In Mali, tradition glows through silver and flame. With fire and flair, today's makers craft desert soul into wearable glam, one piece of leather, metal and memory at a time.
00:00Deep in the heart of the desert, the blue people of the Sahara are still fighting with fire and metal against extinction.
00:09And they are not alone.
00:19We try to convey a message of peace, a message of solidarity, a message of living together and of dialogue.
00:27Because through each jewel, through each work made by an artisan, a great story is hidden behind it.
00:35Mohamed Abderramane runs Mali's largest artisanal collective, a community that is literally taking the future of the Torek tradition into its own hands.
00:48The importance of this association is that it tells the story of the Malian community.
00:54These artisans bring together all the communities around the workshop to talk, discuss and dialogue.
01:02Above all, it is a source of peace for us.
01:06In the heart of Bamako, Mali's capital, the Timidwa workshop hums with life.
01:12Local artisans melt silver, hammer jewellery and dye leather using ancestral techniques.
01:22The Tamashik, as people from the Sahara call themselves, have been master craftsmen for generations.
01:30In 1997, Mohamed's father founded Timidwa, meaning friendship, in Tamashik.
01:37What began in Timidwa, has grown into a lifeline for over 150 artisans across Mali.
01:48Men, women and youth now gather under one roof to protect their heritage.
01:54We have always worked together we will never see in a workshop where only one artisan is built.
02:03There are always ten artisans who are together at work to inspire each other, to learn from each other, because craftsmanship is this.
02:12It is to live together, to speak through our designs, engravings that we make with our hands.
02:18Here, silver jewellery is hammered with ancestral techniques, goat leather dyed with organic pigments, and wood carved with symbols of pride.
02:31As artisans work, knowledge flows between generations.
02:37Mohamed, a master craftsman, shares techniques that predate written history.
02:42I came here to Timidwa because I wanted to learn how to make bracelets at Timidwa.
02:51Thanks to Timidwa, I've learned a lot today.
02:56Beyond artistry, Timidwa is innovating.
03:00Ancient techniques are adapted for modern markets, while cultural authenticity remains intact.
03:08The collective is now a model for economic empowerment.
03:11The artisans manufacture their jewellery, and we will exhibit them at the international level.
03:20This is what we bring to the artisans who are part of Timidwa, and to avoid them from being involved in terrorist groups, to be inspired to emigrate to another country.
03:34So, this is our goal.
03:35For Mohamed, Timidwa is personal.
03:41North and Mali have faced decades of political instability and climate challenges.
03:46First of all, we have experienced a lot of difficulties, which mainly comes from financing.
03:54Financing is very important.
03:57Because we are a community, and it's important for us to access funds to help these people around us.
04:04We have created another festival, which we have named International Artisans Week.
04:10We will gather all our artisans from our collective of 154 artisans to exhibit their products.
04:19Through our times of Tamidwa, Timidwa offers an alternative livelihood and emotional support for artisans of all ages.
04:30Here, the support we find, we exhibit, we exhibit products, and we exhibit products abroad.
04:39Thanks to these products, if the products are sold, we take our kids to school.
04:45We support our families, we take care of our families, health, and create roots in the villages too.
04:53Timidwa's work is Tamashek's diplomacy in silver and leather.
05:00It travels beyond Mali.
05:02Mohamed's father regularly exhibits in Europe and Asia, where the art is worn by collectors and admired by cultural institutions.
05:13In a world rushing towards the future, Timidwa's hammers and tools serve as a reminder.
05:19Craftsmanship still has space to thrive, from the deserts of Timbuktu to the streets of Bamako and beyond.
05:28And it all begins with fire, metal, and friendship.
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