A tribal gathering for gallery
October 2, 2001
BY DAVE HOEKSTRA STAFF REPORTER
In June, Abdul Wardak and Rachel Biel opened Dara Tribal Village, a
spacious gallery near the corner of Ashland and Chicago in Ukrainian
Village. The gallery features one of the largest collections of Afghan
arts and crafts in the Midwest.
Wardak, a 47-year-old native of Kabul, the capital city of
Afghanistan, has imported jewelry, wood, metal, ceramics and carpets
from his homeland.
Make no mistake--business is hurting.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Wardak and Biel worried that
their gallery would become a target for anti-Muslim sentiment. Instead,
one concerned customer brought a chocolate cherry cake to Wardak. Others
have stopped by to check on his welfare. Members of Willow Creek Church
in South Barrington have called with good tidings. Last week an Oprah
Winfrey staffer called in search of an Afghan turban. Wardak will
oblige.
But on a recent sunny Thursday afternoon, the 5,000-square-foot store
was empty, except for Wardak, Biel and the store's boxer-Lab watchdog
Mitchie. It was so quiet you could hear the bells from from the
neighboring Holy Innocents Church.
Wardak imports crafts from refugee camps on the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border, where 3 million Afghans fled during the Soviet Union's invasion
of Afghanistan in the 1980s. More than 70 percent of the Dara gallery
consists of Afghan works. The rest is items on consignment from friends
who import from India, Africa and South America.
"After the [Soviet] invasion, refugees were concentrated in a
city called Peshawar in Pakistan," Wardak said in a conversation
over a snack of fresh mangoes. "Most of my family was there. They
started weaving carpets and making handicrafts, especially beads and
jewelry. The refugees have no money. Sometimes they sold personal
jewelry. I bought a few items at the beginning and accumulated them
through the years. Seven years ago, I decided to make it a wholesale
business, to help the refugees, too. That is how the business started.
We've done well."
Until now.
So to help drum up more business, Wardak and Biel are turning their
space over to arts groups and peace-related community organizations.
Unity Church in Rogers Park, which is organizing task forces to provide
assistance to local Muslims, contacted Dara Tribal Village to send
relief to Afghan refugees.
Since the gallery's opening, it has showcased local artists on a
monthly basis. Turkish painter Pelin Yazar Caez has exhibited his work
and Brazilian capoeira (African martial art) dancers have performed in
the space, as well as the local group Marvin Tate & D-Settlement. A
"Day of the Dead" art exhibit opens on Oct. 20.
Wardak, who lived in Kabul until he was 26, left when the Soviets
invaded Afghanistan. He went first to New York City and a month later
came to Chicago. He learned English learned by watching television shows
such as "Three's Company" and "All in the Family"
(Archie Bunker was his favorite character). After gaining U.S.
citizenship in 1985, Wardak has helped his four brothers and six sisters
get out of the impoverished country.
Born in Minneapolis, Biel, 39, lived in Brazil for 18 years and came
to Chicago in 1984. Four years ago, she met Wardak at an Evanston ethnic
arts festival. With Biel's gallery experience and Wardak's merchandise,
they decided to open their own place.
"Afghanistan is a tribal society," Wardak said. "There
are four major tribes, and each one is unique in its food and clothing.
The Afghanistan government allowed them to have their own schools with
their own languages to preserve the culture. Most of the embroidery we
have here is from the [mostly nomadic] Pashtoon tribe [in southern
Afghanistan]. They like red and bright colors."
Wardak and Biel are not concerned about the recent turn of world
events. Looking around at remnants of another time, Wardak said, "I
am not worried at all. We are part of this [American] society."
Dara Tribal Village, 1505 W. Chicago, is open from noon until 7
p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m.
Sunday. The gallery is closed on Monday. Call (312) 850-3272.
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