FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jess Cherofsky // 617.441.5400 x 15 // jess@cs.org
Weaving the World: Indigenous Arts Festival Brings Crafters from Over Two Dozen Countries
Boston, MA - On December 15-16 and December 21-23, 2018, Cultural Survival will host its annual Indigenous arts and culture festivals. These free admission events provide unique holiday shopping opportunities featuring local and visiting artists bringing their handmade scarves, clothing, jewelry, rugs, paintings, glasswork, pottery, and more. The Cultural Survival Bazaars support the livelihoods of Indigenous artisans and community projects worldwide. Featured at this year’s Bazaars are weavers Timoteo Ccarita Sacaca, Porfirio Gutierrez, and the Zienziele Foundation, among dozens of other artists.
Timoteo Ccarita Sacaca is a master weaver, natural dyes researcher, and weaving teacher from the district of Pitumarca, Cusco, Peru. For decades, Timoteo has instructed groups of weavers in natural yarning, weaving, and dyeing techniques. He uses natural dyes and alpaca wool, a continuation of traditional practices that reach back generations. He hand-spins alpaca fiber to create yarn, then weaves using handlooms. His traditional designs are inspired by Incan messages, symbols, and ideals. He is one of a few known weavers who keeps the ancient art of tapestry from Inca nobles.
Another guest at this year’s Bazaars is Zapotec weaver Porfirio Gutierrez from Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico. He works with his family and others in his community to make each rug. Raw sheep wool is cleaned, carded, and spun it into yarn. Next it is boiled in a naturally occurring dye fixative and dyed with plants, minerals, and cochineal collected or grown by community members. Artists hand-weave traditional designs on an upright pedal loom and finish them by hand.
From across the globe, the Zienzele Foundation is a non-profit organization supporting orphans and their caregivers in rural Zimbabwe. Caregivers produce baskets and 97% of the proceeds go back to them to pay school fees for their children. The Foundation also provides educational workshops for both the women and children and and supports the creation of self-sustaining gardens and sewing projects. They work with close to 350 women and have sent almost 900 children to school.
Since 1975, the Cultural Survival Bazaars have been held to provide Indigenous artists a chance to sell their work directly to the US public, and to provide the community with opportunities to purchase unique fair trade gifts right here in Boston. Attendees at the Bazaars can meet artists, view craft-making demonstrations, listen to live music, and purchase one-of-a-kind handmade pieces from around the world.
Event Information:
December 15-16
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
459 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02138
Saturday and Sunday 10am - 6pm
Free admission
Free parking
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December 21-23
Prudential Center
Boston, MA 02199
Near Barnes and Noble. Enter at the corner of Huntington Ave. and Belvidere St. (Elevator and escalator access at this entrance)
Friday and Saturday 10am-10pm
Sunday 10am-8pm
Free admission
2 minutes from Prudential Station on “E” line on Green line
Across the street from 39 bus stop
10-minute walk from Mass Ave. stop on the Orange Line
Several paid parking garages in the area
