Description
Unique art pieces
These baskets are handwoven by the Nukak indigenous tribe, nomadic indigenous people of the Colombian jungle, following an ancient process transmitted over generations. Weaving is an activity exclusively feminine. Crafted from a strong local fiber called bejuco yare, these baskets are originally used to carry personal belongings, plants, and food.
The Nukak people
The Nukak, or Nukak-Maku people, is the last indigenous group in the country that has come in contact with the outside world. Indeed, they avoided contact until 1988, when they were forced to flee their land because of the armed conflict. It is also one of the last nomadic tribe, that was traditionally hunter-fishers and gatherers. They live traditionally in small groups, moving from a place to the other one every few days. Being so mobile they always had very few possessions and their baskets is one of them.
Unfortunately, their fate is quite uncertain. Their number has now been considerably reduced, and it is estimated that there are now just over 300 of them. Also, most of them being displaced, the collapse of the tribe’s traditional way of life is palpable, and they are struggling to adapt to a new environment.
We are proud to sell their beautiful baskets, helping them to preserve their ancestral weaving tradition, and to make a living.
