It’s been a while since you heard from me. As I indicated in my last newsletter in mid-December, I consciously chose to take the rest of the holiday season off to enjoy time with my family. It was a tremendous period of connection and relaxation. I got the chance to enjoy extended time with all three of our children and all five of our grandchildren. I also relished some memorable encounters with nature, including virtual forests of saguaro cactus, blue skies, baby javelinas, baby goats, and baby capybaras. I came back to HoonArts refreshed and ready to start anew. (Although, if I’m frank, I could probably use another two weeks, but that isn’t going to happen right now.)
This time-out from the usual hectic schedule and endless “to-do” lists made a massive difference in my physical and mental wellbeing. I had the opportunity to enjoy the moment-to-moment experience of life and recognize the value in slowing down to enjoy the journey instead of always focusing on what’s next.
The tranquility of the Nofin Homestay in the Seven Lakes Region of the Fann Mountains, Tajikistan (Photo I took when I visited in 2015).
When a CALVERT JOURNAL article entitled “Embracing slow time in Tajikistan” came up yesterday on a Google alert, it seemed a perfect segue into the new year. With text and photos by two people who grew up in Tajikistan, it beautifully captures a sense of traditional Tajik culture and the lessons it offers those of us who live in the “always busy, always bustling” modern world. Even during a worldwide pandemic.
So I invite you to enjoy this slow journey to the Zerafshan Valley of Tajikistan, where our textile artisans live and work, and the nearby Fann Mountains. I can’t wait to return this fall as part of our 3 Stans Tour
.
Rikki with the Embroidery & Patchwork Artisans of Armughon Handicrafts, in Panjakent, Tajikistan (Zerafshan Valley-2015)
“Anisa Sabiri’s photographs capture the unrushed cadences of life in Tajikistan. As an emigre, returning to a more relaxed pace can be a difficult but fulfilling challenge, writes Sher Khashimov.
In June of 2020, after the coronavirus-related border closures turned my two-week trip to Tajikistan into a six-month stay, I led a small group of American and German friends through the Fann mountains — a cluster of a hundred snow-capped peaks that stretches across the west of the country. " READ THE REST OF THE CALVERT JOURNAL ARTICLE.
Just before I headed to Arizona for my post-Christmas family adventures, I finally received the latest order from Tajikistan. Unfortunately, in true “slow Tajikistan” fashion, the order was delayed by a variety of real-life events that are fairly normal for Tajikistan: (1) the wedding of Master Sodiq’s son, which required a lot of time from the entire family; (2) illness in the family; (3) the rescheduling of the “regular” courier shipment date from Tajikistan; (4) waiting for the products to travel to the US via our favorite “suitcase shipping” (i.e., via someone traveling to the US); and (5) waiting for the products to come to Albuquerque, when the original person scheduled to visit Albuquerque had a change of plans after arriving in the US. But I think the wait was worth it!
The Egyptian reproduction combs finally arrived! Learn more about the history of these combs in our earlier blogs, What Do Egyptian Mummies Have to Do with a Modern Tajik Artist-Part One and What Do Egyptian Mummies Have to Do with a Modern Tajik Artist-Part Two . Although most of the combs were pre-ordered and have headed to their homes with people associated with the Penn Museum, I still have several extras in both walnut and apricot wood that I will be adding to the website very soon.
The rest of the order was new hand-carved wooden jewelry from Master Sodiq, including earrings that sold out and brand new pendants in various designs to coordinate with the earrings already on our website.
Since high-quality findings are difficult to obtain in Tajikistan, I have now become part of the production team for our hand-carved jewelry. I add all the ear wires and jump rings to the hand-carved components from Master Sodiq. I will also be adding the leather necklaces to the pendants. As soon as I complete this work, I’ll get these new jewelry items up on our main HoonArts website (as well as our new Amazon Handmade and Etsy shops).
I hope this spotlight on the slow lane in Tajikistan has inspired you to step off the fast track from time to time and focus on the journey rather than the designation.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Rikki Quintana
Author