Archive for the ‘Fair Trade’ Category
11/04/2010
Weaving in the Peruvian Highlands
Handwoven Fabrics: Living History
Handwoven fabrics are the living history and cultural treasure of the Peruvian Highlands. The weavers who create these extraordinary textiles are the keepers of the culture and sustainers of a noble but difficult lifestyle in tune with the earth. This book, Weaving in the Peruvian Andes celebrates their authentic, well-crafted work by showing varied and distinctive styles of traditional clothing, the basics of how fabric is created from spinning to dyeing to weaving, the way traditional crafts are passed from one generation to another, the names and meaning of the myriad textile designs that reflect the culture and history of the people, and the rituals and celebrations in which woven fabrics play such an important role.
N.C. Alvarez
Author Nilda Callañaupa Alverez is founder and director of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. She has established weaving associations through the Andean highlands to preserve a tradition of handmade textiles and to promote economic development. She lives in Cusco and in her native community of Chinchereo, Peru.
All proceeds from the sale of the book benefit the Center of Traditional Textiles of Cusco.
Mountain Spirit Institute focuses on weaving during our educational programs in Peru. Learn more at www.mtnspirit.org
Tags:Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, Chinchereo, Cusco, Mountain Spirit, Nilda Callañaupa Alverez, Peru, textile designs, Weaving in the Peruvian Andes
Posted in Archeology, Books, Fair Trade, Holistic Living, Peru, South America, Sustainable Living/Communities, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
30/03/2010
Boots from Peru
Handmade Peruvian boots and textiles have been added to Mountain Spirit Institute’s Fair Trade Webpage. In addition, easy-to-use checkout and “Add to Cart” buttons have been added. This webpage and sales are a fundraiser for this non-profit organization.
Handmade Peruvian Textiles
MSI has lowered the prices of all smaller sized boots to $80.00, and custom-made boots will be the same price as generic except for the cost-share of shipping from Peru by DHL.
All of Mountain Spirit Institute’s products are sold with the original producers in mind, and are purchased and sold with fair trade practices.
Tags:Custom Made Boots, Fair Trade, Peru, Peruvian Textiles
Posted in Fair Trade, Peru, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
26/03/2010
MSI at Colby Sawyer College International Festival
New London, NH, USA
R. Richards tells about MSI's programs, B. Dowst in background
Mountain Spirit Institute had a booth at Colby Sawyer College’s International Festival in New London NH, USA yesterday on Thursday March 25th. Foreign students and college staff were dressed in their traditional national clothing and served food from their country. The Peruvian band Inka Wasi, from Boston, taught audience members how to play the zampoña, then percussion instruments. Later, the trio later played traditional folklore songs from the Andes countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Argentina. Mountain Spirit Institute’s director R. Richards, spoke with one of the band members about the band Chimu Inka from Cusco. MSI sponsored Chimu Inka in the fall of 2008. The two discussed about some possible collaboration with the two bands in the future, when Chimu Inka returns to the U.S.
Inka Wasi director teaching Zampoña
Many local residents came out see this popular event which has been running a number of years here in this New England college town. MSI board members Brenda Dowst and Amanda Richards, and Randy Richards manned the booth.
The Carrolls visit at MSI's booth
Local author Dave Carroll and his wife Laurett stopped by the booth to say hi as did other Sunapee and New London residents. Both the Carrolls were not only fans but supporters of the Chimu Inka 2008 Peruvian/USA Music Exchange tour.
Tags:Amanda Richards, Brenda Dowst, Chimu Inka, Colby Sawyer College, David Carroll, Inka Wasi, International Festival, Laurette Carroll, Mountain Spirit, Peruvian Music, Zampona
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News, Music, Supporting MSI | Leave a Comment »
05/03/2010
By D.R. Richards
FaceBook Twitter
It’s a beautiful day. I should be spring skiing at Mt. Sunapee, but we’ve been making some new additions to the website, and this blog. We’ve added Facebook and Twitter icons on various pages, and reintroduced online forms on our Contact and Fair Trade and Donation pages. We’ve also made it easier to find the Fair Trade Page by adding a link to the main pages. We’ve migrated this blog to www.mtnspirit.org as of today, so our address is slightly different but you can still reach us at the old address.
Our Booth, I'l Festival, VT Getting the word out.
