The Lebanese young man, Charbel Azar, often roams some of the vast mountainous areas, in search of the ideal piece of wood that can be formed in the form of a walking stick or another for hiking, and he says that its sound reminds him of his ancestors.
In search of the perfect piece of wood, young Lebanese Charbel Azar travels the vast Lebanese mountainous regions where he grew up, to find wood that can be shaped into a walking or hiking stick.
Azar, a philosophy teacher, said his memories of his late grandfather are closely linked to his walking stick, as he remembers the sound it made whenever his grandfather climbed the stairs.
And he added, “There are many memories, no matter how buried in the folds of the past, but something comes to awaken them in us. This stick reminds me a lot of my grandfather who used to carry it and still bears the traces of his hand on it, and the impact of its blows on the ground still rings in my ears. Each stick has an identity and a personality.” And a voice of her own.
Inspired by these memories, Charbel decided to start making his own walking stick.
The manufacturing process begins in the forest, where he spends hours searching for suitable tree branches to use, then puts them in a stove, sharpens them and keeps them tied for months to smooth the surface.
A Lebanese boat maker who preserves the craft of his fathers and grandfathers
Azar adds, “While walking in the field, I look for suitable branches to make a stick through the process of pruning trees. At the same time, I clean the forest from branches that might hinder the firefighters’ operation in the event of a fire.”
The final step involves engraving and dyeing the wand, as well as a unique finish on each.
He engraves the shapes of animals, trees, quotes, and even personalities on the stick. Azar has made about one hundred and fifty sticks since the beginning of this hobby in 2015, and he sells some of them, at prices starting at $55.
And unlike the ones he sells, he insists that his personal collection is never for sale.
2023-08-07 07:23:43
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