The Mergoum Protocol: Typically Tunisian, (A)typically German? On Cross-Cultural Exchange

 

Time: December 9, 2021, 12:00 Central European Time

Speaker: Meriam Bousselmi (Tunisia) 

Moderators: Franzi Cagić

See the video: Link

Context: Camp on Education Link

The Mergoum is a typical Tunisian handwoven rug. It’s produced through a set of mixed Arab-Berberian weaving techniques meticulously handed down from generation to generation. It’s a whole transmission philosophy. The weavers must observe a rigorous protocol that highlights the local cultural ethics. Assuming that Cross-Cultural Exchange is a kind of meta-weaving, what can we learn from the techniques and values of Mergoum weavers? And could we break free from our narrow culture-bound ways of interacting with the world in order to open up for a transformative dialogue?