Description

The Ayoreo are indigenous semi nomad people who live in the Chaco Boreal region of Bolivia and Paraguay. Some of the women artisans have organised themselves into the Association of Garabatá Weavers to support their ancestral weaving tradition.

The whole production process is natural and manual; the artisans collect the garabata fiber, dry it, then wist the thread over their legs to refine it, dye it, and finally weave the bag. The colours are obtained from natural pigments. The total process of making a bag takes approximately 22 days.

They use specially designed traditional patterns on the bags that were originally based on their clan symbols.

The Ayoreo people also create wooden sculptures, jewellery, hanging mobile structures, feather art, and bowls.