Wednesday, June 20, 2012

From Andy Webster: A Morning's Tapestry Our trip to Patacancha packed far more learning than into a half day than we teachers could have expected. The bus trip was the usual harrowing series   of switchbacks as we ascended to this Quechua town, dazzled as ever by the scenery. Our guides were from Awa Maki, an NGO that organizes spinning and weaving cooperatives aimed at empowering women in the traditional culture of the area and at bringing their  families the advantages of connection to the market economy without eroding the very traditions and customs that make them unique. On the way to Patacancha, we had discussions of what "fair trade" means and how it differs from bare-knuckle capitalism. We discussed what a "cooperative" is and what advantages it has brought the women of Patacancha.  We speculated about how these changes might be disruptive to a patriarchal society.  Our guides talked about how local governments sometimes resisted the involvement of organizations dominated by foreigners, and what they were doing to train local women to become leaders in the organization. We even probed the memories of the students who had just completed 11th grade US History for the best example of the use of collectives in our history.  After some head-scratching and wrong answers they correctly hit upon the Farmers Alliance movement of the 1880s and 1890s, which then spawned the Populist Party. Pretty good work for a morning bus ride. At Patacancha, we arrived as many of the 44 weavers were placing their orders for supplies. The Awa Maki guides then spent about an hour informing us about the processes of spinning, dyeing, and weaving wool. They use sheep and alpaca wool. At some points, the local women demonstrated for us. I took extensive video to share with our third grade, where they do an interdisciplinary study of Guatemalan weaving in their language arts, Spanish, and arts classes. I will attempt to edit it and either post it here or put it in Dropbox, with access for students and parents. After this thorough presentation from the guides, about 8 of the women spread their wares on blankets for our shopping pleasure. Finally, we had a tour of a house belonging to one of the women.  Actually it was something of a compound. One building contained a wood stove in one corner, with several pots nearby. This one had a chimney; most still do not. The lack of chimneys leads to smoky houses, which lead to lung disease. There was also a naked cfc lightbulb and a radio. All of these advances were made possible through involvement with the cooperative, which provides a reliable stream of trade and income. The building was made of adobe bricks and a thatched roof. Another building housed bedrooms and a third provided a guest room and storage. All in all, the visit provided a fascinating window into the lives of the weavers, the complexities of sustainable development, and the artisanal skills that can only be embedded by many years of daily practice. I made a ceramic bowl here in Ollanta that bears silent testament to that last fact, though I will cherish it for its imperfections if it survives the journey back to New Jersey. Sent from my iPhone

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