Weaving A War
I finally got a war rug! Well technically it's a balisht, a bag that I've put a pillow in and am now using as a cushion. But it's still very cool (although war is not). I just find it so fascinating how conflict has become so routine, that such violent imagery is reflected in their crafts. Although I have also read that the war rug tradition started as a secret way for the people to defy their Soviet Invaders. Newer rugs are said to use war imagery to sneak a few jabs at the Taliban (who, as we know, are not fans of representational art.
I am not expert enough to know the real story. Nor have I figured out what all the images are meant to represent, but I can make out helicopters and airplanes.
The people I bought it from said it took them two years to get their war rugs out of Afghanistan.




