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.