According to the Tsimane’ worldview, the Phapañaki’ was a worm (or a hummingbird, according to some) that formed a partnership with an old woman. While the elderly woman cultivated cotton, the Phapañaki’ wove so that she could earn a living through her textiles. She then became the Phanaki’: the woman weaver. This story speaks of cooperation in creative processes, such as handicrafts.
The women of a community near San Borja shared with us their desire to promote their artesanías. During our conversations, they expressed a concern: fewer young women know how to weave a saraij or make a seed necklace using the techniques they learned from their mothers and grandmothers. However, this concern gave rise to an idea: to create a space where different generations of women could come together to share and revitalize these skills. But the idea didn’t stop there, as the possibility arose of forming an association to sell their artistic pieces at fairs and other events, thereby generating a source of income for those involved.
All the women on the team (Viqui, Júlia, Alex, Clara, and Mireia) contributed, at different stages, to promoting this sustainable initiative and to the creation of the Phanakis association. We enthusiastically prepared a series of workshops to share tools on how to create and manage a productive association. These gatherings have been an opportunity to train, learn, listen, and better understand the experiences, needs, and ideas of our Tsimane’ companions. These crafts are deeply connected to their lands, and by maintaining this ancestral practice, we contribute to the knowledge and preservation of their forests and plants, facilitate the intergenerational transfer of knowledge, and promote the economic self-sufficiency and independence of women.
Supporting this process is also a way to give back – even if only in a small way –everything we have learned from them. After all, research does not have to follow a one-way direction; it can also be an opportunity to remember and revitalize knowledge. Let’s hope that Phanakis continues to weave threads of collaboration among us all. We continue to learn and grow stronger together!
