The Meaning of a Souvenir: Why Origin Matters

A souvenir is often thought of as something small you pick up on a trip; a reminder, a token. But the word itself comes from the French souvenir: to remember. A true souvenir is not just what you carry home. It is what carries home with it: memory, place, and the trace of the hands that shaped it.

In Tunisia, the difference between a mass-market object and an authentic souvenir is simple: origin.

When Objects Lose Their Name

Across markets abroad, Tunisian crafts are often copied or rebottled. Pottery stamped by factories. Olive oil exported in bulk and sold under foreign labels. Textiles woven from polyester instead of cotton.

When origin is erased, an object loses its name. It stops being a souvenir and becomes decoration without memory.

Souvenirs that Hold Place

A clay pot built in Sejnane using the same hand-building method recognized by UNESCO.

A fouta woven on a wooden loom in Kairouan.

Each carries the land, the people, and the continuity of skill. That is what makes them souvenirs in the truest sense: they hold place.

Why Origin Matters

Choosing origin is not just a matter of authenticity. It is a matter of dignity, for the maker and for the buyer.

• For the maker: their name, region, and technique remain visible.

• For the buyer: the souvenir has weight; it tells where it comes from and who made it.

Without origin, there is no chain. With origin, there is memory that lasts beyond the object.

My Chakchouka: One Clean Door

At My Chakchouka, every object is direct. From artisan to you. Each piece in our For Gifting collection is traceable to its face, its place, and its story.