Last year our Garza Viva manager Andrea was approached by the interior designer of the new Aventura Mall in Iquitos to produce a large hanging array of jungle animals to greet people entering the mall.
She spent months working with this designer and four artisans to make dozens of colorful balsa wood birds and giant chambira butterflies. The birds included an egret, tiger heron, toucan, macaws and a kingfisher. When we stopped at the mall after visiting the aquarium, I loved seeing these creatures twirl around in a mild breeze.
The artisans from Padre Cocha who made the birds and artisans from Amazons who wove the butterflies were very proud to have their creations displayed where thousands of people could see them.
Our final stop was visiting an artisan by the river in Iquitos. We had seen a purple gallinule on a mural the day before, so it was fun to see real birds walking on water plants with their long yellow toes. Their natural diet is snails and other aquatic creatures, but they were happy to gobble up bits of bread that Nixon tossed them.
We saw a wide variety of tiny tetras, angel fish, arawanas, pirañas, electric eels, spotted stingrays, striped catfish, beautiful discus and other popular ornamental species. They also had sabalo whose export for the aquarium trade is banned since it is a vital source of protein and income for fishing families in the region.
The Marca Loreto gives Garza Viva the right to use the brand for two years. Its benefits include officially recognizing the quality of our products and certifies they were genuinely made in Loreto. This seal can increase their appeal and prestige at local, national, and international levels and create opportunities to participate in national and international events and fairs to increase visibility and sales.
"I had heard about marketing before, but didn't I didn't quite understand what it meant. Now I know how it can help us share the story behind our crafts and reach more people." - Angelica - artisan from Ancon Colonia
