Narrator: This is camel skin.
It takes at least two days to manually clean it
so it can be turned into pieces of art like this lamp.
This century-old craft is a signature trade
in the ancient city of Multan in Pakistan.
And this is one of the last businesses that still make them.
Malik Abdul Rehman Naqash is proud to keep it going.
Narrator: In fact, his grandfather
started making camel-skin lamps in the early 20th century
and is credited for turning it
into a major business for this city.
But younger generations aren't interested
in learning the craft,
and businesses have been closing.
So, what does it take to make these lamps?
And how is this craft still standing?
Cleaning and preparing the hides properly is crucial.
It takes hours of manual work
using only this knife, called rambi.
Narrator: These skills are passed down within families.
Ashfaq Riaz learned it from his father, Muhammad,
when he was 7.
Nowadays, they work side by side.
While one cleans the hides until they're bleached white,
the other scrapes the excess until it's nearly paper-thin.
Narrator: They save as much excess skin as they can.
Narrator: Then it's time to shape the lamps.
Muhammad places the thin layers over these clay molds.
Today, he's working with a classic lamp shape.
He uses the grinded excess to cover holes.
It's important to keep the top layer thin
so light can pass through the final product.
He gets these molds from a potter
who makes them by hand using plaster.
And they come in all shapes and sizes.
Muhammad seals the piece
with a mixture made of glue and washing soda
and leaves it to dry in the sun for up to four days.
Narrator: Finally, it's time to paint it.
It takes around 10 days to finish a single lamp.
And Malik has to be precise and patient,
since one mistake can ruin the entire design.
Narrator: This technique is called naqashi,
and it's over 900 years old.
Artists from Multan painted designs like these
on buildings, monuments, and mosques.
Malik learned the technique from his father.
Narrator: In the past, camel leather
was popular in the region for storing oil and ghee.
Malik's grandfather started doing naqashi art
on camel-skin lamps in 1910,
following the arrival of electricity in South Asia.
And he passed the skill down
to his son, Malik Ashiq Naqash.
At one point, there were at least 40 families
involved in this business,
and people from across the country
came to Multan to buy these.
But the craft has dwindled as tourism declined
in Pakistan in recent decades.
And raw materials have gotten more expensive.
Narrator: Malik started selling them online
and managed to keep the business running.
Small lamps sell for about 1,500 rupees, or $7,
larger ones for around $200.
He says these lamps can last up to 100 years,
but they need to varnish each one thoroughly
to get them there.
This increases its shine and durability.
Both Malik and Ashfaq say that younger generations
aren't entering this business
and instead choosing more profitable careers.
They hope with educational programs and monetary support,
a new generation will join the craft.
Narrator: For now, he's passing
the naqashi skill down to his son.
Narrator: Hi, this is the Still Standing team.
Over the past year, we've met artisans from around the world
who preserve traditional methods and techniques,
like preparing soy sauce in Japan,
cleaning leather in Morocco,
and making the perfect mirrors in India.
If you enjoy our videos,
please like and subscribe to see more stories
about the people keeping centuries-old traditions alive.
And if you have an idea for a video you'd like to see,
let us know in the comments.
Thank you.