Xapiri – Amazonian Basketry & Weave

Following on from the previous Xapiri blog which gave an overview to Amazonian indigenous art, we would now like to give a slighter deeper insight towards the basketry and weave from this region.

Like so many first nation peoples across the world, basketry and weaving is an important foundation and of one of fundamental importance in Amazonian culture. It is interesting to note that unlike elsewhere in the Americas, for many people of the Amazon, it is basketry rather than pottery that is more widely used and is in turn, the principal art form.

The Form of Content, passage taken from ‘To Weave and Sing’ – David M. Guss:

There is a huge array of basketry and weave all varying in strength, size, purpose and design; from gathering baskets, dart quivers, tipitis and even the woven grips on spears and clubs. By far the most common use for basketry is for the preparation of food and above all the cultivation of cassava; to show an example, the Yekuana tribe of Venezuela have at least 10 types of baskets solely devoted to processing this staple and all so important root!

‘ There are many gods, many spirits, and many people who live above the earth and below the earth. I know them all because I am a great singer. There is the one who created the baskets, and the baskets began to walk, and they entered the water after having eaten many Indians. They are the cayman alligators – you’ve only got to look at their skins to see that. An Indian doctor saw this spirit creating the first basket, and be managed to escape in time to avoid being eaten. It was a Yekuana. That’s why our baskets are better made than anyone else’s. ‘  

– Kalomera (Yekuana Leader), quoted by Alain Gheerbrant, Journey to the Far Amazon.

Always original, not one basket is ever the same within the same tribe or even from the individual artist! Each ethnic group have their own style of weave, symbology and dyes that our used. We must note that behind each basket is the artist and the basketmaker; the time consuming process of gathering and preparing the raw materials, before the detailed and complex construction of the weave begins. Through Xapiri, we wish to help preserve these ancient skills by working closely with the artisans, developing the marketplace and intern, increasing the appreciation and demand. Managed correctly and sustainably, we can revive and maintain the artisanship within the communities we are working with to ensure a positive future for this dying craft.

In Amazonian village life, the division of labour is generally quite clear, the women will cultivate the crops and cook where the men traditionally hunt, fish and slash / burn the land. However, when it comes to basketry the production can be split. It may be commonly associated with female creation but quite often it is the men who produce the most elaborate and better quality baskets. The creation of basketry can have both a social and cosmological significance, the basket can be a metaphorical representation of the world so the act of weaving can involve cosmic reproduction and powerful spirits! This idea that basket making is more than just a weaving process is wildly found throughout the Amazon.

The geometric and stylised designs may appear to the untrained eye as just simple decoration but to the individual artist, each weave is an opportunity to represent the mythology of the jungle. For the indigenous makers, this is a form of illustration and is comparable to symbols they may paint or carve. Many elements can be seen; the jaguar and its spots, snakes such as the anaconda and other reptilian like the caiman, monkeys and frogs are amongst the most common.

 

A Reading suggestion:

Basketmakers: Meaning and Form in Native American Baskets.

This book gives an in-depth look at the Native American basket collection at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, U.K. Detailed descriptions accompanied by photographs and illustrations show a wide variety of basketry across North, Central and South America. exploring the range of material and technique across there Americas the book examines each culture and thus shows how extremely diverse they all are.

An excerpt from the book, written by Linda Mowat;

‘ Before a basket can be made, its components must be gathered and prepared for use. For a Native American basketmaker this take as much time as constructing the basket itself, or even longer. Materials must be gathered at the right time of year and it may be necessary to travel a considerable distance to find them. Hard physical labour cane involved in collecting wood, shoots, roots, bak, grasses and leaves. Removal of extraneous matter, splitting or gauging into suitable widths and dyeing with natural or even chemical dyes are all time consuming processes. Prepared materials must be dried and stored correctly so that they do not decay and before use they may need soaking to restore their flexibility. Only after all this preparation can the business of basketmaking begin.’

Illustration taken from the book, showing a selection of the various Native weaving techniques:

 

In future posts, we will give similar overviews of the different artistic outputs in Amazonian indigenous culture before we look more closely at the art production from tribe to tribe.

Hug /  Abraço / Abrazo,

Xapiri

Xapiri – Amazonian Indigenous Art, a short Introduction

‘While the art of other non-Western cultures – African, Oceanic, North-American Indian, Eskimo and Asian – has been studied extensively, the disregard shown for Amazonian tribal art is inexcusable. The aesthetic value of the art forms created by the Indians of the Amazon basin is comparable to that of all other cultures of the world, yet their creations are often referred to as anthropological objects rather than works of art.’

– Adam Mekler

As this is only our 2nd blog post we would like to give an overview on Amazonian indigenous art before we explore specific details and collections in future posts. The ancient and complex artistic style of Amazonian peoples has largely gone unnoticed and it is time for change. There are few collections of Amazonian artefacts in museums and galleries across the world with sparing printed documentation available either. In general, very little has been recorded and the rest is largely inaccessible, this could be because the items do not survive the humid conditions of the jungle but also due to the lack of interest and appreciation from the outside.

