Inside Kumiai Crafts

The Kumiai inherited their craftsmanship from their ancestors, mainly in the way they make baskets. According to information from the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous People (CDI), the Kumiai develop crafts made out of cane and willow, as well as colorful ceramic pieces. From an early age and when children are interested in craft activities, their parents teach them the value of their roots so they can keep them alive.

The Kumiai community focuses on its crafts because they consider it a way to improve their economy. Other job options for them are “maquilas”, vineyards, and ranches, which in addition to being far from their land, have low pay.

Among the designs they capture in their works one can find representations of crosses that emulate the stars that care for them from above. Each design has a meaning and in some crafts, the Kumiai represent “wa”, which is the house of their ancestors. Symbols of hills and deer usually accompany this depiction.

For the elaboration of willow basketry, it is necessary to remove the tree leaves so they can start working with their characteristic oval designs called “shikuin”, which serve to store seeds. In addition, they make turtles, ducks, and even baskets for vases. To make the containers, the Kumiai cut the threads out of the willow and strategically place a chunk of leaves, while the middle part is woven with the threads of said tree.

Willow is one of the primary raw materials with which they carry out their work. Those who live in the community know how to cut it in a way it won’t damage them.  The Kumiai also work the reed. They cut its threads down the full moon because they consider it more beneficial and that it allows them to extract it almost from the root. The threads can be green or red, and they use them to make designs of spirals, deer, and butterflies or to give more resistance to some baskets.

To work with this material, it is necessary to dry it in the sun for about 20 days until it takes on a whitish hue. This is when it begins to unravel and coil in a spiral shape; then it is soaked to give it more flexibility and thus facilitate the work.

The Kumiai crafts have centuries of tradition and are beautiful works and expressions of their culture. So if you visit Baja California, make sure you take a glimpse at their work.