📘 Part 3: Handicrafts

This episode's vocabulary

Carpentry (noun) - the skill or work of making and repairing wooden objects.

Amateur (noun) - someone who does not have much skill in what they do.

Fair (noun) - a large public event where goods are bought and sold, usually from tables that have been specially arranged for the event, and where there is often entertainment.

Fascinated (adj.) - extremely interested.

Dexterous (adj.) - having the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skillfully with the hands.

Fiddly (adj.) - difficult to do because the parts involved are small.

Safety-conscious (adj.) - conscious of being safe and preventing danger.

Obscure (adj.) - not known to many people.

Deliberately (adverb) - intentionally.

Impenetrable (adj.) - impossible to see through or go through.

Incentive (noun) - something that encourages a person to do something.

Drudgery (noun) - hard boring work.

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Questions and Answers

M: So, let's talk about handicrafts and art. What handicrafts are popular in your country.

R: Oh god, it's probably easier to say what isn't popular, to be honest. People do woodwork, metalwork, other things like that. Oh, carpentry. Although that's kind of like woodwork, isn't it? Anyway, um, you, you can really do whatever you please. Although I would prefer something made by a professional over an amateur.

M: Do people in your country send handicrafts as gift?

R: Oh, I think they used to more often than they do now. Unless it's something they bought at a fair as opposed to something they made themselves. It's quite common for schoolchildren to make something for their parents, though. Like I talked about my clock.

M: What do young people think of traditional handicrafts?

R: Well, very young people are probably fascinated by it. But I can imagine the older ones find the technical side a little dull and unengaging, since it requires like a lot of work before you can produce something you're proud of. And electronic media pretty much gives you instant gratification. So you're, they're more likely to prefer that, I guess.

M: What are the benefits of making handicrafts?

R: Well, you definitely become more dexterous, especially if it's something fiddly, like making mechanical toys. And you're working knowledge of machine tools will be above average as well. More broadly, you will be more safety-conscious. So these things can take your fingers off, like the precision saw I talked about?

M: Is it a good idea for children to make things by hand?

R: Well, it's good for developing dexterity and creativity, certainly, but especially in this day and age when we have things like 3d printers that might not be as essential as it used to be.

M: What are the benefits of traditional products to locals?

R: I think it keeps money circulating in the local economy, doesn't it? And that's good for maintaining and developing the industry there. Might be closely connected to local customs too. For example, in Haiti, they make skull masks. They're closely tied to Voodooism. So buying them keeps that part of the culture alive. And that's important, if it's something people value,

M: Do you think the government should help in the promotion of traditional products?

R: If it makes up a significant part of the culture in the economy it's definitely a good idea. After all, that is like, ideally, the purpose of the government, which is to protect the culture of the people that serves as well as the people themselves. Otherwise, what's the point?

M: Why do some people think it's difficult to understand art?

R: Well, some art is quite abstract or obscure in relation to the person experiencing it. Like, for example, if we, if you know little about Voodoo culture, then you might not be able to relate to the sight of so many skulls and spiritual displays. And other times art is almost deliberately impenetrable due to the designs of the artist. And that can cause some frustration too.

M: What can we do to make young people pay more attention to traditional art?

R: Well, that depends on how young they are, like, school children can enjoy trips to museums and sort of small projects. Teenagers could be encouraged to go by incentives to engage with their culture more. I think some English councils experimented with paying people to go to certain sites. Young adults just need to have their awareness raised that something is there, and then natural curiosity can just take its course.

M: Do you think it's important to cultivate an appreciation of art in children?

R: Well, it might be easier to raise awareness that there are different ways to interact with an experienced art. And just because they don't like it doesn't mean something is wrong with them. Some connection to art is important though. Life isn't about work and other kinds of drudgery. There's sort of beauty in the connection to it to be had as well.

M: Do you think art should be included in school curriculum?

R: Well, definitely, like you need artists. And school children should have the opportunity to see if this is something they can contribute to the world, or at least to enjoy it. It doesn't have to be about being economically productive. Maybe they'd like to take it up as a hobby and school can be a kind of trial or testing ground for this.

M: Do you think that in the future, people would appreciate traditional art and handicrafts more? Or like we'll just care about iPhones and technology?

R: No, I think there will always be a place for things. It's like, it's like everything else like radio, television replaced radio. But there's still people that listen to radio stations, for example, I don't see why the same doesn't apply to art.

M: So Russian dolls will be popular forever?

R: Well, maybe not forever. But as long as people are around to enjoy Russian culture, why not?

M: Rory, thank you very much for your answers.

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Discussion

M: Now, so first of all, handicrafts, what are handicrafts?

R: Handicrafts are crafts that you make with your hands.

M: Yeah. Can can I say handcrafts or handmade crafts?

R: Um, I don't think it matters. handicrafts is probably better though. Although that was in the question, wasn't it? So maybe you want to paraphrase?

M: Yeah. So everything which is made by hand, and let's give some examples of handicrafts.

R: Woodwork, metalwork, carpentry. Y

M: Yes. Like wood structures. Like, what do you call it? Statutes?

R: Oh, what are they called those poles called. Totem poles.

M: Okay. Okay. Totem. Totem.

R: Although that's like, sort of Native American art, but they're cool.

M: In Russia, for example, everybody knows Russian dolls.

R: Regardless of how you do it, you'll need to work out if it's going to be professional or amateur.

M: Yeah, the handicrafts?

R: Yes. So if something is professional and it's done by a professional handy craftsman. Like, if it's carpentry, then you're a carpenter. If it's metalwork, what would that be, like a blacksmith or a welder. But you could also be an amateur, which just means that you did it by yourself without any real formal training.

