The Doors of Tunisia

Old Door, Mahdia - Watercolor by Melissa Enderle

One of the most enduring symbols of Tunisia is the door. Whether meandering through the old souks or in modern homes, from palaces to rather humble homes, elegant doors can often be found gracing their entrances. The doors of Tunisia serve as a gateway between the private domain and public space. Many are of a horseshoe shape, framed with local marble or stone. Some are rectangular. 

Sidi Bou Saïd Door with Bougainvillea - Oil Pastel by Melissa Enderle 

Quite often a smaller door is contained within the larger one, enabling further preservation of privacy.  Visitors riding on horseback could use the top left door knocker and enter while still mounted. The lower right handle was for the women and children, and the upper right was for the master of the house. Tunisian doors are often studded with decorative nail heads in a symmetrical arrangement, disguising the construction methods and enhancing the appearance. Symbols such as the star, fir tree, and eye are prevalent. Blue is the most popular color (especially in the town of Sidi Bou Saïd), but doors can also be found in yellow, green, or natural wood colors. 

See some of my photos of the doors of Sidi Bou Saïd in my Flickr album

More of my artwork of Tunisia

Tweet

Khoo Kongsi Clan Temple

Due to clan ceremonies that were taking place in the morning, we had to return after lunch to visit the Khoo Kongsi temple. Thankfully, the extra time and even admission fee was worth it. A narrow, rather simple alleyway entrance suddenly gave way to a wide square. 

According to the official website, the Khoo Kongsi consists of an administrative building, opera stage, meeting hall, and 62 units of terrace houses and shophouses. The dense conglomeration of buildings with the three not-so-obvious entrances really evoked a sense of defensive protection as well as the communal closeness of the clan. Just as in the souks I had visited in Tunis and Sousse, it would take a bit of effort for unwanted visitors to reach the heart.  Located in the heart of historic Georgetown, this elaborate temple is a popular tourist attraction. 

 The Leong San Tong temple was by far the most decorative of the buildings, with the current structure completed in 1906. The temple's intricate wood carvings and richly ornamented beams were created by the finest craftsmen from China. 

Once again, we were on visual overload. Every single view was a feast for the eyes. I could have easily taken many more photos of just the main temple, not to mention wander around the complex and capture some of the architectural beauty of the rest of the buildings. Lack of time (and of course the ever-present rain) meant that we had to move on.

Note the dragon "gargoyle"

If you are interested in learning more about the Khoo Kongsi Temple, do visit its comprehensive website.

Tweet

The Burning of the Souks

The struggle in Syria has now claimed another victim - the ancient souks of Aleppo. Reports are that between 700 and 1,000 of the small shops that have made its commercial and cultural space within the narrow walls of the souks, named as a UNESCO Heritage site, have been burned. Souks, comprising of shops, mosques, homes, and other places so vital to everyday life, are the heart and soul of ancient Arab cities. In Tunis, I loved wandering the medina, enclosed at one time by fortified walls. Wandering through the maze-like streets (with plenty of dead-ends) gave me a chance to catch a glimpse of what it must have been like for centuries, when the main commerce and life took place within these walls. Some traditional crafts were only produced within special lanes within the souks. When you were tired of shopping, you could always find a café where you could catch a sweet mint tea topped with pine nuts. Not only did Syria lose some architectural treasures within the walls of the souks, it also likely lost some cultural and artistic gems as well. I pray that some sort of stability and normalcy will return soon to the people of Syria, who have been victimized for all too long. Now there will be more to rebuild - if these heritage areas can rise up from the ashes at all. Read more in the BBC article.

These photos are taken from the Tunis souk. On top is a shop making traditional chechia hats so typical of older Tunisian men. Below is a basket shop found near the main mosque in the medina.

Tweet

The Tunisia I know

These are the memories of Tunisia that I have - the white-washed buildings with blue doors and bougainvillea. Wandering the ancient medinas of Tunis, Sousse, and elsewhere. The clear blue skies and Mediterranean Sea. Its amazing history, as evidenced in spectacular Roman and Byzantine mosaics, coliseums, and aqueducts. Freshly harvested olives and dates. The pit dwellings of Matmata and the vast desert south. Its people, welcoming and warm, graciously serving sweet tea topped with pine nuts. While the majority of Tunisians call themselves Muslim, a much more moderate version was practiced - sometimes more tradition than anything. It was a country that had banned the burqa, with many of its women choosing Western wear and showing off their thick black hair. A favorite vacation destination for French and other Europeans, freely able to relax on the beaches of resorts in their bikinis. A country that was site to many prominent films, often serving as a safe alternative for Middle Eastern country scenes. I remember when the school added extra security measures and even had us practice safety drills, but a bigger concern for members of the ACST community that year was flooding, which affected the school several times. During the two years I was at ACST, the school doubled in size, much of it due to the African Development Bank moving its headquarters from Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) to Tunis to have a stable place for operating.

