Wild silk, a hidden treasure
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Martina Cassiau
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
MEMORIAMEDIA Review 5. Art.5-6. 2020
video: Martina Cassiaut
“Wild silk, hidden treasure” is a project that revives the artisanal spinning and weaving technique of the “coyoyo”, a wild silk from the valleys of Catamarca, Argentina. This invaluable method survived the passage of time by the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation. To tell this story raises awareness about the forgetfulness of traditions and empowers a community through the exposure of their unique cultural expression.
After designing a plan to strengthen the transmission of this technique, the project encouraged five women to form a group that keeps the craft alive. They are the ones who know how to take advantage of the forest and transform its resources into a wonderful source of fabrics. They carry out the entire process: from the recollection of raw materials to the finished piece.
Their names are: Paula Romero, Angélica Moreyra, Encarnación Rodriguez, Elena Bulacios and Elvira Bulacios, all of whom share their personal experience and tell us about the hard work involved in weaving each single piece.
Keywords: video art, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Quebec, Canada, Digital Cultural Development Agents.