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Hand-Painted Gourd Birdhouse $27.00
The natural shape and size differences of these gourd birdhouses (since a gourd
is a natural, growing fruit) and the fact that they're individually hand-painted, make these creations
works of art.
Choose whether you'd like to see a domestic or tropical bird, and then
you can indicate 2 color preferences for the background.
GRD:BIRD-birdtype About 8" high, 5" diameter at the widest point.
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Carving Gourds and Wearing Traditional Huanca Dress at Esperanza Palomino's Workshop |
Cochas Chico, a small farming community nestled In the Andean mountains of
Huancayo Peru, is home to a rich tradition of gourd carving. It's also home
to Esperanza and Raquel, two women who have established small fair-trade businesses
to help their community.
"This craft
we inherited from our ancestors, grand parents, and parents to the present.
Each generation improves the art and it continues to grow with future generations."
Gourds are carved by men, women, and children aged 10 to 60.
Often the only source of economic income for the artisans of Cochas
Chico, carving therefore becomes the focal point for the entire family. From a very
young age, children are taught by their parents to carve ancestral designs.
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Raquel Rojas Carving at her Workshop |
These gourds are creations of two Peruvian artisan groups: Artesanias
Antu - which is the workshop of Esperanza Palomino, and Artesanias Rojas - the
workshop of Raquel Sabastian Rojas.
Both groups provide work for many men, women, and children, and work
is shared so as to give priority to the families with the greatest needs, especially for clothes and food.
Esperanza is a good artisan and she likes to excel in her art. She always carves
the gourds wearing the colorful and traditional Huanca skirts (photo on left). The
result is that it is absolutely natural to find her carving or burning the gourds
surrounded by her husband, sons, brothers, nephews, and brothers-in-law.
"All that
I hope and dream for the future is to spread my craft to all countries so that
our work will be very recognized. My biggest dream is that all will have work
and that all the families will have a better future."
- Esperanza Palomino
Working in Raquel's are 15 families. In this workshop the families also are
very united and everyone shares the work and income to help those who are most in need.
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Gourd Baskets $22.00
4 - 4.5" diameter x 5" high
Available with butterfly (left) or hummingbird (right) designs.
GRD:BASK-BUT or HUM
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Yes, it's a gourd and a basket. This new gourd creation from Peru joins our other decorative and practical
items. Perfect as a catch-all for little things around the house or office such as keys, paperclips, earrings, loose change. |
Birds of a Feather
Andean Seated Owls
Mother and Child Owl (left) |
3 1/2" high x 2 1/2" wide |
GRD:OWLFAM |
$7.50 |
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Individual Seated Owls |
Small Gourd Owl |
2 1/4" high x 2" wide |
GRD:OWLSIT-S |
$6.50 |
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Medium Gourd Owl |
3 1/2" high x 2 1/2" wide |
GRD:OWLSIT-M |
$10.50 |
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Large Gourd Owl |
3 3/4" high x 3 1/2" wide |
GRD:OWLSIT-L |
$14.00 |
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Standing Bird $7.00
5" wide x 7" high GRD:BIRD
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Gourd Cat With Tail $10.00
6 1/2" long x 2" diameter
GRD:CATTAIL
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(side view) |
(front view) |
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Fish With Tail $10.00
7" long x 2" diameter
GRD:FISHTAIL
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Small Turtle or Dog Gourd $6.50
3" high x 3" wide
GRD:TURTLE or GRD:DOG
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Gourd Cat with Ceramic Ears and Tail $12.00 each
GRD:CAT-CM
A small hook is attached so you can hang a kitty up on a tree, wreath or other decoration. |
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Mini Gourd Panda $3.80
GRD:PANDA-MINI
About 3" high x 2" diameter
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Wish we had more gourd pandas? We DO!
Click here to see gourd panda boxes,
also from Peru. |
The Process of Gourd Carving
After the gourds are harvested, the artisan removes the outer green skin with
a dull knife, exposing the lighter brown color underneath. Then the gourds are
cleaned and dried in the hot Peruvian sun.
The artist draws a design onto the gourd with a pencil. Then using a carving
tool called a BURIL, the artisan painstakingly removes small pieces of gourd
to create a three dimensional version of the original design.
