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.  

I should have started this 2 months ago when I got here but It is only recently I've, as they say here, had “ganas” to write! I am volunteering with a textile charity here in the Araucanía, Chile which is completely different from my last experience of volunteering as an english teacher! I am working with the artisans to try and come up with a project that explains the products they sell. All Mapuche products, each has a story to be told and I want to know it! I have met with mapuche weavers, silversmiths, carpenters and hope to meet with many more before I have to return home at the end of August.