Meet the women of Sejnane keeping Tunisia's centuries-old pottery tradition alive against all odds

In the charming town of Sejnane, Tunisia, pottery is more than a craft — it is a living tradition passed down through generations of women, rooted in Berber heritage, with each piece for the kitchen or home décor bearing its maker's personal mark.

One of the women keeping this craft alive today is Tunisian artisan Nesrine. With a large, polished stone in hand, she grinds dried clay blocks, her arms straining with each downward press. She rolls the stone back and forth in a steady rhythm, turning the clay into fine powder, and pauses occasionally to rub her wrists, a reminder of the years of tireless labour behind her skill.

"I have been making pottery for 20 years, after inheriting this craft in Sejnane, in the Bizerte governorate in the north. Here, women work in both pottery and agriculture," Nesrine told The New Arab.

"Sejnane pottery was recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2018. It is the craft of our ancestors, which we continue without measurements or machines. We rely on our experience and our eyes to create decorations inspired by nature and everyday life."

Once the dry clay has been ground, Nesrine sieves it and mixes it with water and some wet clay. She takes off her shoes and begins kneading the mixture with her bare feet. Pressing down with one foot on the flattened clay spread over a plastic sheet, she works it until it is soft, cohesive and ready to shape.

Though every movement is careful and practised, passed down through generations of women, Nesrine feels the cold in her joints but keeps going, knowing there is no alternative.

"I am always at risk of injuring my feet because of hard pebbles in the clay or bits of glass," she said. "The clay takes a lot of effort to knead until it becomes soft, and you cannot get the same result unless it is done by hand."

She paused to catch her breath, then continued: "I need three kilogrammes of clay every day to make about four pottery vessels. Bringing the clay is hard work. I have to travel to nearby mountains to collect enough for a month or more. Years ago, I used to carry it on the backs of animals. Now I rent a bulldozer to transport it from more distant places."

Once the clay is ready, Nesrine squats beside a pile of wet clay, bending her back slightly. She slowly inserts her fingers into a small lump, pressing and rolling until it tightens, and begins shaping a vessel used for cooking. Each piece takes about half an hour to form, after which she places it carefully inside a hut to dry out of direct sunlight.

To smooth the surface, she uses a small, polished snail shell, rubbing the damp clay in slow, circular motions. She presses at times and eases off at others, working until the roughness disappears and the vessel becomes smooth and glossy. The piece is then returned to the shade, where there is no wind or direct sunlight, allowing it to dry slowly. Harsh air and strong sunlight can cause cracks, whereas shade ensures the clay hardens without breaking.

When the vessels are ready for firing, Nesrine lights a fire, even though the wood is wet from rain, producing more smoke than flame. She is not seeking warmth — the fire is for the clay alone. Carefully, she places the pieces over burning straw and watches as they gradually harden, their colour turning black.

"The work is hard and takes a lot of patience to make pieces that will last," she said. "But customers do not always appreciate the effort that craftswomen put into making pottery."

A community of craftswomen

Nesrine is one of dozens of women in Sejnane who continue to preserve this centuries-old craft.

"Most women in the area work in making pottery pieces, whether for the kitchen or as home décor. They learn the craft at home from a young age, especially since it does not require equipment or preparations like those used in workshops. We do it using our hands," she explained.

In sharing this, she notes that every year, women from Sejnane take part in exhibitions in the capital, Tunis, and other regions, while also promoting their products abroad.

Yet, despite Sejnane pottery being recognised as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage in 2018, many craftswomen still face economic challenges. Sales remain low, with most artisans selling only a few pieces each year. In some cases, even craft traders reject the prices set by the makers, arguing that the clay itself is free. As a result, pottery pieces typically sell for between $1 and $30, depending on their size and type.

Nevertheless, Sejnane pottery remains highly distinctive and continues to attract interest from both tourists and Tunisians. Along the town's main road, small wooden displays showcase pottery collections found nowhere else in the country, reflecting the skill and creativity of the local women.

The continued survival of this craft across Sejnane is particularly remarkable given the challenges it faced after the 2011 Tunisian Revolution. During this time, armed groups gained control over parts of Sejnane and targeted pottery, especially the much-loved Sejnane dolls, which they claimed were forbidden statues. The resulting decline in tourism left many potters struggling financially.

To address ongoing security concerns in these areas, the Tunisian government has implemented a strategy to maintain safety in the country's peripheral regions. This approach has largely succeeded, helping to restore stability and allowing the town's pottery tradition to survive.

To further support and promote the craft, the Sejnania Group was established in 2012, bringing together 100 craftswomen to offer training, guidance, and shared resources.

The initiative has since boosted sales by 70% and helped raise the profile of Sejnane pottery, creating new opportunities for women who have long struggled to make a living from their work.

Although the collective has made progress, the future of pottery in Sejnane remains uncertain, and although a museum has been proposed, it has not yet been realised.

For many women, however, the craft remains a vital part of their heritage and identity, inspiring local girls to continue their education, implement their own projects, and help save this valuable tradition.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition, translated by Afrah Almatwari; to read the original, click here.