Carved wood trunks

Description

The carved wooden trunks are part of the crafts developed in the community of Valle de Ángeles located around the city of Tegucigalpa, in a mountainous area of ​​pine forest.  The historical origins of the community are related to mining activity in the 19th century, being part of the parish of Santa Lucia and part, administratively, of the municipality of San Antonio de Oriente.

Originally this community was known as “Cimarrón” due to the presence of black güirises (silver scrap extractors) in the foundries of Santa Lucia, until in 1865 it was given the name Valle de Ángeles. The mining activity of güirises left a trace of   mine mouths and smelting places known as “offices”.

The relationship of this population with the forest and the search for entrepreneurial alternatives led to the founding in 1966 of the “Valle de Ángeles Artisanal Training Center” (closed in 1992), a space where the majority of local artisans were trained. Despite the closure of the Craft Center, they remained organized and currently the community of Valle de Ángeles is the showcase of crafts in the entire country.

The carving of the trunks is made of cedar, mahogany and pine wood and its artisanal technique remains very traditional as it is carved with a chisel and polished by hand, which makes the creative process very slow, although it has not prevented a wide permanent offer. The iconic themes that the artisans address are related to the landscape and traditions of the community, with cobblestone and twisted streets that recall previous mining activity. Other themes are the local flora and fauna, standing out for its flower production, which is reflected in the themes of the trunks. The   artisans are organized into family units and craft associations.

englishCarved Wooden Trunks

The carved wooden trunks are part of the handicrafts developed in the community of Valle de Angeles near the city of Tegucigalpa, in a mountainous area. The historical origins of the community are related to mining activity in the 19th century, being part of the curate of Santa Lucia and administratively part of the municipality of San Antonio de Oriente.

Originally this community was called "Cimarrón" due to the presence of black güirises (silver extractors) in the foundries of Santa Lucia, until 1865, when it was given the name of Valle de Ángeles. The mining activity of the güirises left a trail of mine mouths and smelting places known as "offices".

The relationship of this population with the forest and the search for alternative entrepreneurship led in 1966 to the foundation of the "Centro de Adiestramiento Artesanal de Valle de Ángeles" (closed in 1992), a place where most of the local artisans were trained. Despite the closure of the Centro Artesanal, they remained organized and today the community of Valle de Ángeles is a showcase for craftsmanship from all over the country.

The carving of the trunks is done in cedar, mahogany and pine wood and the craft technique is still very traditional as it is carved with a chisel and polished by hand, which makes the creative process very slow, although this has not prevented a wide and permanent offer. The iconic themes that the artisans deal with are related to the landscape and traditions of the community, with its cobbled and twisted streets reminiscent of the previous mining activity. Other themes are the local flora and fauna, with an emphasis on flower production, which is reflected in the themes of the trunks. The artisans are organized in family units and craft associations.