THE AWAJUN COLLECTION

The Awajún Collection is a traditional line of accessories made by Awajún artisans in the Peruvian Amazon. Artisans pick tuju (kangopacho), kumpia (sarandango), huayruro, yanpak, yusajiak, wayampai, chichao seeds and chambira leaves. Kumpia & tuju are in the Awajún language and in parenthesis what the Cofán call the same seeds. The huayruro, or etse seeds in Awajún, fall to the jungle floor and are collected by the locals; many keep them in jars in their houses to bring them luck. They also make huayruro seed bracelets for children to keep them safe from harm and newborn babies in Peru often receive Huayruro seeds as their first gift, with wishes for a happy and prosperous life. The seeds are strung to be used later in accessory making. The chambira leaves are stripped into strands of fiber, which they twist on their legs to create twine used to string jewelry and knit into other accessories. They also use fishing line for strength and durability, and colored beads to create beautiful works of wearable art.