We think we made contact

This morning we went shopping for a person who could be act as a local agent for RoundBelly to buy from the local artisans. Guatemala is famous for colorful hand woven clothing. San Antonio Aguas Caliente is a village near us that is reputed to have the finest workmanship (workWomanship?) in the country.

Today we made a special trip to see more of their work and to talk with the workers. Most of the weaving is done in homes and sales shops. I took lots of pictures. Lynn bought samples. Most of the women can’t get their minds off of an immediate cash sale. They don’t seem to easily grasp a relationship resulting in a steady series of sales. They all seem very pleasant and fun to talk with.

I want to be careful not to force an industrial model onto their artisan lifestyle. We shouldn’t order too many at once, or expect every piece to be identical. We want to make their way of life more rewarding, not kill it.

Finally our guide brought us to a non profit museum dedicated to helping preserve the artisan’s way of life. They act as a micro-lender to help people buy thread and such. They act as a sales outlet and a museum. They are happy to work with us to sell their products.

Perhaps we will want to set up a fair trade section in RoundBelly’s website just to promote such work from many countries.