Somalia · Metalwork / Blacksmithing (jewelry-making)
Qalin Shube (the name of the artisan community itself, translating to 'the one who smelts silver')
The hand-heating, hammering, and molding of gold and silver into fine jewelry by artisans of the Qalin Shube community, part of the wider Banadiri community of Somalia's southern coast, concentrated in Mogadishu's historic Hamarweyne district. Using rudimentary hand tools -- files, pliers, hammers, and anvils -- Qalin Shube smiths heat and mold precious metal by hand into necklaces, wedding jewelry, and other fine pieces; the community holds that mastering the full range of skills involved takes a minimum of two to three years. The craft was introduced to Somalia by Indian traders in the mid-20th century and subsequently thrived, earning the Qalin Shube renown for craftsmanship across East Africa and beyond. As of 2023, slightly more than a dozen women and men remained actively working as smiths in Hamarweyne -- approximately 20 men and 6 women -- with most of the remaining artisans aging and few young Somalis expressing interest in continuing the trade, despite named master goldsmith Omar Nur Basharah's active efforts to transmit the skills to his own children and the wider community's stated readiness to teach interested youth.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Not independently inscribed
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