Esperanza Gomez
Bio
The tapestries made with caraguata presented by Esperanza and Elsa Gómez, as well as Jorgelina Ruíz, represent the voices of indigenous art from Paraguay.
The Manjui ethnic group, in Pedro P. Peña, Paraguayan Chaco, produces art objects that represent figures or animals from around them. Their community is circular in shape, usually with related families, where the reciprocity of sharing food and work is vital for their survival.
These tapestries, staging indigenous mythology, were made taking into account the difficulty in obtaining the raw material (fiber) due to the constant droughts of recent years.
Statement
Caraguatá textiles are exclusively found in indigenous communities in Paraguay, particularly in the Paraguayan Chaco. According to the respective indigenous communities, it is the women artisans who work with the textiles in various ways.
The main indigenous groups producing Caraguatá fiber are Ayoreo, Nivaclé, Ishir, Manjui, Enxet Sur, and Enlhet.
The fiber is extracted from a species of bromeliad (Bromelia Hieronymil), and the entire plant is utilized, as its roots also serve as food. The leaves of the plant are pressed along their entire length to extract moisture until they are dry and long. These fibers are washed, sun-dried, then dyed with natural pigments, spun, and handwoven. The structure of the textiles, patterns, and colors distinguish each indigenous group. For instance, Ayoreo and Ishir textiles predominantly use red and black along with the natural color of the bleached fiber. Nivaclé and Manjui work with shades of browns, yellows, and even greens. Enxet and Enlhet often maintain the natural color of the fiber in their textiles.
Additional information
El karaguata es una fibra obtenida de una especie de Bromelia ( Bromelia hieronymi) en extinción en la región del Chaco Paraguayo, la planta es enteramente aprovechada ya que sus raíces sirven también de alimento, las hojas son presionadas en todo su largo hasta extraer toda la humedad hasta que queden secas y las artesanas de las comunidades indígenas tejen las fibras hasta llegar a obtener piezas de únicos matices contemporáneos que simbolizan el lenguaje de la etnia.
