Indigenous Weavers Working for Self-Sufficiency Rather Than Unfair Treatment
For every handcrafted carrier she sells on the tree-bordered coastal walkway of Riohacha, one artisan feels that she's presenting a piece of her cultural legacy
Historically employed exclusively by the Wayuu, the largest indigenous group in this nation, these carriers - known as traditional bags - are now a fundamental item nationwide, and appreciated by foreign tourists
However currently these products are additionally growing in sales via worldwide retailers, featured at fashion events globally, and listed on services including online marketplaces and social media - connecting with customers that potentially haven't traveled to this nation
"Thanks to online posts, international visitors are growing highly educated concerning the woven bag," Ms Aguilar states. "They acknowledge and respect its ancestral value"
Cultural Heritage and Financial Situation
Fiber artistry has historically been fundamental for the native population, that count approximately 380,000 within the country
They have resided for centuries throughout the arid land area of La Guajira in the northern region of the country, and extend into bordering Venezuela
Techniques are passed down through generations, featuring geometric designs on many mochilas demonstrating community affiliation, spirituality, and nature's influence
Weaving is also an essential means of earnings within this region, the country's second neediest region, where 66% of residents live in poverty
For the craftswoman, both local carrier revenue and exports have improved conditions throughout her native settlement including multiple families, and permitted her daughter and niece to study at college
Worldwide Market combined with Local Challenges
However although the expanding international market has bettered chances for particular artisans, it has additionally generated challenges
Numerous craftswomen encounter unfair treatment, and apprehensions remain that traditional craftsmanship is being sacrificed for speed and financial profit
Various native artisans - supported by community-focused innovators - are working to access fairer export markets and advance the carrier's traditional worth
Values for indigenous bags range widely
- An average basic quality carrier - produced through elementary motifs and weaving techniques - are available across Colombia for approximately twenty dollars - occasionally cheaper
- Superior purses usually open at about 80 USD and may increase to several hundred pounds, depending on the weaving time, detail of the motif
Traditionally, bags were created through extended periods, but rising demand caused numerous artisans to establish speedier approaches, creating basic patterns over a few days
Business Ventures combined with Commercial Realities
For local innovator Laura Chica, praise for the traditional purse she was employing during a trip to Europe sparked a business idea
She created mochila company her brand several years ago
"Instagram was just starting, and the brand began to take off," she comments
The entrepreneur says she focuses on superior carriers featuring traditional patterns and elements
These carriers reflect the artisans' skills, work, and heritage, for which they receive a fair wage, she states
The company has been published in periodicals, like global style publications, and showcased at international fashion weeks and high-end retail spaces from Hawaii to London, Paris and Shanghai
Separate Channels together with Commercial Circumstances
However does she believe the growing recognition of the carriers has proven advantageous for the native population?
For Ms Chica, that largely relies on which economic system you consider
"Certain companies, and individuals focused on the story behind the creation method, that want to keep sharing it with the world," she states
She further states that these provide a market for customers who appreciate indigenous arts, environmental responsibility and fair trade, and will pay higher prices
However not every artisan have managed to reach methods to collaborate with such companies that provide appropriate payment, states the entrepreneur
Rather she comments that many have to rely on a different channel where quick production, sales and profits are focused on, that compromises compensation and the standard of the work
Marketplace Realities
In Riohacha's Mercado Nuevo - an intricate commercial space filled with vibrant stands offering thread, heritage hanging beds and woven bags - a group of women crouches on the ground level, crafting
They state that middlemen, or brokers, might provide them merely 5.50 USD each, yet after covering supplies and travel, they frequently make only one dollar fifty - not counting the crafting time
Various native artisans hail from remote, separated villages where exclusively the indigenous language - {the Wayuu language|the
