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What: Showing of Rainforest photographs by Timothy Hawkins
Where: Fair Bean Coffee, 2210 So. 1st Street, Austin
When: Thursday, March 11, 2010 – 6-8 pm
Why: To promote rainforest awareness
Who: Timothy Hawkins, photographer, adventurer, traveler
Niyanta Spelman, Executive Director – www.rainforestpartnership.org
Agenda:
7 pm presentation by Rainforest Partnership
Live music by Los Escondidos, an Austin band
Photographs of rainforest will remain up for the month of March
I‘ve been meeting with the community about once a week for the handicraft project, alternating with workshops developed in many cases through the initiative and suggestions of the group of artisans. We believe that as we move forward in reaching our goal of commercializing the products, we’ll attract more and more people to the group, which is currently made up of 15 artisans.
We have been improving the designs of the handicrafts through both the workshops and the increased use of the piazaba fibers in constructing the products. In the workshops, we focus on the different stages of production: fitting of the fibers, craftsmanship, weaving/stitching, and the final touch to each piece. The artisan group has been acquiring necessary production materials such as scissors, knives, files, polish, and buckets.
The products initially proposed by the artisans were made almost exclusively of the “Tamshi” and “Yurakhuasca” fibers, with some small application of piazaba fiber for decoration. Inspired by the authorization of the management plan, we are making products with larger quantities of the piazaba fiber because it is such an attractive addition to the handicrafts. The resulting products look very elegant and different from those that we normally find in the local market, which could make them very competitive here and abroad. Photos below show the initial products made by the community.
Over the past 6 months the weaving/stitching, the designs, the symmetry of the product, among other things, have improved. The artisan group is almost ready to present its products to the market. Our goal this month is to send a sample to the USA to evaluate the commercial possibilities. Photos below show the improvement in the products over the past 6 months.
After 5 months of waiting for the Management Plan to be analyzed and approved by INRENA, the hard work of the community of Chipaota and the RP Team paid off, as the formal announcement of the Plan’s approval was given in San Martin, on October 27. The announcement was indeed a celebration for the community of Chipaota, as they are now legally able to begin harvesting and selling the piassaba fiber.
The ceremony took place at Regional Government facilities with the presence of 16 men and women from Chipaota, the Director of Natural Resources, the President of flora and fauna council and the Regional President of San Martin, who personally delivered the approval of the management plan to the Apu (Chief) of Chipaota. The regional president emphasized the important example that Chipaota has set for other communities in the region. He stressed the need to develop sustainable activities like the management plan, along with the development of artesan projects that will allow the region to develop and integrate.
Among others, the ceremony was also attended by representatives of NGOs, local media, and the RP Peru team. Before the delivery of the permit, Uliver Cenepo (president of the ECOMUSA piazaba), gave a presentation about Chipaota, its location, the activities taking place there, etc. Jaso continued explaining the process of the implementing the Management Plan, how Rainforest Partnership has provided support for the project and the next stages of development with the community. At the end Jaso and I distributed brochures about the project and RP to all attendees of the meeting.
The day after, I found the ceremony on the first page of a local newspaper with a memorable photo of the regional president and the Apu of Chipaota. The news of the ceremony and approval of the management plan was also aired on the local news.
