The last professional basket weaver of the island was visited by the Project for Handicrafts in Crete team. Grigoris Dialektakis with his wife and son maintain their family business in Gazi, Heraklion.
The discussion started with the personal experiences of Grigoris and Sofia which gradually evolved into professional employment. The artisans spoke in detail about the raw materials, local and imported, that they use in each individual product. They continued with the techniques of basket-weaving, the designs, the sizes and the needs served by each object. They explained in detail the stages of the craft activity from knitting to the final coating to protect the product.
Particular emphasis was placed on the (mis)match that exists between costs (hours and materials) and the final price for the consumer as well as on the concerns about the demand from the buying public. Proposals were discussed to save the sector as a cultural heritage but also as a driver of local sustainable development.
The interviews are recorded (photos and videos) with the consent of the participants and posted on the Project's online channel (Youtube) and social media.
