Swift modernization and the forces of globalization are hijacking nomadic lifestyles throughout the Arab world. Joy Totah Hilden's Bedouin Weaving of Saudi Arabia and Its Neighbours is a book that celebrates nomadic women's textile worlds. It is also a requiem to generations-deep traditions of arts and crafts, weaving ornaments to beautify the everyday and decorate rituals of family, kin, and tribe. Hilden presents her compassionate text and spectacular photographs with the great spirit of cross-cultural humanism. Her life-long field and archival research are diligent and rigorous. This invaluable book provides a rich and detailed portrait of Bedouin weaving as it rapidly disappears. Old weavers die; the axis of young women’s life is modernity. The earthy natural fibers are being replaced with imported synthetic yarn. Hilden presents the liberating power of weaving that allows women to master a world of their own through the production of aesthetic objects. Aside from describing the weavers’ lives with dignity, spirit, and nuance, the book provides excellent hands-on instructions for cooking natural dyes and forming traditional patterns.
Professor Smadar Lavie, Ph.D.
Author of The Poetics of Military Occupation
September 22, 2010
Interviews
Sept 15, 2010, "My Country", video conversation with Joy Totah Hilden, hosted by Howard Vicini. To see the video on Vimeo, click here.
August 4, 7:00 pm, KPFA interview on the program, "Voices of the Middle East and North Africa." To subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, click here. View or listen to the program's archived podcasts. Visit the web site at KPFA.
August 4, 7:00 pm, KPFA interview on the program, "Voices of the Middle East and North Africa." To subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, click here. View or listen to the program's archived podcasts. Visit the web site at KPFA.
June 23, 2010
Past Book Events
Slide-lecture and demonstration of Bedouin spinning and weaving,
Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, 87107, October 16, 2011
Slide/lecture program, Textile Arts Council, De Young Museum, San Francisco, March 19, 2011
Slide/lecture program, Kensington Public Library, 61 Arlington Avenue, Kensington, CA 94707, December 13, 7:00 pm
Holiday Bazaar featuring Palestinian crafts, Sunday, December 5, 10:00am - 4:00pm.
Live Oak Park Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA.
Book signing, Conference of MESA, Middle East Studies Association, Nov. 18 - 21, 2010
San Diego, CA
Signing: Nov. 20, 10 - 11 AM
MESA Exhibit Hall, Booth 61 - 62, The David Brown Book Company
Slide/lecture program, Santa Cruz Weavers, November 10.
Illustrated lecture, Sept. 23, 5 pm. Center For Middle Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley. CMES - Center For Middle Eastern Studies, 340 Stephens Hall, Sultan Room.
For more information:
510.642.8208
website: CMES.BERKELEY.EDU
email: CMES@BERKELEY.EDU
Illustrated lecture, Sept. 23, 5 pm. Center For Middle Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley. CMES - Center For Middle Eastern Studies, 340 Stephens Hall, Sultan Room.
For more information:
510.642.8208
website: CMES.BERKELEY.EDU
email: CMES@BERKELEY.EDU
Show - 'My Country' - broadcasts on Comcast channel 76 and Astound channel 30 in the San Francisco cable jurisdiction ... also broadcast on the Internet in real time at this link for anyone with a fast web connection.
Book launch at Pegasus Books, Berkeley, CA; July 15, 7:30.
1855 Solano, Berk. 94704. 510.525.6888
Book Talk, Travel Bug Book Store, Santa Fe, NM, July 27, 5:30.
839 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, 87501; 505-992-0418;
web@mapsofnewmexico.com
Slide/lecture program, Arab Cultural Center, San Francisco, Aug. 5, 7 pm. 2 Plaza St., 94116. 415.664.2200.
Television: "My Country," September 1, 6:30 - 7:00, Cable Channel 76 (San Francisco) or Astound channel 30 (San Francisco). For live stream on Internet click here.
In-Depth Review for the New Book!
“Bedouin Weaving” is an exceptionally handsome volume that is bound to be regarded as a definitive work on its subject.
Susannah Tarbush, Saudi Gazette
Susannah Tarbush, Saudi Gazette
Please click here to read the entire review article, "Weaving the story of Bedouin textiles."
April 20, 2010
More Appreciations
Besides the help of my husband, to whom I dedicated the book, I want to thank my daughter, Lyla El-Safy, for her constant encouragement over the years, and her thoughtful suggestions about the research, the book, and ideas for videos. My grandaughter, Yasmine El-Safy, provided the voice for the Youtube video, and also took the photograph of me on the back jacket of the book.
I am grateful to the following people who read my rough draft in 1997 and gave valuable comments:
Snjezana Akpinar
Ibrahim Muhawi
Ahlam Nabulsi-Scaun
Eleanor Nicholson
Margot Blum Schevill
March 16, 2010
In Appreciation of William Facey
In appreciation of William Facey, museum consultant, writer, publisher and authority on the Arabian Peninsula:
As publisher of Arabian Publishing, Ltd, and editor of Bedouin Weaving of Saudi Arabia and Its Neighbours, William Facey was a pleasure to work with. I thank him for his willingness to stand by this book for many years; for his meticulous work in editing it and contributing his ideas to it; for his expertise on the language, culture and history of Saudi Arabia, and for his flexibility in decision-making.
Facey was awarded the Rawabi Holding Award by the Saudi-British Society for making a significant contribution to Saudi-British relations. More information and his speech at:
March 5, 2010
Interview with Joy Totah Hilden
Author and Middle East Specialist, Kay Hardy Campbell, presents her interview with Joy here on the fascinating blog, Cold Night; Distant Campfire.
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