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By Sukanto Barman (CS Intern)
Bharati Rani, 65, sits in the courtyard of her home in Mechkanta Para village, Thakurgaon district, weaving a dhokra (mat) made of jute. The dhokra is not only a piece of handcraft; it is a living testament to Koch-Rajbangshi heritage. Used for seating, drying crops, or special occasions, each dhokra carries the stories, culture, and vivid reflections of the social life of the Koch-Rajbangshi community.
By Candyce Testa (Pequot), Maya Lazzaro (Quechua), Kelsey Armeni, Pablo Xol (Maya Qʼeqchiʼ)
The Cultural Survival Bazaars are a mainstay of the impactful, Indigenous-led, non-governmental organization Cultural Survival, and were co-founded 49 years ago by Pia and David Mayberry Lewis. After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Cultural Survival Winter Bazaar returned to the Prudential Center in Boston last December, and the first post-COVID Summer Bazaars were held in July 2024 in Newburyport, MA, and Tiverton, RI.
Bazaar Artist Spotlight
By Mariana Navarrete (CS Intern)
Eliseo Ramirez (Zapotec) was 23 years old when he decided he needed to make a concerted effort to help revitalize his Zapotec culture. As an artist and cooperative leader, he keeps his culture alive not only through his business, Khadi Oaxaca—a collective of over 450 local families and artisans weaving intricate designs and creating beautiful works of art but also through weaving workshops where cultural knowledge is passed down from generation to generation.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
