|
By Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug
AT Penticton’s Ten Thousand Villages, wooden wind
chimes and roped planters hang from the ceiling; fabric patterned wall
hangings adorn the walls; and all shapes and sizes of hand woven baskets
sit decoratively on the shelves.
The store gives visitors a global experience, through
the bounty of wares created by artisans in developing countries.
Penticton’s store is one of the 49 ‘fair
trade’ stores in Canada run by the Mennonite Central Committee
– which began the project 63 years ago.
Their mission is to offer artisans in developing
countries such as India and Kenya a chance to sell handmade quality wares
overseas, in a fair and productive way.
The Penticton store opened 10 years ago. Like the
others, it is supported by local churches and community groups.
Store manager Tyrion Miskell has a background in fair
trade and international development, which led to her present paid
position.
“It’s a great idea to have a mission-based
organization that’s based on values and social justice,” said
Miskell. “It started off as a Christian organization – but
it’s really grown, and it’s accessible to everybody.”
Volunteer help is essential to the operation of each
store, and Penticton is no exception.
“We depend so much on the volunteers.
There’s no way we could run the store without them,” commented
Miskell, adding that many come from local churches.
She estimated that approximately 80 percent of the
people involved in Ten Thousand Villages across Canada are volunteers.
One of them is Eleanore Johnson, who attends
Penticton’s Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle. She is a retired teacher
who has been working at the Penticton store for five years.
“I’ve learned a lot about things that come
from [overseas], and the impact it has on the communities where the product
is made,” she said. “And also the impact on our society,
because this store is very unique.”
Many of the wares in the store have accompanying labels
and photos of some of the artisans – giving names, backgrounds and
countries, and lending a personal touch to each product.
Ten Thousand Villages staff buyers regularly travel to
different overseas regions – to both buy products and assist the
artisans in developing new products.
“It means we maintain long-term relationships
with them, which means that there’s stability,” explained
Miskell.
“I think it’s just that dignity that it
brings [the artisans] – and that hope that it brings – that
really makes a big difference.”
“ I like the fact that the people who make the
stuff actually benefit from the sale of the stuff,” said customer
Carrie Smith. “ So you feel like you’re contributing to them,
rather than sweat shops.”
“We have a huge price range. We have lots of
variety that appeals to a lot of different people,” noted Miskell.
“ And I think people are really becoming aware of where their
products are coming from.”
A tour through the store revealed a plethora of high
quality gift items and decorative furnishings, and foodstuffs such as Fair
Trade Colombian coffee and Himalayan green tea packaged in traditional
satin bags.
Continue article >>
|
Miskell pointed out exquisite soapstone from Kenya,
saying: “Very smooth, very nice. Some really unique carvings and
things, very creative.”
Nearby were coasters and hot mats from the Philippines,
made from recycled newspaper tightly wound and starched for durability.
“As much as we can, we use environmentally
friendly products,” said Miskell.
Another example was a delicate Shesham wood box, made
in India from fast growing wood.
Indonesian reclaimed teak wood from old buildings has
been re-fashioned to make decorative objects.
Even ‘entombed’ wood has been reworked into
decorative items. Buried long ago by volcanoes, the wood was dug up as
tropical salvage, revealing unique colours and patterns.
Further into the store were vibrantly multi-coloured
handwoven shoulder bags from Guatemala, imaginatively recycled from
traditional skirts.
Recycling is key also in quirky, fun items, such as the
eco-friendly ‘flip flop’ bracelets made by Kenyan artisans from
flip flops that have collected along a coastal National Reserve there.
Or the recycled metal angel pins and other jewellery
made by disabled Kenyan artisans who, with their earnings, are able to make
a living for themselves and their families.
Ugandan baskets made from bamboo, grasses, hemp and
even banana fibre were piled high, and are always a favourite at the store.
“The baskets are a huge part of their GDP,” said Miskell.
“And then we have all our ceramics,” she
said, motioning to a colourful kaleidoscope of decorative plates and bowls
from Vietnam and other regions. And there was so much more, from musical
instruments and toys to handpainted and embroidered textiles of cotton,
rayon and silk.
Everything on display had a story behind it – a
story of hope and promise, for the artisans and their wares.
For more information about Ten Thousand Villages and
the many groups that support the work of the artisans and the store, go to
www.tenthousandvillages.ca.
May 2009
|
