       Cloudforest Initiatives | CLOUDFOREST INITIATIVES
WHO MAKES THESE BEAUTIFUL HANDCRAFTED PRODUCTS?When you buy Cloudforest Initiatives handcrafted products, you are also supporting the indigenous movement in Chiapas for sovereignty, political autonomy and economic self-reliance. The ornamental iron crosses, iron key chains, handcrafted bookcases and furniture, and forge iron fixtures and candle holders are produced by Maya-Tzotzil artisans, members of an autonomous collective in the village of Magdalenas, in the highlands of Chiapas. The autonomous collective group of Magdalenas is formed by more than 60 families that have organized to work together and to partake in a common vision of indigenous autonomy. Despite a low-intensity war bent on destroying this movement for independence and self-determination, and faced with extreme poverty and limited agricultural base and natural resources, these organized families are struggling together for a better life. Some of the projects of the collective are organic coffee as members of the Mut Vits-Bird Mountain cooperative, organic vegetable gardens, collective corn fields, two cooperative general stores, and the wood and iron artisan production for export project with Cloudforest Initiatives. A COMMUNITY-BASED ARTISAN PRODUCTION FOR EXPORT PROJECTCloudforest Initiatives community-based artisan project aims to provide autonomous Maya communities with a non-agricultural base of support with the manufacture of low-tech artisan crafted iron and wood products, to strengthen their organization and struggle for self-determination, and to promote the preservation and management of available forestry and other natural resources. HISTORY OF THE PROJECTThe project started in 1996, when the prototypes of the ornamental handcrafted wood and iron bookcases were designed and produced with the help of San Cristobal de las Casas' artisans. By the end of 1997 over sixty bookcases had been built and transported to the US for retail. In March, 1998, Cloudforest Initiatives started to work with the organized Maya-Tzotzil group of Magdalenas in the Chiapas highlands. We reached an agreement to work together starting with a training program and the construction of a community owned workshop. Throughout 1998 four young men took courses in forged ironwork and carpentry. In order to learn the project management, they also took classes in math, accounting, drawing, basic design, and Tzotzil/Spanish literacy. The training program and production has been housed in a San Cristobal building. In the summer of 1998, a beautiful community owned workshop was built in the village of Magdalenas. To date, more community people have received artisan-work training and are presently working in the production of these carefully crafted iron and wood products. |
