OWP
Eucalyptus Nativity on Acacia Leaf
Eucalyptus Nativity on Acacia Leaf
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In this nativity, Mary and Joseph are made from Eucalyptus Pods with white beans used for their heads. The baby Jesus is swaddled in corn husk and all are placed on an Acacia leaf which is adorned with small dots of orange peel. This is a perfect piece for the Nativity Collector. Be the one who is part of helping the environment and helping others.
- Nativities average 2-1/2" to 3" long, 2-1/4" to 2-1/2"wide, 1-1/2" to 2" high
- Measurements will vary due to size of Pod or LeafÂ
Handmade in Ecuador and Fair Trade imported.
Camari is a Quechua word meaning "gift"; and true to its name, it is also a fair trade organization that has been a gift for many people of Ecuador. Camari, a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), was founded in 1981 to address the problems inherent in the marketing of small-scale agriculture and the production of handicrafts in the rural and marginalized communities of Ecuador.
Camari helps artisans find access to financial credit, training, and technical assistance; yet from the beginning they have understood that this alone was not a sufficient recipe for success. Without direct access to international and fair trade markets, artisans and farmers are forced to sell to intermediaries at prices that cannot provide the basic necessities of life.
Since their inception, Camari has grown to establish numerous shops in major cities throughout Ecuador, providing access to international markets, and alternative employment to more than 6,500 artisan and farmer families in 18 of Ecuador's 22 provinces.
About the Artisans
About the Artisans
Joyeria Semilla meaning Seed Jewelry is a small fair-trade workshop in the Andean town of Villa de Leyva, Colombia. Girasol Taborda, a local artisan and social entrepreneur, started the workshop in the mid-1990s.
Joyeria Semillaâs objective is three-folds; to create new jobs, revive Colombia's handicrafts sector and to motivate locals to better manage their natural resources. The organization works primarily with socially and economically disadvantaged youths, single mothers and people with disabilities in the area. The company offers free training in product design, technical training and marketing to new members. Joyeria Semilla has trained them in the craft of jewelry-making.
  
Caña Flecha or âGynerium Sagittatumâ is a locally found palm tree in the regions of the Caribbean coast. The leaves from this plant are used for making jewelry, woven hats, bags and baskets. The ZenĂș Indians were and their descendants inherited the tradition of picking veins of the green palm leaf for weaving. These veins were made into woven hats and other products for their personal use.
The ZenĂș culture is said to have existed between 200BC to1600AD. With the arrival of the colonizers in the 16th century, the indigenous community declined of unknown reasons. Today a very small population remains that claims the inheritance of the almost extinct ZenĂș tribe. Known for their skills in the construction of major waterworks, canals and irrigation system along with being skilled goldsmiths, examples of their accomplished craftsmanship are found in various museums around the world. Their larger means of subsistence were hunting, farming, fishing and trading.
Caña Flecha is found in abundance in the region, and hence makes for a sustainable and naturally available raw material for these products. Every bit of the plant is utilized â from using in building walls and roofs in houses to food for cattle and medicinal purposes. It is from the central vein of the leaf that the fibers for weaving are obtained. After the hard surface is peeled off, the fibers are left in the sun to dry and undergo a natural tinting process; these fibers are barely about 1 millimeter in thickness and hence call for a lot of skill and patience to weave with. The dried fibers are then processed for natural coloration - some are boiled with lemon to whiten them and some are treated with mud and boiled with plantain leaves to blacken them. The designs are based on ancient motifs and mathematical representations, which are inspired by the early ZenĂș culture.
