This project will document the knowledge and practices associated with mandyju guasu, a native cotton plant whose fibres are used by Paĩ Tavyterã Indigenous women to weave traditional textiles. The cotton plant forms part of a symbolic framework that enables both Paĩ Tavyterã women and men to hold present the actions of care and meaning that are attached to Ñande Jari Guasu, an important female deity in Paĩ Tavyterã cosmology. However, due to environmental pressures and the weakening of intergenerational transmission, this knowledge is at risk.
Fieldwork will be carried out using collaborative and situated ethnographic methods, including participant observation, interviews, guided walks through Paĩ Tavyterã territory and close, experiential accompaniment of the weavers. Specific techniques will be employed to record tacit and embodied knowledge, as well as the sensory criteria and forms of holding attention that guide weaving practice. Workshops will also be held on drawing and depicting weaving sequences, alongside other elements that the weavers consider important to be recorded. These activities will be carried out in accordance with procedures for prior, free and informed consultation and ethical considerations specific to collaborative research with the community.
The documentation gathered during the project will cover the complete cycle of caring for and processing the mandyju guasu plant and its fibres, weaving on a vertical loom, pattern creation, foraging trips to collect natural dyes, and the songs and stories that form part of practices of care of the cotton plants.
Ethnographic methods will be used to produce video, photo and audio records, in addition to field notes and community drawings. These will be monitored and validated by participants and stored in a digital repository managed by the community. The project aims to strengthen cultural continuity, support intergenerational transmission and contribute to the visibility of Paĩ Tavyterã textile knowledge.
PI: Sofía Espíndola Oviedo
Collaborators: César David Yegros González; William Costa
Research Location: Ita Guasu Indigenous Community, Municipality of Cerro Corá, Administrative Department of Amambay, Paraguay
Host Institution: Tierra Libre – Instituto Social y Ambiental
Top Banner Image: Working on a traditional Paĩ Tavyterã loom. Photo credit: William Costa & Sofía Espíndola, 2025.