Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

July 14th, 2011

The 8th annual Folk Art Market ended last night with a fun dinner/dance party with all of the artists and some lucky Market supporters. Africans danced with Peruvians, Guatemalans danced with Palestinians, Cambodians danced with Thais and basically everyone danced together. What a perfect world! This is why I love the Folk Art Market – it is a meeting of cultures and sharing of traditions – a true three-day global village. There is so much to see and experience that although I spent hours everyday at the Market, I still didn’t visit every artisan that exhibited. What I did find were amazing weavers from Peru, Bolivia and Uzbekistan and jewelers from Mali and jewelry from Algeria. Nilda Alvarez, my new friend, from Cusco, Peru is an amazing woman. She grew up in a small village outside of Cusco and started spinning wool when she was 6 years old and weaving at 7. After her studies she founded the CTIC, Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco to continue the weaving tradition of her country and to provide a market for the weavers. As director of CTIC she oversees 450 weavers in nine communities who benefit not only financially but also personally. A woman that is able to contribute to the family income for food, health and education builds tremendous self-esteem, which makes an impact on the entire community. We are looking forward to working together.Tuscany and I also met Amina Yabis, a married mother of four, from Morocco who started the Woman’s Button Cooperative of Sefrou. She is another inspiring woman who decided to use her gifts and talents and break out of the traditional Moroccan woman’s role and start her own business by marketing the traditional hand-woven buttons. By employing the women in her community she too has helped bring them a sense of confidence and opened them up to a world of possibilities.
Weavers who use indigo as a natural dye were highlighted this year with a movie called Blue Alchemy produced by Santa Fean Mary Lance. The film traces the history and cultural significance of the dye, which has been produced all over the world for centuries. It was fascinating to learn that its production in our country fueled the early slave trade in America’s southern states.
I fell for the ostrich eggshell jewelry made by the Bushmen of Namibia. They use the eggshells from commercial farms to make beads that turn into bracelets and necklaces. They are really beautiful and unique.
These are just a few of many many wonderful stories you will find at the Folk Art Market. Please come next year and experience the music, the art, the colors, the food and the amazing people that make up our world.