Ayentes, Spoonmaker

The Wichi Indians have lived in the Chaco forest of northern Argentina for thousands of years. Some of the poorest and most marginalized people in Argentina, the Wichi have struggled to survive.  Using traditional woodworking skills to generate income, Siwok Crafts has supported the Wichi people by providing work for over 100 Wichi families. This works contributes to their cultural preservation, by allowing them to remain in their communities rather than migrating to towns where their language, culture and self-respect are often lost. 

Siwok is the Wichi word for woodpecker, which has become the symbol of the Wichi woodcarvers. Siwok Crafts specializes in finely crafted, hand-carved wood products that use forest resources wisely. SERRV has supported the work of Siwok Crafts since 2001.