Ten years later, I am sitting in my apartment thousands of miles away in Seoul, Korea. The Tunisia I know looks very different from what just happened at the embassy and nearby school. From my experience, this sounds like the actions of a few radicals, representing a minority or perhaps even led on by outsiders. I pray for the safety of all my friends that still are in Tunisia and that peace, stability, and normalcy will soon return. 

These are two of my artworks, the top being an oil pastel of a scene in Sidi Bou Saïd and the lower one a color pencil drawing of a man in the medina in Sousse.

Tweet

Tea Time (Watercolor)

The Medina of Tunis is my favorite part of the city. Here I can wander through the narrow maze-like streets, shop for a new chechia from the same store in the souk that my father patronized for this traditional woolen cap, and go to Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque. No trip to the medina is complete without stopping by a small café to enjoy some sweet mint tea with pine nuts. After several glasses of tea for all of us men, we then bring out the shisha pipe, inhaling the apple-flavored tobacco as we puff and blow to make the bubbles appear. After a round or two of cards, I have one more glass of tea and then head home.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

Tweet

Bakr-Eid

Yesterday market the Muslim festival of Bakr-Eid, commemorating the day on which Abraham was asked by Allah to sacrifice his son Ishmael. When Abraham attempted to do this, Allah instead placed a lamb on the altar, content that Abraham would have obeyed his command. On this day, Muslims purchase a lamb and slaughter it, roasting the tender meat and sharing with family. I recall when living in Tunisia seeing huge flocks of sheep and lambs by the roadside for sale just before the Eid, then seeing these same fluffy creatures tied up by neighbor's homes. Then on the day of the festival, the streets became awash in blood. The last year I was in Tunis, I was invited to the home of one of my Muslim colleagues and enjoyed some of the tender meat.

Here in Chennai, the Muslim population is rather small and lacks the physical presence around my neighborhood - unlike the majority Hindu population. While in a rickshaw in northern Chennai, we went past a mosque from which males were exiting. No doubt they were heading home to enjoy the feast. So no lamb meat, guts or blood to show you - just a picture of the people.

Tweet

Jasmine Scented Evenings - and a Flood - September 2003

Dear all,
As the temperatures have cooled down to a comfortable 70's and 80's, I
suddenly have more ambition and desire to do things. As I write this, the
crickets are happily chirping away in the 76° evening. All my windows are
open, letting in the breeze an occasional faint scent of the lovely jasmine.
Just before dusk, I went for a short walk around the neighborhood. Boys were
outside on the street playing soccer, and the girls chatting away as they
congregated on their roller blades and scooters. More and more of the
buildings in the area (I live in a suburb of Tunis the capital) are
progressing along, some with their cinder blocks/cement being painted and
others receiving decorative trim. Most of the homes are multi-level with
balconies and a walled/gated entrance. Extended families are quite typical.
Covering the tops of the wall and cascading down are bougainvillea other
flowering hedge-like plants. My favorites though are the jasmine plants.
Tonight, the gentle breezes waft with the scent of jasmine.

