Guano Rugs: Re-knotting the loose fabric of Latin America

Abstract

Craftsmanship is one of the most representative expressions of the intangible heritage of Latin America and the world. However, the advancement of globalization, rise of mass industries and neglect on the part of local consumers have left artisans and their traditional activities helpless. For this reason, despite incentives and assistance, many artisans in the region are facing an imminent artisanal extinction.

This research generates a journey through the history, importance and decline of handicrafts in Latin America in order to understand the cultural and economic values of preserving them. Now that current markets are again valuing manual and personalized work, the case study of the Guano knotted rugs is used to generate three main axes"”associativity, education and connectivity"”to explain the feasibility of promoting Latin American handicrafts in the world. The confrontation of the past of craftsmanship with a better tomorrow explains how the rescue of our artisans can really contribute to us all as a society and, furthermore, push towards the fulfillment of the United Nation"™s SDG to create more sustainable communities and a better future for all.