Fundacíon Chol Chol;
January 9, 2010
Hand Crafted Mapuche Textiles
Fair trade indigenous art: preserving culture and relieving poverty.
The Foundation specializes in traditional, completely natural, Mapuche textiles and knits ranging from wall hangings, rugs, blankets, and table cloths to ponchos, shawls, scarves, hats, and gloves.
Chol Chol Foundation's exclusive fair trade store
All patterns and symbols are uniquely Mapuche, and represent cosmological stories of their religion as well as elements of the natural world.
Folded textiles woven by Mapuche artisans
The yarn used for each piece is hand-spun, and every color is dyed from natural brews of native plants and fruits.
Mural Trarikan: ceremonial Mapuche wall art
As with this Trarikan, some textiles are still made with ancient techniques involving dying with mud that is knotted with reeds. Mapuche textile art is still intimately connected with spirituality of the Mapuche people.
I bought two beautiful shawls at the Christmas market at the American Indian Museum in Washington, D.C. Wondered where I could get more? Thanks.
Patti
Hello Patti! We would love to give you more shawls. Please email Johanna our executive director at info@cholchol.org. Let her know what color shawls you would like and if there is any sort of pattern or texture you prefer, and we would be happy to fill an order for you. We will also have a beautiful new online catalog up and running within a couple weeks at http://www.cholchol.org. So glad you are enjoying them!