_________________
Ah, what a difference a few days make. Since starting this email, things
have drastically changed at school and elsewhere, due in part to the
weather. Earlier last week, it began raining. First it was just at night and
then an occasional shower during the day, then it decided to rain (including
lightning and thunder) hard and for several days straight. Just as Italy had
its worst flooding in 50 years, Tunis had record flooding (the government
doesn't publish those figures nor does it notify the public that a bridge
was taken out, etc.). Thankfully, my apartment (the school provides housing
for overseas hires) remained rather watertight. Unfortunately, the school
did not fare as well. The force of the water pushed the front gate from its
hinges. The water went up to the old buildings and portables (remember that
our school doubled in size since last school year and we have a space
shortage), but the "newer" building, finished just a few years ago,
sustained flooding in its lower floor. Personnel who did manage to arrive on
Wednesday waded through waist-high water. The lower shelf in the library was
under water and printers and other items stored on the floor in the computer
lab were floating. Breaking through a window, they managed to move some of
the brand-new printers (the computer shipment from the US had just arrived
not long ago) to higher ground.
On Friday, we drove to work (school was cancelled but we wanted to
assess the damage), flooded streets were still evident. Water bubbled up
through man-holes, three-lane highways became one-lane in areas, and large
trees were uprooted. Already forewarned by the Director, the librarian knew
that the books and videotapes on the lower shelves would be a total loss.
After peering into the flooded computer lab, I proceeded to help the
librarian and many members of the school community reluctantly take the
soggy bottom books outside on carts or wheeled chairs. As some continued
bringing out the damaged books, others wrote down the barcode number and
book title, shaking their head in dismay as damaged books began piling up.
Some of the books (many of them brand-new reference books), had just been
placed on the shelf the prior week. Others carried the books to a huge heap,
ready for trash removal. Had we been in the US, lamented the librarian,
perhaps we could have been able to save the books by freezing them quickly
or by other means. Here, they will quickly mold and mildew. It was difficult
throwing away Janson Art history and other reference books, many of which
were purchased through a special grant.
After the list of damaged books was compiled and a few mildly affected
placed in the sun to dry, I went to the computer lab to see what I could do
in there. Wading through water, I began to throw away cardboard, take out
the rug, and remove the lower drawers of my cabinets. As the flood shorted
the electricity, I would have no idea the extent of the damage. Two servers
had some water inside around the hard drives, so we promptly removed the
hard drives and placed the items out in the sun to dry. I learned that the
computer equipment would be covered by insurance, but the insurer wasn't
sure about the books - a potential blow to a school struggling to
accommodate the needs of its larger population.
Elsewhere, first floor elementary teachers began the process of cleaning
up, throwing away, hanging up to dry, and moving items - things many of them
did about a week earlier when a strong rain/wind storm went through. It is
especially difficult for these teachers, as they were already short on
certain supplies due to the doubling of classes and students.
Later the insurance assessors came, noting the damage of items. They
could not go down into the basement where the circuit breaker, some
furniture, and the school's nice sound system was held, as the basement was
totally under water. Levels had started to recede some through pumping, but
the stench of floating paint was horrible. The embassy health nurse came
over and gave instructions on how to properly sanitize the rooms to help
stop the related problems of mold and mildew and advised that the affected
classes not be held on Monday. The ever optimistic director didn't think
that it was necessary for school to be called off for anyone on Monday -
we'll see who won out tomorrow.....
Although I don't know the full details (not all the staff was there), I
did hear that some of the support staff lost everything. A few teachers
found their cars submerged and one couple (their first time teaching
overseas) found their house flooded and refrigerator floating, along with
the newly purchased school furniture and personal wall hangings they had
intended on hanging this weekend. Others lost irreplaceable teacher
materials and other items. But in the end, we realized that they are all
material possessions - and not nearly as valuable as human life. I'd like to
hear how the farmers fared, as agriculture still is an important part of the
country's economy.
It will likely be a very different start of school tomorrow, especially
for the classrooms affected. Hopefully it will be the last time we have to
deal with such a disaster.

Until later (and hopefully drier)
Melissa

Tweet

Winter in Tunisia - January 2003

I’ve been waiting to write this letter until I had something pertinent to
write about. Unfortunately, not much has been happening here. The big news
is all the rain – it’s rained for several weeks, at least a bit every day.
During the weekends, it’s rained practically the entire time. I’ve heard
that huge “lakes,” necessitating a drive of 10 km to reach the other
village, now divide villages that were once neighbors. People aren’t
complaining though, because there has been a shortage of rainfall for many
years. Those roads that are potholed are now filled pools of water. Those
that are unpaved (thank goodness, these are few in the capital city) are
masses of light-colored mud. Everything is greening up, signaling growth and
a rebirth that will make spring even more beautiful. I have heard that
ancient Roman sites such as the hilly region of Dougga are especially
beautiful when the wild flowers come out.

Although it’s a Mediterranean country, it gets cool enough to
warrant wearing a sweater and jacket. Unlike homes in Morocco, the average
home in Tunis has heating – especially nice on those windy, rainy days when
the temperature is 50° or even lower. Gosh, in Mali I didn’t even have a
spring jacket! In between the rain, the deep blue skies emerge, with sunrays
gently warming passersby.

Next week (exact date still not determined – awaiting moon
sighting results) will be the Aïd, the holy Muslim holiday commemorating the
event in which they believe Abraham was about to sacrifice Ishmael (the
Bible portrays Abraham sacrificing Isaac). Sheep are appearing everywhere,
herded in varying flock sizes to large areas such as the open field fairly
close to my house. While some are herding the sheep, buyers are selecting
just the right sheep and leading the rather reluctant sheep to the car. The
next challenge is to fit the sheep on top of or inside the vehicle. It all
reminds me somewhat of the large Christmas tree lots – except that these
“finds” have minds of their own!