M: Yeah, yeah.

R: Oh it's not your main job.

M: And you should be ready to talk about traditional handicrafts in your country. So where you are. So for example, in Thailand, what do they have in Thailand?

R: Oh, do they not have... Buddhist sand gardens or whatever they're called?

M: Sand gardens?

R: There's a thing in Buddhism where they draw lines in the sand?

M: So for example, in Thailand, you can talk about silk products, right? And different wood work. So different like wood carving, things, right.

R: Is that the technical term?

M: Yeah, yes.

R: You just call them wood carvings.

M: Yeah, wood carvings, right. So like chairs from wood, furniture from wood, like elegant chairs and beds and tables made out of mango wood, right? So this is what we mean by handicrafts, right? So just make sure that you Google what handicrafts there are in your country, and you are ready to show off your nice words and vocab to the examiner. Yeah. Rory, you said that some people like very young people are probably fascinated by traditional handicrafts.

R: Yeah, well, it's like they're just very interested in it like sort of childlike curiosity like oh, what's this? I remember when I was really young, we went to a fair and I saw a wooden train. That was fascinating.

M: Yeah, also like jewelry could be handicrafts right traditional jewelry

R: It could, and do you know, if you like handmade jewelry you might want to check out rabbitstore.ru. Actually, that's a good point. If you're not really sure what to talk about, then you could check out this website and you could just talk about stuff on there.

M: It's popular in my country. Everybody knows that.

R: Everybody knows Rabbitstore.

M: Yeah, just we have a friend who makes jewelry. So Pasha, hello if you're listening. And he puts some stones. Some very nice stones in the jewelry and Rory is wearing the bracelet made by Pasha. So really nice. Oh, and I have earrings. Yay. Cool. So, yeah, we can call it handicrafts, right?

R: Why not?

M: Handmade jewelry.

R: Yeah.

M: Yeah. Okay. Right. You said that you definitely become more dexterous.

R: Yeah, dexterous just means you're able to use your hands well, so like you can move your fingers around to get into places and put small sophisticated things together.

M: A really nice word.

R: Like what would be good example? You have to be dexterous to play the piano. In terms of handicrafts, if you put together like a mechanical train, you need to put together all the little bits and your fingers need to be moving in very specific ways, so you could screw that up.

M: So you can become more dexterous, especially if it's something fiddly, like mechanical toys. Fiddly. You fiddle with it. Fiddle.

R: Fiddle is like you can, you have to be very careful with the movements of your hands. Otherwise it could go wrong.

M: Yep. And we make things by hand, right?

R: What's an example of something fiddly?

M: When you have soldiers, metal soldiers, and you have to paint them.

R: Oh my God, yeah.

M: Or paper planes, you have to like stick stickers on paper planes and color them or plastic plane, models of plastic planes.

R: Or Warhammer?

M: Warhammer?

R: Warhammer. You have an army and you paint it. Like plastic figures.

M: That's fiddly. You see.

R: It's extremely fiddly. I don't know how to make them look so good.

M: I have no idea.

R: You've never heard of Warhammer? Oh, I need to do an episode of Warhammer. Warhammer is awesome.

M: What is it? Is it? Okay, is it a game?

R: It is.

M: It's a weapon?

R: No, it's well, it's a weapon and it's a game. If you're a big nerd like me, then you'll love it.

M: Oh, yesterday I started watching Star Wars.

R: Oh, do you like it?

M: Yes. It's fascinating. I thought it's about like space and stars. But no, there's a love story. And he's the son, then his sister. And they're gonna like, wow, fascinating.

R: It's fascinating. It's not a kind of drudgery. And drudgery just means that something is very boring.

M: Oh, right. How can use it in the sentence. It's a drudgery.

R: Filing your taxes is a form of drudgery, because it's so boring.

M: Yeah, you can say like, doing paperwork is a kind of drudgery, it's boring, boring.

R: We should also be prepared to talk about specific types of culture, if we're asked about different things. So for example, I talked about death masks in Voodoo culture or skull masks in Voodoo culture.

M: Yeah, you made a very good example. So Rory started off with like, yeah, it keeps money circulating in the local economy. So if we buy traditional products we help the local economy and then for instance, in Haiti, and then there's a specific example. So pretty much you structure your answer the same way. As you structure the essay. You see, you give the idea, and then you support it. And you give an example. For example, in Russia, Russian dolls, right? For example, in Haiti, they make skull masks.

R: If you haven't seen Haitian skull mask, you should definitely check them out. They're awesome. Some of them are the size of like, it's like five times the size of your head, and people wear them. Yeah, that's cool.

M: Have you got one?

R: No, I couldn't take one with me. In Haiti. There was a riot. Have I told you about the riot?

M: No.

R: No? Okay.

M: You never tell me things.

R: It was pretty tense. I was supposed to be on holiday as well. And there was a massive riot and I think something like 27 people died.

M: Oh, my God, wow.

R: Yeah, it was awful.

M: I have a mask from Africa. My father bought it and it's huge.

R: Really?

M: Yeah. It's huge, it's on the wall where my parents live. And when I was a child, I was scared to death. I thought I had to pray to this mask.

R: Is it carved from wood?

M: It's wooden. Yeah. It's huge. Yeah. So I was really scared. Like can you imagine me a little girl like going back and forth pass this mask. It's a God. I have to pray to this mask. Yeah.

R: But dear listeners, don't be afraid of our answers. Hopefully they will help you through your IELTS speaking test.

M: About handicrafts.

R: Bye!

M: Thank you for listening! Bye-bye!

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