In a country that honours craft, Maria Angela, a 51-year-old artisan, continues to weaves the rich tapestry of her life with Sumak Awana, a radiant group of artisan women that bring the beauty of indigenous tradition into their thread work.

“One of the objectives of Sumak Awana is to involve more community members in the process of working as a team, creating a safe space to share experiences [and] support each other.” Maria Angela shares. Formed in 2020 with 10 women from the Pulingui community, the group came together as the members collectively realised the strength and benefits of collaborating and working together.

For Maria Angela and her fellow artisans, crafting is more than an activity; it's a cultural expression deeply rooted in the history, language, and worldview of the Kichwa people. "Our handmade crafts use the same tools our people [have] used [for] the last 500 years," she emphasises.

The ancestral techniques, rescued by the group, breathe life into wool and alpaca fibre, creating garments like bags, hats, scarves, and shigras, each woven with traditional backstrap looms, crochet, and needles.

“Our cultural identity, Kichwa Puruhua, is the main source of inspiration, which is enriched by many sources over the years, including art, knowledge, discovery, and revelation of the essential aspects of our reality, which are transmitted in the form of artistic images.”

Sumak Awana's influence extends beyond artistry and tradition; it's a catalyst for economic empowerment, education, and health in the community. Maria Angela proudly notes, "The group has allowed companions to increase the economic income of their families, thus improving their conditions, [giving] them access to education and health, [and] generating more presence of women within the community."

As we celebrate International Women's Month, &BACK is dedicated to amplifying the voices of inspiring women like Maria Angela, who enrich their communities through art, tradition, and empowerment, not just today but every day. We proudly source from Sumak Awana to complement our coffee. Because their craft and work empowers women, too. And because it's beautiful.