Leather goods
Whichever market you visit in the country, you'll find numerous craftsmen and retailers offering a wide range of leather goods. After all, the country is home to over 100 million head of cattle! Leather is often left raw, but sometimes dyed pink, green or yellow! The choice is vast: from sandals, a welcome replacement for the plastic flip-flops of the northern hemisphere, to large-format suitcases (often a little vintage in style), as well as the famous poufs, belts, hats, wallets and pretty backpacks, you'll be spoilt for choice to please yourself or those of your friends and family who haven't had the chance to accompany you to this wonderful country.
Forged objects
If you're lucky enough to visit Abéché, don't miss the blacksmiths' market. The forges are set up in the open air, so that the hot air escapes as much as possible, in the shade of a tree or an awning, preferably on one side of the market. The blacksmith works seated or crouched, handling the molten metal with a large pair of tongs, then working it between his anvil (of stone or scrap) and his hammer. The brazier is fanned by a bellows made of skin, fitted over clay tubes, and manipulated by a helper. In the past, the material used came from local blast furnaces, but nowadays, blacksmiths tend to use recycled objects: cans, car springs, concrete reinforcing bars for iron, cans and tin cans for aluminum. From the forge come agricultural and woodworking tools, throwing knives, crafted spearheads, stirrups and bits for horses... With recycled aluminum, the craftsman makes trays(soufras) in a variety of sizes, cooking pots, spoons for eating porridge... Superb knives in their colorful leather sheaths make unique gifts.
A qadamoul, a traditional turban
Before becoming a fashion accessory, the turban was widely used in Sahelo-Saharan regions to protect against the elements, such as sandstorms and the heat, which can exceed 50°C during the day. However, the temperature can also drop to 5°C after dark. Wearing a turban on your head will not only give you a survivor's look, but also allow you to vary your style depending on how you tie it. You can adopt the Tuareg style, the Berber style or the traditional headdress of Chad.
Wooden sculptures
Although many wild animals have been decimated in Chad, sculptors have not forgotten that their country was, a few decades ago, a veritable nature reserve, and perpetuate the tradition of woodcarving by representing all the country's known species. From warthogs to elephants, giraffes and rhinoceroses, the choice is vast, but your purchases will probably depend on your baggage allowance for your return home. However, most of the small sculptors you meet will be able to offer to ship you their work, as they know the system well.
Silver jewelry
Chadian women are very fond of jewelry: they wear rings, bracelets, nose rings, necklaces, barrettes and head ornaments, which vary in style from one ethnic group to another. This jewelry is worn for celebrations, of course, or when visiting a friend, or even when going to the market. Particularly noteworthy are the barcham, a Goran necklace with multiple fine silver twists that blossom across the chest, and the zeitoun, a necklace of large yellow amber beads favored by Kanembou, Arab, Goran and Kréda women. Fangar are chased silver barrettes worn by Arab, Zaghawas and Goran women. Djaka are impressive Goran head ornaments, with parietal and frontal sections and three spikes at the top of the skull. They are now rarely seen except at wedding ceremonies or on special occasions. The amchababa is a Goran and Arab head jewel, inlaid with red pearls.
In the northern markets, however, you can still see many Goran, Arab and Kréda women with hair adorned with khourouss, the sort of curls from which long silver chains sprout, tinkling at the slightest movement of the head. You can buy all these jewels on the Sahelian markets (although it's rare to find head ornaments, you can order them from jewellers). It's worth noting that you can also find imported jewelry (such as the famous Agadez crosses) or less traditional jewelry on the capital's craft markets. Finally, you can have a piece of jewelry made for you by local jewellers.
Bronze and copper objects
The Sao people were already renowned for their mastery of bronze, which they shaped using the lost-wax process. The object to be created is first modeled in wax, as precisely as possible. It is then encased in a thick shell of fireclay, creating a funnel and vents. It is then heated, so that the wax inside melts and flows out through the vents. The liquefying metal is then poured from the crucible into the funnel, to take on the shapes printed in negative on the clay. All that remains is to break the mold to obtain the metal object, which is then left to cool. This is how thick kotoko anklets are made, as well as numerous utilitarian or decorative objects, such as small bronze mortars and pestles, copper sugar-breaking hammers, bells and certain amulets. Arab women like to wear a bronze figurine in the shape of a horse, wrapped in a leather sheath, to trap any evil djinns (spirits) who might ride on them, in order to possess them, in the mystical sense of the word...
Carpets
Abeche is the Mecca of carpets, handmade from natural goat hair in black and white, or dyed red, green and orange. The motifs are geometric, sometimes incorporating stylized camels. There are also much coarser goat-hair rugs in black, gray and garnet.
Authenticity and regulation
When buying souvenirs, be sure to support local artisans and buy authentic products. Also check the customs regulations of your home country to ensure that you can legally bring back the items you want. When it comes to alcohol or tobacco, beware: the limits are often lower than you might think, and the origins of products are often difficult to determine!
