Almaden Resident

Education

Leland's students discover fair trade through art

By Lisa Neves Woldt

When does an art class become more than painting and drawing? When it blends geography, global and social economics and human rights issues.

That is what Leland High School students discovered when Candi Smucker, a volunteer from the nonprofit Ten Thousand Villages, came to address Debbie Imerson's art classes about fair trade art from Third World countries.

Smucker visited area high schools as part of the 18th annual International Gift Faire that took place at the Lincoln Glen Church Fellowship Hall on Oct.14. Ten Thousand Villages, the oldest and largest fair trade organization in the United States representing more than 30 countries worldwide, displayed a wealth of crafts for sale.

Smucker, who operates stores in Sonoma and Healdsburg specializing in Third World goods, told the girls, "I'm not a teacher, and I'm not an artist, but I love to tell stories and talk about fair trade."

Smucker brought artists living and working in Bangladesh, Ghana, Philippines, Kenya, Peru and Cameroon closer to the students by showing their handmade crafts.

While a few of the art objects, such as the soapstone sculptures and wood-carved figurines from Kenya, were made by skilled craftspeople, students found the items made from recycled materials the most intriguing.

Peruvian nativity ornaments were made from eggshells. Jewelry items were made from pull-tabs and aluminum soda cans from the Bombolulu district of Kenya. Of particular interest were the hot mats or trivets from Filipina artisans using tightly-rolled, recycled newspaper (a natural insulator), broom bristles and string.

Smucker's stories also opened the world to women's issues on a global level, Ford said.

For instance, Saleha, who hails from Bangladesh, was found begging for her large family. Now she sells her paintings on handmade paper from the plentiful jute plant. There was also the story of a company in Ghana that turned batik, a wax and dye process, into Global Mamas, a hand-dyed baby-clothes company offering classes to tourists in batik, cooking and dancing.

Along with job creation, Smucker says, this is the type of economic development envisioned by Ten Thousand Villages.

"With a long-term commitment to these artists, you can see the ripple effect that extends into their communities," she told the high school students.

Ten Thousand Villages is a 60-year-old organization of the Mennonite Central Committee, which pioneered the fair trade concept by buying crafts directly from artisans in developing countries. Its practices include empowering economically disadvantaged artisans around the world by supporting traditional arts with fair wages.

Purdy said Pioneer High School was contacted by the organization to help students understand and appreciate the quality of art from developing countries.

For information about Ten Thousand Villages, visit www.tenthousandvillages.ca/.