GlobeIn Palm Leaf Basket

Artisan Organization: GlobeIn

Country: Mexico

Introducing Doña Filomena. Doña Filomena is one of fifteen basket weavers working for Doña Selerina in the remote town of San Luis Amatlán, Oaxaca, where marginalized indigenous groups struggle to keep their old ways of life alive.

Filomena’s husband died many years ago, and she raised their four children as a single parent. With the children now married off, Filomena lives alone, taking care of her chickens and goats. Working with GlobeIn has allowed Filomena to provide food and medicine for herself, as well as the opportunity to emerge from her empty nest and be part of a project with the other weavers.

Together, the women gather palm leaves from the hills. They dry the palms in the sun and paint them. With a dexterity passed down through generations, tireless fingers bring ancestry to life. The women weave the palms into vibrant, multi-colored baskets.