The Algerian Messadi Burnous: A beautiful and original piece of art

[Al-khiyal]

Messad town, 76 Km south of Djelfa (300 kilometres south of Algiers), is well known for handcrafted industries including “the burnous”, the Messadi one.

The “Messadi Burnous” (referring to Messad town) is famous worldwide. It is an object of dignity and self-esteem. When offered to a guest, this gesture may be understood as a sign of peace, even sincere friendship. That’s why a burnous is a favoured present for Algeria’s guests.

Algeria has participated three times with “The Messadi Burnous” in several festivals and exhibitions organised in the United Arab Emirates, said Mohamed Ben Derrah, chief of Djelfa’s regional chamber of handcrafted industry and a member of the National Institute for Development

“The Messadi Burnous” which is woven with camel’s wool costs about 90.000 DA. This makes it unaffordable except for the rich.

Yet for Zaitout Djelloul, a member of the The Messadi Burnous Association the “Messadi Burnous” is not expensive considering the required hard work and necessary time to weave it”. He added that one burnous can take a whole year to be made.

The steps to be followed to make burnous are as follows: Wool of camel, which constitutes the raw material, is collected. It is preferable to use the wool of a young camel in view of its good quality. One kilo of wool costs more than 5000 DA. The second step is to make the textile and the last one is the sewing process. All this operation takes a year to be finished.

Messad town is the main supplier of burnous on the national market.

Specialists suggest setting up workshops for handicraft industries. According to the Ministry of Small and Medium seize Industries the project will be soon achieved in Messad town.

It is worth recalling that the burnous is a long cloak of coarse woollen fabric with a hood, usually in white or brown colours.

The Algerian Messadi Burnous: A beautiful and original piece of art

[Al-khiyal]

Algerian burnoose, last gasps of refinement

July 27, 2008 -- The Algerian city of Messad, 76 km south of the state of Djelfa, is famous for its agricultural produce such as pomegranates and apricots. It is also renowned for its traditional handicrafts, many of which are not found elsewhere in Algeria.

Messad is the country’s only supplier of the camel hair burnoose (a traditional long cloak). The highly prized Messadi burnoose is often given as a unique gift to high-profile visitors to Algeria.

The town has a legacy of exclusive high quality craftsmanship, and its people have been devoted to preserving this handicraft. The skills and techniques involved in the traditional craft have been passed down from generation to generation since ancient times.

The fine quality of Messadi handiwork has attracted wider study and attention. Mohammed bin Darah, of the Algerian Development Institute and the Messad Tourism Promotion Office, has played a key role in promoting the burnoose outside of Algeria. He was the first person to pitch its sale to the Arab Gulf States during his participation in conferences in the UAE. The burnoose is also in high demand in Tunisia and Morocco.

High-quality burnooses are worn exclusively by the upper classes in Algerian society due to the prices they command. Zaitut Jalul, chief of the Messadi Burnoose Society and tailor of burnoose, puts this cost into perspective, saying: “The Messadi burnoose is not too pricey, given the time and effort required in its manufacture. The process can take up to a year in some cases.” Camel hair burnooses are the most expensive. Other varieties are made from different colours of goats, with this more affordable type worn by those on lower incomes. Traditional hand sewn cloaks are always much more expensive and sought-after than the machine sewn variety.

The burnoose goes through a series of processes before becoming the final product. The first step involves the collection of camel hair, with an average of three months required to extract the necessary amount to make a single garment. At least four kilograms of hair are needed to make one kilogram of refined fur. The fur of young camels is preferred due to its softness.

After collection, the hair is woven between two parallel lengths of wood. After this the detailing and sewing takes place. Sewing by hand is time consuming work, traditionally requiring fine embroidery which can take up to a month to complete.

Though remaining the sole source of income for many families in Messad, the burnoose industry seems to be facing an unfortunate decline. Slow traditional methods of manufacture have been limiting, as has the scarcity of camel hair due to dwindling numbers of breeders. Factor in the high price of manufacture, and a general unwillingness on the behalf of young girls to learn the craft, and the days of the burnoose as a staple trade could well be numbered. These days it seems only elderly women practice the craft.

There is a complete lack of vocational training centres offering to teach the techniques involved. Recognising the problem, the Algerian Ministry of Small Enterprises and Traditional Crafts has pledged to provide just such a school in Messad. They will also increase support for camel breeding in order to preserve this age-old tradition.