Artisan textile weavers: the persistence of Andean craft work and communities in a globalized economy

The Independence Plaza of Otavalo in Ecuador is a well-known international tourist destination that brings together Indigenous vendors of the Kichwa-Otavalo nationality. Although the side-by-side stands are lined with what look like traditionally handmade crafts, most of what is sold here is mass produced. Among the overwhelming display of industrialized textiles, this article aims to understand the perseverance of local handloom weavers. We argue that the materiality of weaving practices resists disappearing over time, despite difficulties, because the artisanal process vests weavers with creative possibilities to make work and make kin. Using a phenomenological research design based on in-depth interviews and participant observation, we found that skilled practice, embodied knowledge, and knowledge transmission shape the creation of value and that value creation also shapes practice, knowledge and its transmission. These aspects constitute prospects for artisans to make a tenuous place for themselves in a global market economy.