How 11 Ancient Crafts Survived For Centuries | Still Standing | Insider Business

This paragraph describes the intricate process of making traditional lambskin lamps in Multan, Pakistan. It highlights how Malik Abdul Rehman Naqash's family has been making these lamps for over a century, passing down specialized skills across generations. However, the craft is declining as younger people are not interested and businesses have closed. The process involves extensive manual preparation of the camel hides using a knife called 'rambi', which requires expertise developed over years of practice.

This paragraph focuses on shea butter production by women in northern Ghana. It explains how they use traditional, labor-intensive methods to pick shea nuts, roast and grind them into butter. Shea butter is culturally and economically significant for local women, providing their main income source. However, deforestation of shea trees and competition from commercial processors pose challenges to the tradition.

This paragraph discusses the revival of traditional ikat silk weaving in Cambodia by Pheach after it nearly disappeared due to the Khmer Rouge regime. It explains the intricate process of silk production, from raising silkworms to spinning, dying and weaving intricate ikat patterns. Pheach sees her work as honoring ancestors and strengthening Cambodian culture and dignity.

This paragraph focuses on the intricate craft of making masks for Khon, a traditional Thai dance depicting the Ramayana epic. It describes how artisan Prateep Rodpai meticulously shapes and decorates each mask using specialized techniques. While Khon's popularity has declined, Prateep is determined to preserve the mask-making craft and pass it on to the next generation.

This paragraph highlights Evangelina Aquino Luis's efforts to preserve ancestral methods of preparing mole sauce in Oaxaca, Mexico using a traditional grinding stone called a metate. It explains the extensive process of making chichilo mole specifically for funerals, from Market ingredients to extensive grinding and cooking. Evangelina sees mole-making as celebrating her Zapotec culture.

This paragraph focuses on tanpura production by artisans in Miraj, India. It details how they meticulously craft each instrument from dried bottle gourd shells and wood. Faruk Abdul Majid Sitarmaker comes from a long lineage of tanpura makers, but competition from cheaper electronic versions poses challenges. He strives to maintain quality and train younger artists.

This paragraph describes the grueling process of harvesting solar sea salt in Kusamba, Bali using ancestral techniques. It focuses on a female salt farmer, Nengah, who manually carries seawater to dry beds to crystallize salt. Coastal erosion and competition make the tradition unsustainable, but farmers hope international recognition can revive interest.

This paragraph focuses on the Rajbanshi ethnic women in India who weave jute fiber into mats and products, passing down skills for generations. But increasing competition from modern materials threatens the handloom industry. Sanjita Sarkar learned young and strives to maintain quality, hoping to preserve the craft by mentoring other women.

This paragraph highlights Harukawa Yasuhiro, one of the last scissors smiths using ancestral techniques to forge high-quality steel bonsai scissors in Sakai, Japan. His meticulous month-long process resembles samurai sword making. Though he struggles finding successors, the enduring demand for precision scissors sustains his slowly disappearing craft.