَ يَدَيْهَا.
My hands over hers.
"أَشْعُرُ بِالحَيَاةِ فِي الطِّينِ!"
"I feel life in the clay!"
الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven
تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، فِي الوَرْشَةِ بَيْنَ الأَوَانِي.
That night, in the workshop among pots.
"جَسَدُكِ طَيِّعٌ كَالطِّينِ."
"Your body is pliable like clay."
"وَيَدَاكَ صَانِعَتَانِ مَاهِرَتَانِ."
"And your hands are skilled makers."
الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight
نَشَرَتْ كِتَابًا عَنِ الحِرَفِيِّينَ.
She published a book about artisans.
فِيهِ فَصْلٌ كَامِلٌ عَنِّي.
With a full chapter about me.
"لِلْفَخَّارِ الَّذِي صَنَعَ قَلْبِي مِنْ جَدِيدٍ."
"To the potter who remade my heart."
الخاتمة | Conclusion
الطِّينُ يَتَشَكَّلُ بِاللَّمْسَةِ.
Clay is shaped by touch.
وَحُبُّنَا تَشَكَّلَ كَذَلِكَ.
And our love was shaped the same way.
لَمْسَةً لَمْسَةً، يَوْمًا بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ.
Touch by touch, day after day.
من حكايات سلا From the Tales of Sale