Chilean artisans use podcasts and exhibitions to preserve ancestral trades

Cultural initiatives in Chile are working to preserve ancestral artisanal trades through various media and community events. In Pumanque, researcher Laura Cabrera Barraza has created a 19-chapter podcast titled ‘Oficios con memoria’. Funded by the Fondart Regional 2026, the project documents the histories and knowledge of potters, weavers, basket makers, tanners, carpenters, and shoemakers from Pueblo Chico in Nilahue Cornejo.

Simultaneously, in the Río Hurtado commune, the ‘Expo Tejidos 2026’ brought together approximately 50 female weavers from local areas and neighboring Punitaqui and Canela. The exhibition, supported by the municipality of Río Hurtado, aimed to highlight ancestral textile techniques and strengthen the local economy. The event featured various local weaving groups and included fashion shows to showcase garments made by the artisans, focusing on maintaining millenary traditions and local identity.