There has been talk at school of a lot of upcoming changes. Have
you heard about the turmoil in Abidjan, the capital city of the Ivory Coast?
The African Development Bank had its headquarters there. Anyway, the bank
(with its over 1,000 families) was tired of all the turmoil and instability
of the country. They have decided to relocate the entire bank’s headquarters
to Tunis. Although we don’t know exact numbers, the school has been told to
expect over 100 new kids by the end of March. Right now the school has about
230 pupils, so adding 100 new kids would have a huge impact on the school!
The school board has approved the immediate construction of at least three
new classrooms, which should help somewhat. They also would like to push up
the planned construction of more facilities, but having the financial
commitment of this new bank would make things more assured and easier to
plan. I hope the Director gets some accurate enrollment projection before he
goes to the recruitment fair, otherwise it will be rather difficult to
determine what type of teachers (grade level, specialty) we need.

I’ve been trying to follow the news as diligently as I can.
Since I don’t have a TV, that means checking Internet news sites such as CNN
and BBC. The local government has affirmed its support to the American
community, saying that it would do all it could to ensure the safety of the
Embassy and American citizens living in Tunisia. Rioting or demonstrations
would not be tolerated. The American teachers (who married Tunisian men)
said that things remained very calm here during the Gulf War. I pray that it
stays that way. During that time, the families of American Embassy personnel
were sent back to the US for a few weeks, as a matter of procedure – not out
of any direct need. Because the school is quite international, the absence
of American students would not significantly impact the school population.
Should the worst happen, the school has evacuation insurance, so overseas
hires such as myself would be flown back to the US and continue to receive
some of our salary. So, if others are concerned for my safety and well
being, please assure them that Tunisia is basically a pro-Western, moderate,
stable country.



Until later,

Melissa Enderle

Tweet

An Update from Melissa in Tunisia - Nov. 2002

As it has been a bit since my last travelogue email, I thought it would be
good to take a few moments to recount recent happenings and observations. I
am sitting out on my small balcony writing this, grateful that the
temperature is cooperative enough to enable me to be out here in my short
sleeves with comfort. Rains of the past months have greened up things quite
a bit, with grasses, crops, and weeds replacing the neutral color of bare
ground.

This morning, I took advantage of the beautiful weather and went for a
walk. My destination was some freshly plowed fields near the US Cemetery,
discovered yesterday as I went on the HASH walk/run. With Roman and other
ruins within sight, it would probably be a good time and place to find some
pottery fragments, mosaic pieces, and other small items tilled up by the
tractor. I ended up walking to a field plowed probably last week and then
rinsed by the weekend rain, which revealed many more items. Amidst the
rocks, weeds, and modern rubbish, were mosaic pieces and lots of pottery
fragments. Walking through yielded some finds, but would have seen more if I
had sat down and intensely viewed a small patch at a time. Looking at the
mosaic pieces made me wonder what beautiful design they must have belonged
to at one time, and what building floor it must have decorated. One of the
HASH people said that just 10 years ago, the nearby Roman aqueduct and water
storage facilities were all covered up, with only holes sticking through the
surface. Now they are a vast excavated area. Just how much more is lying
beneath our feet?

Things are progressing quite well at school. We just finished three
afternoons of parent-teacher conferences. A number of parents actually
visited me, indicating their concern and support for their child's
education. Last Sunday we arrived back in Tunis from the MAIS (Mediterranean
Area International Schools) teacher's convention, held in Rome from the
7-9th of November. Here, I had the opportunity to network with some other
computer technology people, attend some sessions, sneak in a few sights, and
eat some wonderful food. During one of the evenings, we were given a tour of
the palatial home belonging to one of the families attending an American
school in Rome. The designs and imagery created in different colors/types of
marble made the floors equally as impressive as the huge painting
collection, antique furniture, or the painted walls and ceilings. Determined
to see the Sistine Chapel, I was one of the first ones to enter one morning.
With the room nearly empty, I had the whole floor to myself. Although I
recognized most of the frescoes, things were different than how I had
envisioned it from my art history book. Having just come from the family
palace, I expected the room to be a bit larger. The vivid colors were
certainly brighter than those in the book. Seeing the juxtaposition of the
scenes truly demonstrated the careful thought and compositional planning
that had to have occurred in order to achieve such unity. I had a bit of
time on Sunday morning to see a few more sites, but will definitely have to
return another time when I can devote all my time to what this splendid city
has to offer. Only an hour away by plane, this should definitely be a
possibility.