The next step uses the technique of pyrography to establish the contrasts between
the carved figures and the gourd. The artist uses pieces of Quinual wood that
are in the shape of thick feathers for this process. The tip of the feather
is heated in a fire to a glowing ember and then put to the gourd to cause a
burn. The artist blows on the ember to vary the intensity of the heat; the harder
the artist blows the darker the burn.
Having obtained the color, they wash the gourd to remove the pencil marks and
the natural wax so that the gourd will have a better brightness. And again they
return to the BURIL to add any final detail in the carving.
"If we have fun in our work, it will teach us to know more of our culture.
Through the created drawings we are inspired to do many things. The tradition
of gourd carving helps to shape the culture and customs of the town."
Butterfly Gourd with Black Background $30.00
5" high x 5 1/2" wide
GRD:BUTFLY-BK
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Gourds With Black Backgrounds
Some of these Peruvian gourds have black backgrounds. After carving the design,
the rough, carved surface of the gourd is dyed black by applying a mixture of
oil and charcoal of ichu (charcoal made from straw gathered from the hills).
The dye adheres to the incisions and any parts of the gourd where the outer
skin has been removed.
The dye is easily cleaned from the gourd's outer smooth
surfaces, leaving a gourd with a black background. |
Carved Owl Scenes on Black Background $30.00
There are two different owl scenes on each gourd. |
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Owl Gourd Side 1 |
Owl Gourd Side 2 |
5" high x 5 1/2" wide GRD:OWLS-BK
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Gourds Carved In Extreme Detail
Detailed Village Scenes
The carvings on these Peruvian gourds depict different aspects of village and communal life, and are
incredibly detailed.
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Large Village $40.00
4 1/4" high x 3 1/2" wide
GRD:DETVIL-L
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Small Village $25.00
3 1/2" high x 2 1/2" wide
GRD:DETVIL-S
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"Because
of the situation in which we live, the dreams that I have are that the families
in the workshop will have work. I hope that with some help they can come out
ahead. In the future we want our crafts to have more acceptance and to be more
valued so that we can obtain both work and income." - Raquel Sabastian Rojas
Gourds with Detailed Rainforest Scene Carvings
The carvings on these gourds depict various rainforest animals and plants.
Close-up View of Detail! |
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Detailed Rainforest Scene Gourds
with Extra Fine Detail $30.00
3 1/2 high x 3" wide
GRD:DETRF-FINE
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Small Rainforest Gourd $25.00
3 1/4" high x 2 1/2" wide
GRD:DETRF-S
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Large Rainforest Gourd $40.00
4" high x 4" wide
GRD:DETRF-L
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Detailed Coyote in White $29.50
4" high x 2 3/4" wide
GRD:COY-WH
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Gourds As Musical Instruments
Maracas with Musical Instrument Designs - (Medium)
$16.50 a Pair
7" long x 2.5" diameter
GRD:MCMUS-M
(Sorry - out of stock) |
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Maracas with Village Scenes - (Medium)
$16.50 a Pair
7" long x 2.5" diameter
GRD:MCVIL-M |
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Maracas with Geometric Shapes - (Small)
$10.00 a Pair
6 1/2" long x 2" diameter
GRD:MCGEO-S
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Front View: each Wiro comes with a stick |
Wiro - Percussion Instrument $25.00
There are several ways to play this beautiful handmade gourd
instrument.
Shake it or scrape it with the stick.
It also has the properties
of a rainstick. Tilt it from side to side and listen to the cascading sounds.
13" long x 5" diameter
GRD:WIRO
(Sorry - out of stock)
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Back View |
Gourd Mobiles and Windchimes
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Butterfly Gourd Mobiles - $30.00
Your choice of Black or Brown.
Each mobile has 8 butterfly ornaments.
Size and Shapes vary slightly:
40" length x 4 1/2" diameter GRD:MOBBUT-color
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Please also see our new Gourd Box page.
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"Gourd carving
is a history of those that came before, they heralded their travels to other
places through the stories depicted through their art."
"If we have fun in our work, it will teach us to know more of our culture.
Through the created drawings we are inspired to do many things.
The tradition of gourd carving helps to shape the culture and customs of the town."
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