We slept well in our hospedaje in Pebas after our tough trip from Brillo Nuevo. On Saturday, we took a motorcar from Pebas over the 20+ rickety bridges crossing streams to Puca Urquillo.
We met with both Bora and Huitoto artisans in the seats overlooking an asphaulted basketball court. Yully and Marianela carefully reviewed a variety of hot pads, bottle and cell phone carriers made for our orders. I was again relieved that Yully embraced the tough job of rejecting ones that didn't meet high quality export quality. We then bought a few more bags and other items at a small feria.
I then saw a few artisans buying loose batches of white chambira fiber from a woman from Tierra Firme. While we are investing a lot of resources to help artisans from Puca Urquillo plant more chambira palms so they can have their own supply of raw material for weaving crafts, it is still easier for them to buy this from more distant communities who have a lot of forest but few artisans.
On the way back to Pebas, we passed several smoky fields being burned to plant yuca. It was inevitable that paving this land passage would lead to the clearing of almost every adjoining parcel of forest.
When Elle came into our booth, she immediately spotted our yellow Papilio butterfly ornament. I asked her about her attraction to this craft and learned an emotional backstory which she generously consented to let me share.
I felt joy and some pride that I played a role in allowing the Alternatives to Violence Project to work its magic for energizing our internal light that attracts people to each other.