The first week of November also brought in the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan. Prior to the anticipated lunar sighting, families hastily shopped
to stock up on groceries and other items. The full stores and packed carts
reminded me of a Walmart on the day after Thanksgiving, when early shoppers
stampede the store to get the bargains. Fasting from sun-up to sun-down,
families rush home to prepare and share the big meals with extended family.
Celebration and visiting happens late into the night, with those wanting
breakfast getting up and finishing before the sunrise. Stores, businesses
and restaurants often adopt different hours - closing during the afternoon
and perhaps opening up after sunset. Traffic patterns also change. We have
been warned to avoid being out on the road around the time of sunset. At
this time, locals race to get home, sometimes even ignoring stoplights. I'm
sure the statistics of automobile/pedestrian accidents during this month
(although not published) would be quite telling. I will have to say though,
shopping at Carrefour (the large French store) which keeps its normal hours,
was certainly a most pleasurable experience, meandering through the aisles
with hardly another customer in sight...

I try to keep informed about recent news events through BBC.com and
CNN.com and other news internet sites. The US Embassy has just moved in to
its new building - right across the road from our school. Hopefully this
move will mean increased protection and safety for us. Taking into
consideration the worldwide heightened alert, the director, school board,
and some embassy personnel are taking a closer look at safety of the school.
Physical changes and practices will be made in order to assure the safety of
all at school.

If you haven't already, please take a look at some of the photos of Tunisia
I have placed on my website: http://homepage.mac.com/melissaenderle/

A Bientot!

Melissa

Tweet

A trip to the Tunis medina - 2002

Our journey began as we boarded the older passenger train in La Marsa,
heading towards downtown Tunis. Stepping off the train, the modern city of
Tunis awaited us. In one street side shop, men individually bound fragrant
jasmine flowers for placement behind men's ears. Road and building
construction occurred here as well, just like every other part of Tunis. At
the outdoor cafés, men chatted as they sipped coffee or tea and smoked
cigarettes. Most dressed in modern Western clothes, with the exception of
some women who gently draped a shawl over their heads. I was surprised at
how many skimpy clothes and shorts I saw - certainly not what the guide
books described. Along the sides of the wide boulevard Avenue Habib
Bourguiba, one could see a variety of buildings, ranging from larger French
colonial structures to more modern tall apartment buildings and hotels.
Typical of most buildings in Tunis, white was the predominant color,
contrasting against the often bright blue skies. Compact cars waited as
groups of pedestrians walked across the busy streets.

Along the sidewalks and sheltered from the heat under the building
overhangs, men and teenage boys engaged in various entrepreneurial
adventures. Some held fistfuls of sunglasses, eager to capitalize on the
brilliant sunny days in the capital. Between the columns of a building
overhang, others had their shoeshine business set up. A few even squatted
behind scales, waiting for customers who wanted to be weighed. Some people
waited in line to use one of the several ATM machines. Shop windows proudly
displayed their wares, whether it be furniture, clothing, or shoes. At the
downtown movie theatre, posters proudly displayed the current feature
starring Dennis Rodman. Shortly before we reached the arched entrance of the
medina, we arrived at the governmental artisan store. Perusing through the
nicely displayed shelves full of items created in the country, we got a
better idea of prices and what art the country had to offer.

Upon taking the left main route in the medina, I felt an immediate
transformation in my surroundings. The narrow cobblestone street filled with
people as they tried to navigate or take a glance at what the tiny souks had
to offer. The methodical pounding of the repoussé artisans, exchanges in
many languages, and the call of the shopkeepers all added to the bustling
atmosphere. Occasionally a man would try to wiggle his way through the
narrow crowded street with his cart. Making our way past the artisan street
filled with carpets, ornate birdcages, and a variety of souvenir items, we
entered other streets. Some sold spices; others contained leather goods or
flowing clothing. The sweet scent of perfume filled the air as we entered
the perfumers' souk filled with delicate colorful bottles, a souk dating
back to the 13th century. Nearby was the souk of the fez-makers, with some
proudly demonstrating the traditional process. Almost lunchtime, the smell
of food ahead was especially inviting. Men chat as they sipped mint tea and
smoke the hookah pipe. Too hot and crowded for our tastes, we decided to eat
elsewhere. Making our way through the labyrinth of bustling souks, we once
again found ourselves back at the arch separating the medina from the modern
city.

Tweet