Guardians of the high valleys, known for finely spun cotton and restrained colour.
History
Descendants of the Tairona, the Arhuaco have lived in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta for more than a thousand years. They call the mountain the heart of the world and consider its care their responsibility.
Traditions
Cotton is planted, harvested and spun within the community. Weaving is a daily practice rather than a trade, taught from mother to daughter and woven into the rhythm of family life.
Weaving Technique
Hammocks are worked on a vertical frame loom with a continuous warp, producing a dense, elastic weave that holds its shape for decades.
Meaning of Patterns
Geometric registers represent mountain ranges, water courses and the four lineages of the Sierra. A repeated diamond signals protection.
Artisans of the Arhuaco
Aluna Torres
Nabusímake, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
34 years weaving
“When I weave I am not making an object. I am repeating what my grandmother said to me.”