Getting our name out there is almost as important as fundraising and continuing to offer safe, meaningful programs. While our heart is in the mountains, we’ve stayed indoors to get these important features added to our site. Keep track of our Facebook page, we’ll be using that as our online photo album for various programs, past and present. Now to go hear Greg Mortenson tonight…
Tags:Conctact., Donation, Facebook, Fair Trade, Mountain Spirit, Mt. Sunapee, Support, Twitter, Vermont International Festival
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News | Leave a Comment »
01/03/2010
An Open Letter from a “Former Economic Hit Man”
By John Perkins
Former "E.H.M.", John Perkins
[Editor’s Note: I have long been a fan of New York Times Bestselling author John Perkins, after reading Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, which should be read by every citizen of the world – by Americans to see how our lifestyle impacts “third world” countries, and by those citizens in countries that have been taken advantage of by the “corporatracy”. Please Read on….]
“Many of you have asked how I feel about the Obama administration . . .
In short: the fact that we moved from a conservative Republican oilman from Texas to a liberal Democratic African American from Illinois, and yet change plods along at a snail’s pace – if at all – is a confirmation of what I discuss in detail in my “HOODWINKED.”
Our president has little real power. (more…)
Tags:Confessions of an Economic Hitman, Hoodwinked, John Perkins, Obama
Posted in Fair Trade, Film/DVD, Holistic Living, Inspirational People, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »
12/02/2010
Mountain Spirit is always looking for good ways to work with our friends in Peru, to give back, also to help raise funds for our programs. Boot program fits the bill.
Handmade Fundraiser
By R. Richards
When we walked into Mariano’s boot shop in Cusco last summer we knew we were looking at high quality products. I trained as an apprentice boot maker in Austria, so I recognized the traditional European boot making techniques when I saw them. And here they were in Cusco, Peru, in the form of high quality suede boots, custom made right in the shop. Mariano takes an outline of one’s foot, then gets to work. While we lived in Cusco we talked with him to see if we could order from the states. At an international fair we had put the boots out and they proved so popular, we decided to put them on our website. All proceeds go to the bootmaker, and to Mountain Spirit Institute to further our non-profit educational mission and programs. If you, or someone you know, would like a pair, read on and contact us.
MSI Handmade Peruvian Boots
Boots from Peru
– Hand made from Cusco Peru
– Unique, not mass marketed
– Popular with the people who have ordered them so far.
– Custom to your foot: We (or you can) outline your foot, and we send it via DHL courier directly to Cusco where Mariano completes the order in three days and sends the boots back by DHL
– Suede leather
– Insulated
– Inlaid with traditional local handmade weavings, made on backstrap looms
– Lug Sole made by “Cat” (similar to Vibram)
Uggs Alternative
– Very comfortable
– Made to order.
– We place orders when we have nine or ten orders together.
– GENERIC SIZES OPTION: Some generic sizes are in stock and ship in 24hrs. Call for details.
-PRICES: Custom made $180.00 plus ground shipping in U.S. Price includes custom ordering and shipment from Peru by DHL. Generic sizes $140.00 plus shipping in U.S. from NH, USA
– Turn around time: 8-10 days from when order is sent from USA
-Available in New Zealand starting 8/2010
For further details or to place an order, please call 603-763-2668 or email us at info@mtnspirit.org
Tags:Boots from Peru, Custom Peruvian Boots, Fair Trade Boots, Fundraiser, Mountain Spirit, Uggs alternative
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News, Peru, Supporting MSI, Sustainable Travel | 2 Comments »
16/12/2009
Punyma Taha from Bhutan was a vendor recently at the 17th Vermont International Festival in Burlington, Vermont, USA. She shares a bit about her life in the USA and how she came to live in Vermont. Her booth was next to our Mountain Spirit Institute booth, and we had chatted a bit, so when we asked her if she would be willing to be interviewed for this blog, she gladly accepted the offer.
Tags:Bhutan refugees, Burlington Vermont, Mountain Spirit, Randall Richards, Randy Richards, U.S. Immigration, Vermont International Festival
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Fair Trade, Mountain People, MSI News | Leave a Comment »
09/12/2009
R. Richards interviews Women from Tibet, India at Vermont International Festival
These two wonderful woman, one from Tibet and the other, from India were fellow vendors at the Vermont International Festival. Click on the video below to learn more about them.
Tags:Immigration, India, Mountain Spirit, Tibet, Vermont International Festival
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Fair Trade, Inspirational People, Mountain People | Leave a Comment »
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