Strengthening the value chain of woven crafts produced in the Kankuamo Indigenous Resguardo, as a means for sustaining the family economy and Kankuamo identity

The Kankuamo people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia?s Caribbean region are facing a loss of ancestral practices and cultural identity following mass displacement and violence.

They are reclaiming their territorial rights and reviving their cultural identity which underpins their social cohesion and ability to coordinate on economic and social development initiatives.

As part of recovering the Kankuamo culture IAF grantee the Asociacin de Artesanas Indgenas Kankuamas (ASOARKA) is improving the production and marketing of traditional arts and crafts primarily woven fiber bags called mochilas.

Although most families produce woven mochilas and other crafts to earn income to complement subsistence agricultural production the artisanal sector of the Kankuamo economy is not yet competitive with other artisan traditions in Colombia.

By revitalizing the artisan craft value chain ASOARKA is both increasing family incomes and reinforcing Kankuamo culture.