Argentine Indigenous Nativity Crafts

This beautiful carving is made of three panels fixed side by side. This particular wood,Palo Santo or Bulnesia Sarmiento, that Artisans of Wichi's Communityof Indigenous People find around their homes. To set them together, they use Chaguar (plant)threads made by themselves too. This is a unique Nativity and thereare all different from each other. Wood carving in this community is a gift that men learn from their fathers. They use hard woods (found in the Chaco region) like Palo Santo or Bulnesia Sarmiento(green), Guayac?? or Caesalpinia Paraguariensis (black), iscayante and algarrobo or Locust tree (reddish) and Palo Blanco or Phyllostylon Rhamnoides (light brown or yellowish). They make all kind of tableware pieces (bowls, spoons) and animals from local fauna like: owls, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, penguins, condors and other birds; armadillos, frogs, llamas and also religious items like rosaries, Crucifixesand Nativities.
Argentine Indigenous Nativity Crafts