Workshop: Confecciones y bordados Teresa Navarro
Craft: Trabajo en tela
Trail: Bolívar Route
Location: Mompox, Bolívar
Teresa Navarro was raised the old-fashioned way, when mothers taught their children how to sew, attach buttons, hem, and add decorative stitches, and when schools offered manual arts classes where students learned the craft of embroidery. Over time, Teresa refined her skills, as is common in textile work, exchanging knowledge with her peers and drawing on the experience of others to perfect both what she knew and what she didn’t. Through years of practice and learning, she has transformed stitches and developed her own path toward creativity.
Having learned this craft at an early age, and with 25 years of experience in it, Teresa knows that what she does is not just a skill—it’s also a vital therapy for her well-being. It brings her relaxation, stimulates her mind and imagination, and contributes to her health by connecting her with others. For this reason, she says that every time she picks up a needle and starts stitching, she is stitching the fabric of life itself. Now, at seventy, she is still full of enthusiasm to continue.
It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that she practices a craft that brings her so much peace in a place like Mompox, known by its people as the “land of God,” where life is peaceful. Hot, yes, but peaceful, with the sound of the Magdalena River and the songs of the birds in the background. In the streets and colonial buildings of Mompox, you’ll find the clues to understanding the creations of Teresa and the Craftswomen of Mompox Association, whose members are mothers who are heads of household. Just taking a stroll through this heritage town and noticing the patterns in the wrought iron of the houses, or entering the Church of Santa Bárbara and stopping to admire the symbols there, you’ll recognize the motifs they’ve chosen to highlight in their garments. Unraveling the linen of their guayaberas shirts, they found their identity—distinguishing themselves from the floral patterns that are so popular and well-known in other places, like Cartago in Valle del Cauca. What they needed was right around the corner.
When you visit this group of women, who not only do intricate lacework and embroidery but also embellish with beads, make garments, and craft earrings and pins, you’ll have the chance to try your hand at unraveling linen yourself. You’ll be filled with excitement, because there’s nothing quite like stitching with threads that are delicately drawn from fabric. And as you immerse yourself in the craft, you’ll also absorb the stories surrounding it. These women will share those stories with you, because there’s no better way to keep history from disappearing than by passing it on.
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