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Published Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Indigenous trade market reopens
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The trade market of the Talamanca Cabécar indigenous territory where artisan and agricultural items produced by native Costa Ricans are exchanged and sold reopened over the weekend.
The indigenous market is managed by the Kábata Könana Women's Association, the Talamanca Cabécar Indigenous Association and the Bribrí Indigenous Association.
In the market, the settlers exchange agricultural products such as yucca, banana, corn, natural fiber baskets, decorated pumpkins as well as artisanal handmade crafts by the locals.
The families that have crops of a particular goods take them to the market to exchange them for other products or crafts produced by indigenous families. The sale of the products is also allowed.
The value of the products is first determined by a woman, recognized by the community as the “Tejedora de Conocimiento” (the woman who weaves knowledge in the English language). She makes a list of the goods and families. She later sends the information to the Kábata Könana Women's Association.
Then, the Kábata Könana women establish a route of exchange of the products which are harvested according to the ancestral methods, in their own land.
"When we saw that the pandemic was approaching our territory, we knew that we had to organize ourselves to avoid families lacking food," Maricela Fernández, president of Kábata Könana said. "We, the indigenous people, have always planted and exchanged food, but this is the time to strengthen those traditions.”
The indigenous trade market, located in Talamanca Canton, in Limón Province, is open to the public. People interested in knowing more about the work of indigenous women can visit the Kábata Könana Facebook page.
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Have you visited the Kabata indigenous community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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