OUR COLLECTION — LATIN AMERICA — GUATEMALA 245. TERRA COTTA SHELL NATIVITY
This Nativity was handmade from terra cotta (“fired earth”) clay and baked in a kiln to produce a lustrous finish. The clay has been dug from river beds in Chenaulta, Guatemala. The firing process involves building a fire from pine bark. The Nativities are then placed on a grate over the fire and covered with grass for 2-3 hours. In Guatemala, these are called “shell” Nativities due to the unique shape and scalloped edges of the stable. This piece is 4.5 inches high by 6 inches wide.
UPAVIM, or United for a Better Life (Unidos Para Una Vida Mejor), is a craft marketing program which was started to help provide funds for a children’s clinic in La Esperanza, a squalid squatter’s settlement on the outskirts of Guatemala City. The clinic is run by the mothers and served by a volunteer doctor, dentist, and lab technician. The clinic now offers laboratory testing, an infant weight program, dental care, a La Leche League group, and a scholarship fund which provides tuition, school supplies, and lunch money for selected school children from the settlement. Proceeds from the sales of doll necklaces, wreaths, and other products made using hand-woven Guatemalan fabrics fund UPAVIM’s programs.
UPAVIM, or United for a Better Life (Unidos Para Una Vida Mejor), is a craft marketing program which was started to help provide funds for a children’s clinic in La Esperanza, a squalid squatter’s settlement on the outskirts of Guatemala City. The clinic is run by the mothers and served by a volunteer doctor, dentist, and lab technician. The clinic now offers laboratory testing, an infant weight program, dental care, a La Leche League group, and a scholarship fund which provides tuition, school supplies, and lunch money for selected school children from the settlement. Proceeds from the sales of doll necklaces, wreaths, and other products made using hand-woven Guatemalan fabrics fund UPAVIM’s programs.