Finger Puppets from Peru

Karuna Village offers a range of great craft items alongside the fine art. I particularly love these - they are finger puppets and are made by a number of women artists from Peru. They come from a tiny mountain village called Chucuito, some 12,500 feet above sea level and near Lake Titicaca. Textile making has a long history here and knitting is a skill that is learned at a young age. It is a seasonal occupation that takes place after the planting and harvesting seasons are over. Traditionally the women take care of the farms animals, llamas and alpacas and help out with the barley and potato crops as needed so knitting is very much an occupation for the winter months before planting season comes round again.


The leader and designer for the group is called Tomasa. She leads her group of knitters who each will bring in approximately half the annual income for the family, and allows them to work from home so they can look after their children, and giving them a sense of independence.

There are all kinds of finger puppet characters to chose from - we even have some Halloween-themed characters which I am sure will find a new home very quickly. There is even a little puppet theatre to go with them - our cafe patrons will be able to put on their own shows!

October Sidewalk Art Sale Update

Just a quick update on the Sidewalk Art Sales for our October Fair Trade Month - due to outstanding commitments we shall not be holding an art sale on the 11th. Our next Sidewalk Art Sale will be on Saturday October 18th between 9am and midday. The Roosevelt Market is hosting the Harvest Festival celebrations just down the road from the cafe (there will be a Fair Trade Cafe stall serving coffee there as well). So once you have visited the market come on up and see our art and craft display. We will have new art from Guatemala, Peru and Vietnam for you to see and buy, so come by and see us then if you can.

Information on our final October Sidewalk Art Sale will be posted nearer the time, by which time we should have received even more new art! For details and a map check in with the Fair Trade Cafe website at http://azfairtrade.com