Article and photos by Patricia Balcom
The word “curated” is overused—for everything from cheese to information—but in the case of Marrakech Crafts at 34 ByWard Market Square, I can say with full confidence that everything in the shop—baskets, brass ware, clothing, leather goods, pottery and wood ware—has been curated, and everything is of the highest quality and very beautiful.
Mohammed Echchaji and his wife Fatima Zahra Al Jahed are co-owners of the shop, which opened in May of this year. Originally from central Morocco (Casablanca), they came to Canada about a year ago to open a business, deciding on Ottawa because it is the capital and is known for tourism.
Mohammed studied agricultural engineering in a multi-disciplinary program which included courses in natural and social sciences and economics. This background stood him in good stead when he changed careers to become a business owner.
Later this year, Mohammed will be going to Morocco to collaborate with craftspeople to design products for the Canadian market. For the pottery, he chooses different colours because “in Canada we miss a lot of colours, especially after a long winter … [so] I like to see more colours … in different products.”
I asked if the various products came from different regions of Morocco. He responded that “each region [in Morocco] has a specific product” and that the regions have a long history of making their products. He noted that Fez is “the capital of leather.” Fez is also known for pottery, and a different kind is made in Safi, and both are featured in Marrakech Crafts. Some wood products come from Essaouira, while others come from the mountains near Marrakech, where people collect the walnut wood from dead trees and make bowls and cooking implements.
I asked what his favourite product in the shop was, and his answer was “Forever Leather goods.” He makes design suggestions to the craftspeople, who use leather treated with “vegetal products,” a process that “take[s] time but [is] more respectful of the environment.” He described the leather as being “alive” and explained that it lasts for a long time, becoming “more beautiful” with age.
Over the summer season there have been customers from various countries who pointed out that some of the Moroccan crafts they saw in the shop were similar to crafts in their country, such as fold-out tables, which are also made in India and Iran, or baskets which are similar to some made in Mexico and Colombia, but using different materials.
He concluded:
“It’s a unique space in the Market [where] you can meet different nationalities … and if each person from different a nationality … show[s] you that we have … similar stuff, with a different style and a different design [then] we have a good idea about international handcrafts.”
If you’re looking for curated handicrafts from Morocco, drop by Marrakech Crafts and see what Mohammed and Fatima Zahra have on offer in their “unique space.”