Women of Sejnane

Years ago, as I carefully observed every little detail of her kitchen, my late grandmother handed me a dish and asked me to take it with me. This dish, old and hand-painted, held precious memories of my grandmother for me. Without asking too many questions, I slipped it into my suitcase, and despite its imperfections, it accompanied me throughout my many moves. It wasn’t until much later that I realized this unique piece, adorned with hand-drawn designs, originated from the Sejnane region in the north of Tunisia.

This discovery brought me to delve deeper into the history and the women behind this craft. Later in 2023, I decided to visit the Ayari family in Sejnane, a family of women who have passed down the heritage of these ancestral techniques of pottery making from generation to generation.