El Hombre Pajaro

With four of my co workers, from the foundation Cholchol, we travelled to Puerto Saavedra to meet the notorious “ Hombre Pajaro”, also known as Don Lorenzo Aillapan. We arrived at his house at around 12 and he had only just arrived before us from another commitment. This man never stops, he is forever being invited here there and everywhere. Like a bird he travels the world, spreading his knowledge and stories. He has been to France, Sweden, China and in the next two weeks he will be setting off for Canada, by invitation from a university there. You would think someone of his status would not have the time or patience to receive us volunteers in his house, but on arrival we all sat down at his table to share a mate, bread and stories. He speaks with such passion and expression that the conversation was even entertaining for Daisuke, our Japanese volunteer who has only newly arrived and has limited Spanish. His bird songs are enchanting and are exactly like the bird he is interpreting. He said that he sees his spirit in the birds and for this reason if he sees a bird in a cage it makes him very sad. We were also lucky enough to visit the Machi Berta, Don Lorenzo's friend, who lives in the surrounding countryside of Puerto Saaverdra. She speaks little Spanish so Don Lorenzo had to translate our many questions.  

Visit to Maria Ester's workshop

I went to talk with Maria Ester Llancaleo in her workshop in Puerto Saavedra. I've already been there before to visit other artesians but it is a nice seaside town, I do miss the sea! I went originally to ask her about her work relating to basket making although I realised on my arrival that this woman does everything. weaving, jewellery, baskets, bags, all that is artesania mapuche. The most interesting point she made was her opinion on the future of mapuche crafts. She feels with out a doubt they will most certainly continue to be made and people with continue to learn although the meanings and significances of the pieces will not continue. People's motifs for learning and practising the craft will be purely for money and their work will not uphold the diverse meanings, put on all the different products. Each piece has a story but these, according to Maria, will not be past on the the next generation.

Beautiful Mapuche Textiles

Some of the rugs sold at the foundation. All of the colours used are 100% natural; using vegetable peel, berries and leaves to dye the wool. And of course they are all hand made. Simple beautiful!  http://es.cholchol.org/

Friendship jug: two spouts so it can be shared.

Pottery visit

Yesterday I visit Sandra San Martin and her father at their house in Gorbea, which is situated around an hour from Temuco. I took the bus from the centre and sat for a long hour on the bus as there was an awful smell! I look for the toilet, but there wasn't one, so I have no idea where the smell was coming from! When I arrived I followed Sandra's simple instructions and arrived with no fuss. I first was given a quick tour of their beautiful green and winter white ( as Sandra put it) house. They have make it into a literal museum, each room full of posters and trinkets, visually telling both the mapuche and their personal history. First Sandra  gave me a brief account of some of her pottery. They are all archaeological copies of mapuches jugs that can be found in museums all over South America. Many represent fertility and each small detail that they hold, hint towards this understanding. I later spoke to Sergio, Sandra's dad, who has a "more romantic" way of explaining the pieces. We spoke for more than 2 hours as Sergio explained everything from the start, reminiscing about his wife and when they would visit museums looking for new designs. He highlighted how they do not make a lot of money but that one was born to live, not to work and as long as they had food that was all that mattered. He was such a captivating character, he was very patient with my questions and spoke with such passion.

Margarita's loom and pig

Visit to Margarita's casa

Yesterday I jumped at the chance to again travel with the guys to the campo. Pepe, Susanna's husband occasionally comes in his red pick up truck, to help transport whatever needs to be transported. The guys loaded up the truck I'm really not strong enough to help them! The purpose of the journey was to take building materials to the man who is building the communal workshops in the countryside. I think the idea is that the woman share this spaces to complete their textile work, sort of like a community centre idea. The journey there is beautiful, we headed to Imperial, about 20 minutes from the foundation, and then into the countryside. I was lucky this time as Margarita, one of the weavers from the foundation, was at home as last time she wasn't. The guys unloaded the materials and headed back to the foundation to pick up more and left me in Margarita's house. I felt slightly intrusive as Pepe said straight to the woman, here is Rachel, we are leaving her here so she can ask you a few questions, no choice what so ever. Although luckily she accepted this fact without any bother and we went into her house, out of the cold. I had written a few questions beforehand but unfortunately she wast able to answer all of them but our conversation was non the less interesting. I asked her generally about Mapuche textiles, where, when and why they were used. Margarita told me she, unlike a lot of her friends, really enjoys her craft, finds comfort in it and doesn’t get bored. No wonder with the amount of products she churns out. She showed me ponchos, gloves, hats and not the mention the process that comes before the final piece. One has to remove the wool from the sheep, wash it, spin it and dye it. Margarita, like all the weavers at the Foudation CholChol, uses only natural means to dye her wool. We went for a short walk, where she showed me the mackie tree which produces a beautiful olive colour and the barros(swamps) where mud is taken for a black/brown colour. Even when I was asking her questions she couldn't sit still. She examined my colourful gloves and when I commented on how big they had gotten she was quick to get out her crochet and started to give the sleeves a new, tighter border. Mapuches who live in the countryside always seem to be like this, on their feet, fetching this or that, probably because there is always things to be doing. Cutting fire wood, grinding wheat, keeping a fire going, feeding the animals and cooking for their ever hungry families. Although, I feel this is their way, they wouldn’t feel comfortable just sitting and relaxing, they have been brought up like this, always having something to keep their hands busy. I was especially grateful when Margarita gave me a pair of her beautifully knitted gloves as a gifted.