One of the main purposes of Xapiri is to give this indigenous art a wider platform for which it can be accessed, appreciated, elevated and understood. In an age where much of our western society is dependent on poor quality and mass produced factory made goods we can certainly acknowledge and learn a great deal from the incredibly skilled artisans of the Amazon region.

In addition to the pleasing aesthetics, most items also carry an anthropologic significance and individual meaning. There are of course many similarities between the artistic output of the different tribes but it is also clear that each ethnicity has their own identity when it comes to their work. Between themselves, the different groups are often acclaimed for a particular skill, for example the Wauja people of the Xingu region in Brazil are renown for the exceptional quality of their ceramics and traditionally tribes would travel to neighbouring groups to exchange their own specialty for the other.

The indigenous people have ‘art’ in their blood and it is so inherent that most tribal languages do not have a direct translation for the word. The artistic outputs are seen throughout village life; from body painting, body ornaments, beaded / seeded jewellery, basketry, ceramics, carvings, masks and much more.

An example of how the indigenous people immediately think of artistic creation is with the arrival of the glass beads they are now so well known for. From early contact with European conquistadors, these beads have been used to firstly encourage a safe initial contact and then to develop positive relationships. As a natural progression from their traditional seeded jewellery the Indians have taken the beads and created incredibly fine designs inspired by nature. These stylisations involving Amazonian flora and fauna often involve powerful geometric patterns which are also seen through their body painting and textiles.

The skills needed to weave, carve, sculpt and paint are ancient and have been passed down with love from generation to generation. Traditionally, the village roles of the master artisans are highly respected but increasingly today, less of the younger generations have the interest to continue their traditions. Often this is because of outside temptations and influences but also due to the fact the art is not valued. It is the aim of Xapiri to help restore this situation by encouraging the communities to continue their work as we develop the appreciation for the art outside of the village, in Brazil and worldwide. One method of increasing this understanding and value will be to document the individual artist when profiling certain creations as the sometimes derogatory term of ‘primitive art’ is labelled to some truly ‘fine art’ objects.

From the many conversations we have had since launching Xapiri with the visitors to our gallery and website, we have been reassured that our opinion is shared and that the incredible art produced is worthy of higher appreciation. By developing this market we will be able to develop a sustainable economic option for the communities doing something they love. By all means, the vision is not to commercialise the items but rather preserve the art forms and give a sustainable structure and fair trade platform for the goods to be produced and sold. It is not in nature for the indigenous people or Xapiri to mass produce / commercialise but rather to focus on quality and authenticity of each and every item.

In future blogs we will delve deeper into specific genres of the art and look at the various meanings they carry and also how the outputs differ from tribe to tribe.

 

 

A Reading suggestion:

Arts of the Amazon – Barbara Braun

 

This book is an excellent reference for a wide array of indigenous objects both ceremonial and utilitarian, illustrated with over 190 specially commissioned photographs and informational text. Resplendent feather headdresses, exotic bark cloth dance costumes, wild animal effigy and spirit body masks, beautifully painted tunics, extraordinary fire ant ritual shields, striking body ornaments of all kinds, ceramic sculptures, fine basketry and weapons to name a few are all explored! In this book the cultural richness of the Amazon receives not only the sympathetic understanding it deserves, but also the aesthetic appreciation that is so long overdue.

An excerpt from the preface by Peter G. Roe:

‘Until recently the impressive objects produced by this world view were under-appreciated and little known. Unfortunately, these organic collages of feathers, seeds, hair, bette wing cases, animal teeth and claws, gourds and vines, no matter how visually and kinetically expressive, did not coincide with traditional Western notions of what constituted art. Euro-Americans have always preferred a medium-based definition of art; it should be composed of the precious (gold, silver, gems) or the monumental (bronze, marble) and should not be static, fixed and useless. In short, if it wasn’t a statue of bronze or marble, or a painting in oils with an ornate frame, it was;t art. Even the impressionist revolutions in the recent history of modern Western art, the same revolutions that opened the tradition to both Oriental and African art, left largely untouched the contributions of the American Indian. With the exception of the monumental and sculptural art of the ancient Mesoamerican or Peruvian civilisations, or possibly the substantial wooden creations of the Ameriindian cultures of the Pacific Northwest coast, the artefacts of Native Americans have been considered mere ethnological curios, suitable for display along with fossil dinosaurs or stuffer bears in museums of natural history, but not worthy of exhibition in art museums.

 

For these reasons, the rich and incredibly beautiful, yet evanescent, arts of the Amazonian jungle – neither monumental, static, fixed nor useless – have languished outside of the Western aesthetic consciousness. Adam Milker’s peerless and meticulously documented collection of Amazonian arts will help redress our Eurocentric bias by revealing to us a world of great and threatened beauty. Perhaps we may even be energised to demand its better preservation in countless dank museum sub-basements where so much of it now languishes, as well in the jungle where it is still being created.’

The book covers 7 key areas:

1) Pottery

2) Basketry

3) Textiles

4) Hand Carvings

5) Featherwork

6) Body Decoration

7) Art as Performance

 

Please see our other reading recommendations here.

