Artisan visits, bingo, and juan de dios

Last days in Ibague were spent visiting artisan groups working with mimbre fiber, guadua (like bamboo), and cornhusks. We will be working with artisans in another community, Neiba, for a week in early July who work primarily with leather and natural fibers.

We are currently in Cali, the salsa capital of colombia. however, every monday since arriving in colombia has been a holiday... so on sundays and mondays nothing is open with the exception of the mall and the bingo halls which have kept us successfully occupied. They are really friendly and serve free juices, provided you keep playing. Although we have yet to hit the jackpot, the potential for funding our remaining travels through our bingo earnings keeps hope alive.

We arrived in cali last night after a week at Juan de Dios, a small beach community surrounded by pure jungle an hour boat ride from the nearest port city, Buenaventura. we hiked in loaner rubber boots to visit the nearest neighbor and ate the fresh bread she bakes to sell in a town, an hour boat ride away. we kayaked through mangroves and out into the ocean to visit an old man squatting in the remnants of a hotel that was built 20 years ago whose construction was never completed. we climbed the roof there and saw 180 degrees of pure jungle behind us and 180 degrees of ocean before us with no signs of homes or infrastructure such as electricity or cell phone towers. We slept under a thatched roof on a palm leaf floor under mosquito netting and experienced the nightly torrential jungle rains (most rainfall in this region than anywhere else in the world). We traveled with a woman we met and her friend, who sang amazing songs everynight around bonfires while playing her gaita (an indigenous carribean wind instrument), and there were 4 other colombians there and a family who runs the place. We shared meals of fish that was caught fresh every day and rice and patacones (by candlelight) and every meal was complimented with conversations revolving around all the colombian fruits, desserts, and other typical dishes we have to try while here. All the music we have to listen to. and all the places we must visit.

So, this is my romanticized version of the experience. The truth is this region of Valle de Cauca is known for having some of the highest numbers of displaced peoples in all of colombia due to mining, fumigation of coca farms, and other political reasons. The area is highly patrolled by military. Most people we met in the region were not originally from that area. Life there is hard but the people we met were full of spirit and stories as well.

Arepa entrepreneur. wood burning arepa trike and artisan visits

These last two days have been so full of activity and emotion. We taught a few computer classes and then visted three artisan workshops. Primero, a group of women working with Fique (natural fiber) to crochet bags and accessories. All members of the group had to leave their home lands to seek refuge in the city of Ibague due to the civil conflict. Many of the women are widowed and are alone in this city but although they are from completely different parts of the country they have come together in the past two years to try to work for a better future. Their biggest challenges are coming up with designs that meet clients needs and expanding their market. Today we met with another group of displaced artisans who work with Mimbre, a vegetable fiber similar to wicker. In the past year they have been working with Aid to Artisans to learn to weave this fiber into baskets and home decorations. But, they have also been experimenting in weaving baskets made with copper, used phone cables, fibers from the amazon called yare and chipalo, and other recycled materials such as used car tires. Then we went to visit a group 35 minutes outside of Ibague in a rural area who make products with cow horn (i can´t think of a more elegant way to phrase that right now). They order about 200 kilos of horn a month, 50% of which is actually used to make horn jewelry and other items, the rest that would normally be waste they are trying to mix with other materials to sell as natural fertilizer since the horn is pure calcium. We then met with friends of Tomas and they were incredible and practically have the rest of our trip planned for us. this is another story for another day. I have never experienced such generosity, trust, carino, and desire to share as i have since arriving in this country.

In a beautiful small mountain town called Villa de Leyva, 4 hours from bogota. Were staying 3km out of town in a adobe two story house on an onion farm with incredible views! Lots of pine trees, farm land, and cacti. We couldn't find the place at first so the microbus dropped us off at the military post where we sat talking to the young men in camo with guns strapped on their backs until the owner of our hostel came to pick us up. The first question they asked us is ¨what is your impression of colombia?¨ After we told them we thought it was a beautiful country with really friendly people they proceeded to tell us about all the beautiful places to visit while we are in their country.

This is genearlly the first question that is asked. Not surprising since they are used to people outside of Colombia thinking only of cocaine and kidnappings.

Traveling tomorrow to the city of Ibague in the Department of Tolima to work for 4-5 days with artisans teaching basic computer courses during the mornings and then visiting their workshops in the afternoons. They work making products out of cornhusks, goat horns, and fique and other fibers. We will also be conducting interviews with some of the artisans and making short marketing pieces for Aid to Artisans to use to promote sales and then will be helping set up for an artisan fair. Aid to Artisans staff is generous and trusting, taught us a bunch about the many artisan groups they provide business asistance to. The ultimate goal being that the groups will all be sustainable and able to work directly with exporters. All groups are made up of artisans who are displaced from their communities. Colombia has 3 million displaced people, Sudan being the only country to surpass this.

We get an apartment for 4 nights while we are in Ibague. considering working in Neiva, another community, in a couple weeks. These artisans make incredible leather bags and hats made out of all kinds of fibers. The best hat I´ve seen so far is made from tabacco leaves!

hasta pronto

Arrived safely in bogota and im on my 5th ¨tinto¨(black coffee) of the day and finally figured out it´s probably due to effects of mild altitude sickness (bogota being around 8000 ft compared to chicago´s 500 ft or so). I feel foggy but happy.

I spent the day wandering around colonial streets of La Candelaria barrio and went to an impressive Bolero museum as well as ¨Museo de Trajes¨where they show the history and weaving process of men and women´s traditional clothing from the many indigenous communities in Colombia. I was surprised to see how much was similar to guatemalan weavings but i was totally amazed by these small belting looms called ¨telares de arco¨(bow looms) that are made with a single bent branch. The sophistication of the weavings made with these little looms is incredible. Sat talking to the woman at the museum for a long while and she explained about all the fibers that they use for weaving, for baskets, and hats. People here have been really friendly so far.

The platypus hostel where im staying is a backpacker hippie haven. i was greeted last night with a club colombia beer and plenty of interesting conversations with people from around the world. woke up to someone in the shower next to me singing mano chao with a heavy french accent. It seems they still remain a classic in the backpackers repetoir after all these years.

The day before i left for my trip i received a sign from my neighbor. Literally.
¨Today is going to be my favorite day¨
and its true of yesterday and today, and hopefully of tomorrow.
Not because of the freedom from relinquishing work responsibilities.
not because i traded in my books on management for an 1830´s voyage across the Indian ocean and the adventures of the chinese opium wars.
Not because im wandering in a foreign city filled with total awe and appreciation.
not because im listening to ¨gangsta´s paradise¨and drinking that 5th tinto of the day.
But today is going to be my favorite day
because today is going to be my favorite day.
a little lesson i was recently taught and trying to grasp and make true in my life!