Indigenous Craft Practices
By promoting one
We enable the other
Indigenous craft practices are being lost.
Sustainable livelihoods are needed.
by promoting one, we enable the other.
- Chris Delany - Director - CRAFTMAPPER
Our Craft
Craftmapper is a social enterprise that encourages indigenous communities to protect their unique cultural heritage by providing livelihood opportunities.
Time Tested
For over 20 years we have worked with remote Pacific Islands villagers and indigenous communities around the world.
Encouragement & support
We encourage communities to identify, record and create beautiful high quality craft product and offer pathways to high end markets.
Responsive Partners
We are proud to partner with Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand to offer unique, authentic craft to international museum shops and other high end outlets around the world.
The CraftMapper
Process Model
Through a simple systematic process that records their skills, designs, materials and practitioners, communities can identify unique designs, endangered assets and any other information they wish to record.
This process offers an opportunity to highlight potentially marketable products. Photographic and audio recordings of products and stories can also be captured.
We offer:
- Training for communities and fieldworkers around how to best use the craft inventory mapping methodology
- An advisory service to identify, design and implement craft revitalization and livelihood projects
- Technical training to rural and urban communities to develop sustainable craft projects and promote cultural diversity
- Market readiness training and connections to national and international markets.
The Vakiki Story
Aldio Pita lives on a tiny island in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands. In 1996 he was under intense pressure to sell his family rainforest to international loggers. He had 5 children, a large extended family and needed an income.
Aldio Pita in the Solomon Islands
Chief Roi Mata's
Domain Story
The people of Lelepa Island and Mangaliliu are the guardians of the only World Heritage Site in Vanuatu. They needed sustainable incomes and used the mapping process to identify potentially marketable craft product.
Lelepa Island - Vanuatu
The Maka Emali Story
The Maasai and Kamba communities of Emali, Kenya, battle crippling droughts that affect their livestock and crops. Looking for drought resilient alternative livelihoods. Craftmapper was invited to work with the communities through ChildFund NZ to identify marketable craft and facilitate a community initiative.
Emali, Kenya
Craftmapper authenticates high quality work and distributes to galleries and museum shops around the world. Please write us.
IMAGE TITLE & DESCRIPTION
Bloody mummers, trueborn at, mare's milk, weirwood.
IMAGE TITLE & DESCRIPTION
Bloody mummers, trueborn at, mare's milk, weirwood.
IMAGE TITLE & DESCRIPTION
Bloody mummers, trueborn at, mare's milk, weirwood.
IMAGE TITLE & DESCRIPTION
Bloody mummers, trueborn at, mare's milk, weirwood.
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Kenyan baskets
Woven by Kamba women with a modern twist
Melanesian weaving
A selection of beautiful baskets carrying rich stories from generations before.
wood block prints
Printed on handmade fibre paper reflecting custom stories and contemporary images
Beaded jewellery
Made by the Maasai in Kenya
Handcraft objects
Beautiful unique pieces with their own stories
