Meet The TRIBES
Guna
The Guna, also known as Kuna or Cuna, are an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. They live in kuna Yala and 100 years ago they became independent of the Panama territory through a revolution. They occupy the island and have their own government, outside of the system. In Kuna Yala, each community has its own political organization, led by a saila (pronounced "sigh-lah"). The saila is traditionally both the political and spiritual leader of the community; he memorizes songs which relate the sacred history of the people, and in turn transmits them to the people. Decisions are made in meetings held in the Onmaked Nega, or Ibeorgun Nega (Congress House or Casa de Congreso), a structure which likewise serves both political and spiritual purposes.
Guna live from them Art "Molas" , agriculture and fishing.
The geometrical Mola drawings are used as protection and were at first tattoos on the body, and were later projected on fabric. Usually they sew with the techniques of appliqué and reverse appliqué, drawings like labyrinth where bad spirits get lost and cannot penetrate their bodies.
Maya
The mayan civilization are based in Guatemala and sides of mexico and Belize. This amazing tribe weave the most unique fabric with backstrap loom called huipiles and with the foot loom called cortes. Also they weaved amazing belt with the belt loom in a smaller version. This women manage different craft in each village , also beading work, embroidery ad basketing. Each piece is weaved for be weared and during this time they weave another one ( 1 month about ) after they can sell the one weared for supporting them family and children. This tradition go through mothers and daughters like a thread in the loom keep regenerating generation after generation. Mayan also practice Natural dyes colorant and spinning fibers like organic cotton Ixcaco or wool. Usually the weave patterns, glyphs, geometric shapes, plants and flowers and in each town or department colors and sharpe are different. Weaving fine clothing was the purview of noble women
Beautiful woven fabric was both an artistic expression and a source of wealth, often given as tribute to rulers.
Noble girls were taught to use the backstrap loom and to spin thread with whorls for making gauzy cotton and brocaded fabrics.
Wounaan
The name Embera means "people".
The Embera–Wounaan are a semi-nomadic indigenous people in Panama. The women wear brightly colored cloth wrapped at the waist as a skirt. Except when in towns, the women do not cover their torsos, and wear long, straight black hair. The children go naked until puberty, and no one wears shoes. They paint their bodies with a dye made from Genipa americana, this black dye is thought to repel insects and the designs are known as Jaguars Tattoos. On special occasions, using this same dye, they print intricate geometric patterns all over their bodies, using wood blocks carved from balsa wood. The women also wear silver necklaces and silver earrings on these special occasions; many of the necklaces being made of old silver coins. They punch a hole in the coin and run a silver chain through it. Many of the coins on these necklaces date to the 19th century and are passed down from mother to daughter. The Embera people use matrilineal descent, practice polygamy and live in family units.
The Embera have their own form of government and live by their own set of unwritten rules. They avoid relying on the Panamanian Police or any other branch of the Panamanian or Colombian governments.Health care is primarily provided by trained shamans. The land is community owned and community farmed.
Everyone in the village pitches in to work at harvest time, If one hunter gets a larger animal, everybody in the village shares the meat.
Digo Art
Meet The DESIGNERS
Selva Bhairavi
Founder & Designer of Conscious Convergence. Silvia is an Italian visionary weaver and ethical fashion designer.
She worked in Milan as a freelance consultant for prestigious brands including Ferre , Costume National, D&G, Versace, Max Mara, Swarovski AG and Bosh.
In 2010 she landed in Guatemala and started to revive ancient techniques, creating ECO-ART under the art name Selva Bhairavi.
She founded Conscious Convergence in 2012, a sustainable ethical brand producing clothing using indigenous textiles, and empowering local communities like CONSORCIO.
In 2014 she joined Cosmic Convergence production core team as Art & Deco Curator, in charge of the building.
She organize also Open channel journey Healing - Art retreat
Rodrigo Originally from Guatemala City, Co-founders of Cosmic Convergence Festival.
He is currently head of sound,
music, and stage management.
He is a music producer/
nutritionist with more than 20 years of experience in the music
performance/produccion/recording who also runs a nutrition company
called NUTRICOSMICA and has deep passion for cultivating
the alternative arts/ music /
nutrition culture in his country.
Meet our team
Elena
Elena Chiquival
Elena is a community leader in
Santiago Atitlan, administering the CONSORCIO, a 5000-women
cooperative focused on improving the right of indigenous women. Elena has a background in organizing
international indigenous peoples conferences, and has helped
CONSORCIO acquire grant funding from the European Union and
Japanese Embassy. Elena manages food production, logistics, local
materials sourcing, municipal
relationships, and local labor
recruiting for Cosmic Convergence.
