Local Press
Palestinian women benefit from Village shop
By Debra Meadow
To step inside Indigo Traders in Multnomah Village is to embark on a mini-adventure to the Middle East. The ochre-washed walls and warm wood floors hold Syrian silks, Egyptian cottons and Turkish wool, even Iraqi camel hair - dyed and stitched in tones of sunset-washed jewels.
Owners Samir Naser and Karla Bean opened the shop in July to showcase their signature line: intricately embroidered pillows, wall hangings and other accessories created by the women of the Palestinian Embroidery Society of Jordan, itself founded by the husband-and-wife team to help provide a living for Palestinian women and preserve a traditional art form.
Naser, who is Palestinian, grew up in Nablus, on the West Bank. He and Bean met while she was studying Arabic in Jordan. They now reside in Multnomah Village.
Naser's sister in Jordan coordinates one group of stitchers, and Bean and Naser are also involved with a similar organization formed by Jordan's former Queen Noor. The latter group has a building, which they stand to lose due to economic circumstances, primarily the decrease in tourism in the region.
Between the two groups, about 45 women earn money for their families from their craft.
"It makes a difference in their lives," Naser says. "It's a job, and a job gives them choices," not to mention an identity. "Their work tells us about them," he says.
It also tells the world something about their ancient culture. The pillows include traditional regional designs. For instance, according to Bean, "each region has a unique cross stitch design for a tree, " and many are represented in the Indigo Traders storefront.
In addition to Palestinian embroidery, the couple sells duvet covers and pillows made from Syrian silk. The reversible bedding is designed by Naser to fit American beds, but fashioned from traditional fabric made in northern Syria.
From Morocco there are colorful handcrafted ceramics and wrought iron. Antique Kurdish kilim rugs and contemporary Turkish ones are available. The couple sells hand-loomed Egyptian silk and cotton scarves and Yemeni jewelry for those who want to decorate themselves as well as their homes.
Naser and Bean take their work seriously. "We feel it's a responsibility to show the richness of Samir's culture, and a culture that I hold dear, too," says Bean.
"We've gotten a really good response," to the shop, says Naser. "People are open. They travel. They want to be connected to the world."
Indigo Traders is located at 7881 SW Capitol Hwy in the Village, 503-780-2422, or visit www.indigotraders.com.
October 2003 - SW Community Connection Newspaper