“Weaving My Way Through Morocco”

with Lynn Dines

Marketing Specialist, Huntington Beach, California

Moroccan weavers of the Middle Atlas Berber have a rich tradition, and a relatively unappreciated history. The extremes of temperature in these high altitudes led to a variety of weaving styles, from the deep pile hand-knotted zrbya to the more intricately patterned weave hanbl. The nomadic Berbers, also known as Amazight, created practical products for personal use, incorporating symbols of their environment, passing along their patterns through oral tradition. Lynn Dines will share her journey of discovery of these artisans, and her indoctrination into the world of weaving. Her story will begin in the Middle Atlas mountain Berber village of Ribat El Kheir, Morocco, where she spent two years in the Peace Corp, working with the Taeawniya Adwal weaving cooperative to create weavings that could reflect their tradition, but also increase their appeal to a broader market of western tastes.

Lynn Dines retired after 29 years in sales and marketing management to move into full-time unpaid work as a volunteer for four organizations. She served in the Peace Corps from 2008-10 in Ribat El Kheir, Morocco where she worked with a Cooperative of women weavers to help them move from personal production to commercializing their work for the tourist market. Lynn will be hosting two of the Cooperative members in the U.S. in July, for the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, and the HGA (Handweavers Guild of America) Convergence Conference in Long Beach. Lynn invites TMA/SC members to bring examples of Moroccan weavings for show & tell.