11.5" x 8.5" x 9.5"
Straw
COLOMBIA

Baskets, made all over the world, in every corner and country. Last night, we hung out with two basket makers - one from France, Nicolas, who makes the baby rattle we stock, and his friend Klaus from Germany. Basket makers stick together, comparing techniques and information and, from what I gather, they really enjoy life. With all I learned from them last night, I started thinking about the dying crafts and how certain types of basket weavings have been lost and are lost every year. And then I saw a film about an invisible bicycle helmet. After that, I was thinking how science is so well documented, with knowledge being compounded, but how about material culture, techniques and objects? How many times do we have to start over again when we go to make an object, and how does traditional craft not only inform us about what people use, but helps us create new things? Tradition intrinsically holds an infinite amount of value. Can you imagine a database where all types of craft experts could compile information on traditions and then you could access them easily too? Chris found this picnic basket to use at the waterfall up the road - he would go there and sit on the rocks. There was a woman who had an illegal set-up at the waterfall. She took half an oil drum, made a wood fire in it and using a log held between two posts, would hang chorizo over the fire to smoke during the course of the day. He and his friend Andres would go there and buy a chorizo and a beer and bring the basket filled with some other things. She had tables set up and there was an amazing view - it was idyllic and felt like old times. The city tried to evict her and a whole bunch of protests ensued. Chris signed the petition for her to stay. He hopes she is there today. All things come and go, truly it is important to not be nostalgic. To not preserve the past, but to protect it. When I go to Colombia I am going to check her out, hopefully she is there.