ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE
CHOCOLATE AND TEAPOT STRAW
The crafts made with the natural fibers of the teapot and chocolatillo straw are mainly linked to that of the Eperaara Siapidaara indigenous community, located in the municipality of Guapi, in
the department of Cauca and the Afro-Colombian artisans of the department of Chocó.
This beautiful craft is carried out by women and men, who are responsible for its manufacture. The fibers are usually transformed with natural dyes.
- Their designs and shapes represent figures from the jungle and elements of their customs and traditions.
- Among the main varieties are pieces for domestic use such as the four-tit basket, flasks with or without lids, merchant baskets and other types of basketry, which are usually used to transport and store different objects.
- Average sized baskets may take 6-8 days each to make.
IRACA PALM
Also known as the toquilla or jipijapa palm, the iraca palm is a very popular raw material for the production of handicrafts in several regions of Colombia, among which the departments of Nariño, Cauca, Antioquia, Chocó, Caldas, and Atlántico stand out.
It is one of the richest and most delicate techniques in the country, and has become a fundamental part of local economies, as many families have found a sustainable way of life in this craft. Countless products are made from the iraca palm: hats, placemats, napkin rings, purses and a wide variety of accessories and decorative pieces.
PALMA SARAH
It is a kind plant that grows in the flooded savannas of the Caribbean Region, and that is increasingly scarce; where dozens of families use its bud to weave long braids to make crafts. This tradition that has been inherited among women, today, is a way of life that has contributed to the economic development and strengthening of many communities in Cascajal, Bolivar.
The women of Cascajal create magic with each braid they make from the Sará Palm. Their art is the product of the love, unity and resistance of an entire community, which weaves the hope of a people who seek to remain visible through artisanal crafts. The products made from this plant are associated with placemats, baskets, coasters, hats, among others.
BLACK AND RED CERAMICS
Black and red ceramics are mainly produced in El Guamo, located in the department of Tolima, in the southeast of Colombia, a municipality with more than 397 families of which 87% live from artisanal production.
The artisans have worked over the years to preserve the ancestral knowledge belonging to this region. The economy of these villages is based on agricultural production and the production of handicrafts. This tradition is mainly linked to women, who with their hands begin to give life to the clay, although men also carry out this trade, but to a lesser extent. Each piece made has allowed this tradition to become an art that carries with it the history and culture of this region, typically artisanal.
