All the indigenous tribes that we work with, have been using ancestral techniques to create the beautiful products. They spend weeks weaving a reflection of what they see in nature. Their cultures are full of symbols, traditions and colors. We want to contribute to preserve these vibrant and exciting cultures from Colombia. Always respecting their culture, beliefs and ancestral traditions.
For centuries, Wayuu Tribe women have used ancestral techniques to create the traditional hand woven Mochila, which is the Spanish word used to describe the bucket bag.
Wayuu women spend in average over 140 hours weaving each mochila, using their traditional technique: single needle crochet.
Their inspiration is nature, so they reproduce their environment through designs with geometrical and colorful patterns.
This art is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence and creativity. Their craft knowledge and their cultural values are preserved as source of social wealth and economic income.
For centuries, Mocana Tribe women have used ancestral techniques to create traditional hand-woven iraca straw ornamental figures and utilitarian products. They produce an array of products for home, accessories and decorative items. Some of them are placemats, jewelry, trays, bread-baskets, desk accessories and handbags.
Their artisans spend in average 60 hours weaving each "basket" bag, inspired by their creativity and talent, and weave with their skills and passed-down techniques. Their raw materials are natural fibers, more specifically iraca palm straw, which is carefully dyed in vibrant colors.
They weave the products with different types of stitches, which have been taught from generation to generation. Some of them are called nudillo, caracol, solecito, estrellita, which are words in Spanish that represent elements they see in nature, like sun, stars and snails. The combination of these stitches in different shapes of wire structures, give the accessories their originality and trendy style.
The artisans of the Embera tribe create jewelry and decorative pieces. They spend up to 60 hours to finish a small piece. Their pieces are woven using various techniques such as wood looms, hand thread or threaded needle.
The combination of colors and shapes tell us a lot about the perception of the world by Embera Chami artisans. For this tribe not only the shapes take meaning from the environment, but also the colors.
In the shapes the diamonds represent the four seasons, the circles represent community and unity, spirals a sense of walking. About the colors, white is for clouds and peace; red for blood, race, soul, flowers; blue for sea, river, sky, space; green for nature, leaves, mountains; yellow for gold, sun, happiness; orange for flowers; purple for flowers; brown for earth and black for night.
Thanks for your support! These joint efforts help create sustainable income and ever-expanding opportunities for more people than you’ll ever know.
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