Hidden artisans of Ecuador

Location:
Ecuador

handicrafts, artisans, Ecuador

By Kate Horstead

When shopping for handicrafts in South America´s many markets and shops, it is probable that many travellers do not stop to think how these products came to be.

Selecting gifts for loved ones, Europeans, North Americans and Australians stop to admire the intricacy and the detail, the brightness of the colours and the quality of the fabric.

Then, as quickly as they spotted their desired item, their attention turns to bartering down the price or to the image of a long cocktail on the beach after their bargainous purchase is made.

But behind the bold tourist attractions of Ecuador´s big cities and the Americanised culture of its top surf destinations lies the secret to the things we see and buy.

In the Andean town of Simiatug, two and a half hours´ bus ride from Ambato and just north of the Bolivar province, women at the Simiatug Samai foundation sit and weave or knit multicoloured wool into beautiful purses, bags and baby booties.

The products are covered in designs displaying indigenous figures dressed much like the women themselves in traditional dress with long, dark, plaited hair. Empowering the women involved, the project offers them training in machine embroidering as well as a reportedly decent pay packet for their efforts.

Some 24 communities are involved in this project and all the materials are sourced locally. Once completed, the products are sent to the markets in Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil.

Each item designed is unique to the foundation and is not copied from elsewhere, which makes the products a truly original find for their buyers and receivers. Some 300 items per month are currently being sold via catalogue and at trade fairs.

Meanwhile, up the hill in a tiny workshop, volunteers assist a handful of locals in the process of toy-making, creating small wooden dominoes and other games for young children.

The toys are meticulously hand-painted with acrylic paints and each volunteer that arrives brings a new idea and design to the table.

Simiatug´s workers seem content in their various tasks, safe in the knowledge that they will gain a hard day´s pay at the end of it. They are the lucky ones, as they work for a not-for-profit organisation that claims to value them and reward them with a fair wage.

Further west, close to the buzzing surfer town of Montañita, a host of handicraft projects are taking place in much-hidden places.

The modest day to day life of the country´s less wealthy is not often seen by those passing through the area, but the artisans of this small but special corner of South America have numerous stories to tell.

In the tiny fishing village of La Entrada, tucked along a sparkling white coastline, as many as 12 families club together to make delicate paper products. The pastel-coloured notebooks, writing paper and cards are made from recycled paper and the families make them to order, often recruiting other members of the community to cope with the demand.

The process is a tried-and-tested method of boiling, mashing and pressing, while the colours come from berries and other natural dyes.

Banana skins are also used to create spines for the notebooks, an innovative use of natural resources, and at Christmas time the same material is used to create charming, straw-coloured angel figures.

An uncomfortable truck ride up the hill in Dos Mangas, artisans show us jewellery created using the seeds of a fruit from the Tagua tree. Using basic machinery, the seeds are painstakingly cut, moulded, polished and pierced until they resemble the trendy medallions and keyrings sold at stalls in the more tourist frequented Salinas and Guayaquil.

The work requires much concentration and it takes a day to make just two or three of the products. In addition, the Tagua tree has to grow for seven years before it is ready to bear the fruit needed and once picked, the fruit takes at least six months to dry sufficiently to make the jewellery.

It is hard to picture the work of the human hands when standing at a stall looking at the finished product, but it is clear that a lot of hard work and energy is filtered into each one.

But after watching the artisans at their labour of love, one thing is certain – every necklace, purse and notebook takes on a whole new meaning and the feeling of taking home a little piece of Ecuador with you is increased.

Further Information

Travel tips: Expect the unexpected, don´t be afraid to approach people, and help the artisans by purchasing their work, even if it is more expensive than the products you would find in markets.

Must see/do at this place: Just absorb the atmosphere and talk to people.

You should avoid here: Be careful not to offend people when taking photographs