A 100 years old shop, as the traditional craft which is made in it, is located at the entrance of Bascarsija, near Sebilj,. This is a workshop of Dzemal Kurahovic, roper from Sarajevo.
Dzemal says that he is dealing with this craft since he could walk, “I would go with my grandfather Alija and father Mustafa to the workshop every day.”
“Before, in some better times, what I made in 6 months, I would sell in a day, and today, what I make in a day, I sell in 6 months,” said Dzemal.
But he is optimistic, and says that we must fight, that crafts should survive despite modern technology, because “it is not the same when something is handmade or by machine, what is handmade it lasts and it has quality, and what the machine makes, it does not last because there is no quality”.
Dzemal believes that all the old crafts should be studied in schools, because, some of the students might like the craft, and try it by themselves, and the crafts would be preserved.
“Bascarsija used to be full of craftsmen. Walking on Bascarsija was beautiful, to walk from the market-place and hear the soft sounds of hammering here, singing of barber there, it was real music for your ears,” recalled Dzemal, who is drinking coffee with other craftsman while the life goes on.
“Family tradition of rope making will be continued,” said Dzemal’s son Kenan, who has two brothers, and one of their sons, the 5th generation, will continue the family tradition.
“I started loving this profession from early age. I’ve been taught by my late grandfather Mustafa, and later my father. Today I know almost all of the materials, quality, method of processing and manufacturing,” said proudly Kenan, son of Dzemal.
(Source: klix.ba)
