Chane Community
The Chané community inhabits in Campo Durán, Salta, Northern Argentina.
One of their most prevalent traditions is the Arete Ceremony: a sacred ritual dedicated to the gratitude to ‘Mother Nature’. It is their way of paying tribute to the land and the fruit of their work. For this celebration the elements that takes center stage are the masks, each of which encompasses a complex symbolism. For the Chané, these masks represent the balance between man and nature, and are intrinsically linked to the myths of the group. During the ritual, they will be inhabited by the spirits, preventing those same spirits from usurping the soul of any of the participants. If the spirit to be represented isn’t correctly depicted in the mask, it will lack strength. Therefore, the execution is a process that demands such precision and skill.
All masks are hand-carved with a knife from found wood of Silk Floss trees and hand painted with natural pigments derived from their enviroment. The technical knowledge involved in the process is transmitted from generation to generation, perpetuating an ancestral know-how that focuses in the respect for nature and the environment: work without damaging.
The production process brings the families together, participating and collaborating to reach the final result. Finally, unique pieces emerge: in texture, gesture and shape. They evoke the memory and spirit of native animals of the mountain and the surrounding region of the Salta province.
