Al-Ahram Weekly Issue No. 248 23 - 29 November 1995
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

Lucrative ballot business

By Nesmahar Sayed Ali

Streets are packed with slogans to lure voters

A veteran calligrapher painting a typical elections banner photos: Sherif sonbol

Candidates may or may not make it to the People's Assembly, but the campaign is a winning game for a variety of businesses which sell propaganda-related goods and services.

As voting time draws near, it becomes more and more difficult to navigate through the web of candidates' banners adorning the streets of Cairo. These banners are the work of a special breed of artists and petty entrepreneurs - Cairo's calligraphers.
Amm Fahmi Toson, 57, has worked as a calligrapher since the 1940s. His father, a professional calligrapher, passed the art onto his son. Today, Toson depends on his own sons for help. But business is not as good as it was a generation ago. "The elections are the main reason for our fame today," said Toson, "we wait for them eagerly."

Supplies are expensive these days, laments Toson. Candidates or their supporters provide the cloth while the calligrapher is responsible for painting the banners. But, Toson says most candidates are not concerned with the quality of the calligraphy and only want to see their names on the banners. He insists that calligraphy is an art and he works to keep his name in the market.
Most banners are provided free by supporters for the candidates.

Independent candidates rely more on complimentary signs than party candidates who receive funding from their political parties. Some candidates commission signs and pretend they are donated by supporters. The number of banners does not usually affect the candidates' prospects for victory, but a strong showing of banners could denote popularity, political clout, or simply, wealth.

"As a favour to certain candidates, I finish banners quickly, or do a better job than for others. I generally do a better job if the sign is for a candidate whom I support," explains Toson, "But the best service I can offer to a candidate is to vote." The veteran calligrapher regrets the efforts he makes for candidates who win and then renege on their pre-election promises.

The vast amount of work available for calligraphers during the campaign provides an opportunity for amateurs to cash in on their talents. Adel Nagi, a 25-year-old teacher in Shubra, studies calligraphy at Madraset Al-Khat (calligraphy school). He sees the elections as an opportunity for himself and his colleagues to practice their skills while earning money, although they charge much less than professional calligraphers.

For the more well-established craftsmen, increased demand during elections is an opportunity to raise prices. Mohamed Othman, a calligrapher in Dokki, says artists charge up to double their usual rates for election campaign banners. Othman charges LE5 per meter for writing the banners, buys the material for LE1.5 to LE3, and charges an extra fee for hanging up the banners.
Othman has expanded his business and bought extra equipment to provide more propaganda services to his customers. For LE150, he can print 1000 paper posters with the candidate's photograph. He also prints T-shirts with the candidate's name or photograph.

Some calligraphers are so inspired by the election activity that they decide to run for office. Mousaad Khouder, 50, switched from a long-time career as a calligrapher to a candidate for election. "I have worked as a calligrapher since I was six years old. The first elections I attended were the National Assembly elections when I was 10 year-old. This year, I am a candidate," explains Khouder. When he was young, the enterprising Khouder marketed his calligraphy skills with signs which read: "Elect Mousaad Khouder to write your elections signs."

As millions of pounds change hands during the election campaign, some of the money is bound to find its way into the pockets of those who provide al-firasha - decoration, furniture, carpets, tableware and services at events such as weddings and community condolence gatherings. Today, churches and mosques usually have special halls for these events, reducing the need for al-firasha. This makes the election time especially profitable for al-firasha workers.

Moulid Al-Nabi (Prophet Mohamed's birthday) is another prosperous time for al-firasha. But Am-Sayed, 53, says the golden age for their work was in the 1960s. In those times, they serviced large marquees, known as soradikat, where candidates delivered speeches. Today, the government forbids soradikat because of the quarrels which inevitably break out. Sayed, who has worked in the business for 40 years, says providing chairs on various occasions has become their main work.

The main wholesale shops which sell cloth used for banners are scattered in downtown Cairo, especially in Al-Azhar. Shops are also scattered along 26 of July Street; where Zakaria Mohamed, a shop manager, says business has been brisk during the past two months.

"We prepare for the election season by buying more cloth to stock up ahead of time because factories increase their prices during election time," he said. "Sales increase closer to voting time because candidates must keep a stock of signs in case theirs are sabotaged."

Paint shops have their work cut out for them too. Sales increase, especially for the watercolours most often used on the banners. But Abdel Mouniem Abdel-Dayem, a paint shop; owner, says, "Even though the demand increases, we don't earn much more because the price of one tin of paint is only LE1."

Mohamed Shehata, a 22 year-old son of the owner of a printshop, affirms that his workload intensifies during election time as well. But unlike others, Shehata does not mix business with politics. He is open about who will receive his support. "All the candidates I deal with know who I will vote for. I promote my candidate openly and if other candidates protest, they find another printer. I would not change my opinion to get more business."

Additional reporting by Niveen Wahish

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