Don Jose awaits us at Casa Viviana for a meeting about a new carpet VA wants to produce. The carpet is a degrade of four shades of natural red (dyed with the cochinilla bug). The Carpet will be used as a gift for a Brazilian artist, or for an extended remake of a piece ‘red’ by Martaque, and Martn Coppens from 2008. Today we check with Don Jose, the son of the famous candle maker Viviana, if he is up for the job and will find the time to do it by next November. He is very keen on collaborating with VA, and hopes to be able to co-create more in the future.
When we are about to leave we see a decorated plastic Christmas tree next to a cactus outside in the sun. A funny sight for us. Don Jose explains that his daughter’s homework involves researching different Christmas traditions from all over the world, and asks us if we can share a bit of our Christmas traditions. The invasion of Western commercial ‘traditions’ is probably unstoppable, but non the less is quiet saddening.

Next stop is the house of Petrona, member of the weavers association La Vida Nueva. She wants to give Paulo a goodbye present, a jarra de chocolate and a wooden stick to stir the hot chocolate. The family clearly lives most of the time in their garden. There is one room with the family altar and some beds, but all the rest happens outside. There are many bricks piled up in the garden, and Petrona is proud to say that a new kitchen will be build next January. No more wind, and rain inside the ‘cocina’ during wet season. The house is very much alive with numerous dogs, and chickens running in, and out the kitchen, and the sheep letting us know there are here as well. We certainly must visit her again next time we are here she tells us. After a delicious meal of eggs, beans, and vegetables we head back to town.