Handwoven Natural Fiber Colorful Baskets From Colombia 'Nests of Nario' Item ID: 2671698133

My name is Ayde Montezuma, and if my family were to describe me, they would say I am a humble, hardworking, and honest person, values that are an inheritance from my mother. I was born in the beautiful town of Sandona in Narino, Colombia. When I was a child, I remember that my mother raised us alone and taught us to work from a young age to help her with her small business. She taught me and my 5 siblings step by step about palm iraca weaving as a means of livelihood. Thanks to that, we were able to go to school and have food at home. Throughout my life, I continued to practice, and today I have 45 years of experience in this art. I have been a member of a weavers' association since I was 18, and at the age of 28, I decided to become independent. Independence was one of the best decisions I could make. It's not easy because at some point, you have to lead people, but I feel that I have achieved many things autonomously, and I am proud to have taken this big step. Unfortunately, a few years ago, my mother passed away, leaving me with immense sadness. Every time I weave, the threads intertwine in the form of memories I shared with my mother. It brings me deep gratitude to have this beautiful inheritance. My mother always told me that I had a lot of talent and that I wove better than her. I was always drawn to creating woven pieces. Thanks to all this heritage, I have been able to start my own independent workshop. Every day, it grows more, and I now have a press to make hats, and have more support from people. In my workshop, I am responsible for giving the iraca color using plant-based dyes such as walnut, pichuelo, and annatto. I boil large pots to dye the fiber, and finally, I set the color with a mordant like salt or alum. What I love the most is creating products and ensuring they are well-finished, with excellent quality. It's beautiful to have the recognition of customers who admire my work. I am motivated every day by the comments of customers who appreciate my work. I draw a lot of inspiration from new trends, new color combinations, and of course, the nature that surrounds me. Today, there are more people interested in learning this technique. I always have an open heart to teach this art to people in my own community and to children who visit from different schools to learn this craft. I had the wonderful opportunity in 2004, along with three other artisans, to travel to Milan thanks to 'Artesanias de Colombia' to demonstrate weaving. We were given the opportunity to demonstrate hat weaving on the runway, and it was truly a gratifying experience. One of my greatest achievements is providing employment in Sandona, as there isn't much large-scale industry. We boost the local economy, providing opportunities to train people in our workshop so they can work with us and start their own workshops. Together, we promote the craftsmanship of this wonderful municipality, considered one of the most beautiful in Colombia. Everyone is welcome to visit us and be part of this wonderful experience!.