Embroidery Workshop

Come discover the beautiful embroidery tradition of the Hazara people.  Embroidery masters will demonstrate traditional techniques in the museum’s workshop space. You can also try your hand at Giraf and Khamak embroidery. 

The Hazara people have traditionally embroidered their clothing: scarves, belts, headdresses, as well as bags and fabrics. Training begins at a young age, and the skill is passed down from one generation to the next.

At the event’s opening, pediatrician Leena Kaartinen will share her experiences working with Hazara women and children in central Afghanistan. Kaartinen worked as a doctor in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan and in Kabul beginning in the 1970s. During her time there, she experienced both the Hazara people’s sense of community and hospitality and the horrors of war. Before retiring, she helped establish a network of health clinics in central Afghanistan, which was vital for those living in remote areas. She returned to Finland in 2006 but has continued to travel to Afghanistan ever since. 

The workshop is part of the accompanying program for the exhibition “Roots and Reflections: The Living Traditions of the Hazara People” and is organized in collaboration with the Finnish Hazara Cultural Association.

The event will be held in Dari and Finnish.