 

Please do get in touch with any comments, with peace & love,

Xapiri

Xapiri’s first blog; Amazonian Awareness, Art & Culture

Xapiri, a new year and a new blog.. We would like to wish everyone a 2016 full of love, kindness and respect for our Mother Earth!

‘Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.’

– Chief Seattle.

For those of you who do not know Xapiri, we support Amazonian indigenous culture by unifying ethical art, emotive photography and unbiased news. Our vision is to increase awareness and inspire positive change for the region and its people.

The blog will bring updates on Xapiri’s work, as well as share tribal information, delve deeper into the indigenous art, give reading recommendations and discuss other trending topics. As the blog develops we will ask guest contributors to write about specific themes.

Firstly, lets take an opportunity to take a quick look back at 2015, the first year of the Xapiri project. We have been blown away from the support we have received from all corners of the world and will continue to support indigenous culture from both the U.K and the Amazon in 2016. We have been spreading messages in person all year and highlights include the first Xapiri open evening hosted in our Birmingham based gallery in May, the ALAF (Anglo Latin American Foundation) fair we took part in during October and the recent Brazilarty pop up exhibition in London at Christmas. There is of course no better way to expose the project with personal connections at these events but we also understand the importance of social media to connect with people and give Xapiri a wider platform to inform and share Amazonian culture. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have been key to many of the relationships we have made, making new friends with National Geographic, leading anthropologists, indigenous support organisations, activists, journalists and many other people with whom together we can make that difference.

2016 is looking to be even more exciting with many events planned and also a return to to the Amazon where we will develop the project and relationships with the indigenous communities; from social projects to the development of the artisan trade structure. We will keep you updated via the blog with the upcoming plans and developments. Another aspect of the Xapiri blog will be to recommend books on Amazonian culture..

A reading suggestion:

The Falling Sky – Davi Kopenawa

We wanted to start with this book, as it was the Yanomami indigenous people and words of Davi Kopenawa (Yanomami shaman and leader) which inspired the name ‘Xapiri’. Xapiri is the sacred word the Yanomami people of Brazil & Venezuela use for “spirit”, the shamans contact the Xapiri for guidance and to listen to the ancient wisdom of their ancestors. Davi explores the mystical realms of these spirits in this fantastic book and this excerpt gives an explanation of the Xapiri:

“We Yanomami learn with the great spirits, the xapiri, We learn how to know the xapiri, how to see them and listen to them. Only those who know the xapiri can see them, because the xapiri are very small and bright like lights. There are many, many xapiri – not just a few, but lots, thousands like stars. They are beautiful and decorated with parrot feathers and painted with urucum (red berry paste). Others have earnings and use black dye and they dance very beautifully and sing differently. The whites think that when we indians do shamanism we are singing. But we are not singing, we are accompanying the music and the songs. There are different songs: the songs of the macaw, of the parrot, of the tapir, of the tortoise, of the eagle, of all birds which sing differently. So that’s what the xapiri are like. They are difficult to see. Whoever is a shaman has to accept them, to know them. You have to leave everything: you can’t eat food or drink water, you can’t be near women or the smell of burning, or children playing or making a noise – because the xapiri want to live in silence.

 

They are other people and they live differently. Some live in the sky, some underground, and others live in the mountains which are covered with forests and flowers. Some live in the rivers, in the sea and others in the stars, or in the moon and the sun. Omame (the creator) chose them because they were good for working – not in the garden, but for working with shamanism, for curing people. They are beautiful and difficult to see. The xapiri look after everything. The xapiri are looking after the world. Our shamans know that our planet is changing. We know the health of the Amazon. We know that it is dangerous to abuse nature, and that when you destroy the rainforest, you cut the arteries of the future and the world’s force just ebbs away. The sky is full of smoke because our rainforest is being logged and burnt. The rains come late, the sun behaves in a strange way. The lungs of the sky are polluted. The world is ill. The forest will die if it is destroyed by the whites. Where will we go when we have destroyed our world? When the planet is silent, how will we learn? We have kept the words of our ancestors inside us for a long time, and we continue to pass them to our children. So the words of the spirits will never disappear.

 

And their story has no end.” 

The book illustrates the complex cosmology, mythology and ancient beliefs of the Yanomami people through the words of Davi Kopenawa and conversation with anthropologist, Bruce Albert. The book is split into 3 segments;

1) ‘Becoming Other’ – a relocation of Davi’s childhood and his shamanic calling.

2) ‘Metal Smoke’ – recalling the numerous encounters with white people, often for the first time and in particular the devastating impact of the gold miners arrival in Yanomami territory.

3) ‘The Falling Sky’ – a look at western society through Davi’s own travels and what the destruction of the forest means for us all.

In conclusion, an extremely insightful introduction to Yanomami culture and belief, bringing many questions to the readers mind, both scientifically and mystically, on what impact the destruction of the forest has on the world society as a whole.

We hope you have enjoyed the first blog and look forward to going deeper into more specific topics next time! In the meantime, please keep unto date with indigenous news via our social media platforms:

A hug,

Xapiri