José De Ferrari
Adviser of Crafts Projects of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce
TRIP NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS OF THE ARTISANRY SECTOR OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, CATALOG OF DOMINICAN ARTISANRY 2012 También es oportuno valorar el creciente interés de
Y para los propietarios de tiendas (gift shops), inter-
Being able to locate and photograph artisanry for the
cast iron), jewelry, costume jewelry, musical instruments, re-
nuestros artesanos de asociarse, aun con las adversidades
mediarios y distribuidores, este catálogo deberá ser suma-
edition of this catalog has been a hard task calling for a
cycled and others as fashion accessories and home deco-
económicas que nos ha traído la persistente crisis mundial.
mente útil para actualizar su base de suplidores que les
great deal of persistence.
ration made of coconut shell, bone and horn.
Sin embargo, algunas de estas asociaciones con pre-
facilite ampliar sus líneas de productos que es su continuo
tensiones de federaciones, solo se han quedado en el ejer-
interés para diferenciarse de su competencia.
This is because the artisans do not usually have in-
The products presented enable us to observe a good
ventories on hand since they accumulate production only
overview of the Dominican artisan universe which is difficult
cicio de agruparse y no ven el potencial de organizar su
Espero también que esta publicación sea una he-
when they have orders and participate in fairs and exhibits.
to appreciate in the market due to the immense amounts
membresía acorde a sus oficios y de compartir sus datos
rramienta educativa, y que se de a conocer en nuestras
To compensate for this limiting factor, it was extreme-
of imported artisanry which, in many cases, are labeled and
en proyectos como esta publicación.
escuelas, principalmente aquellas en los entornos de los
ly useful to have photographed samples in the recent
Esta apatía de no participar a los llamados institucio-
destinos turísticos, para que los estudiantes sientan orgu-
Christmas Fair (December 2011) organized by the Ministry
This phenomenon directly affects our artisans by their
nales de asistencia que muestran algunos artesanos, es
llo de que aquí se hacen productos atractivos que reflejan
of Culture and the Office of the First Lady and for the facili-
being unable to compete in price and variety with the for-
posible que se deba al propio desconocimiento que tienen
elementos de nuestra cultura.
ties offered by several stores, especially in Santo Domingo
eign products, many of them produced in factories.
and Las Terrenas, Samaná which allowed us to photograph
The disappointing sales also detract from the attrac-
de las organizaciones involucradas en el sector, y que ya
Porque aun se haya perdido lo primordial de su fun-
muchos no creen en las promesas de ayudas porque en
ción utilitaria, concluyo interpretando un acertado plan-
muchos casos no han sido cumplidas.
teamiento de la UNESCO, que dice; “La artesanía forma
However, the trips to the provinces were of great value
tourist-customers feel cheated when they visit gift shops
Romper con esta inercia y desconfianza será una ta-
parte de un nexo vital entre pasado y presente, tradición y
because of the new contacts made, in addition to getting
and ask to buy Dominican artisanry and the salesperson
rea difícil y compleja, pero debe ser emprendida con otros
modernidad, que de no integrarse a la creación contempo-
to better know the conditions of the workshops and new
has to lie and show them foreign products whose themes
enfoques que no se basen solo en el requerimiento a los
ránea al más alto nivel, las sociedades de países emergen-
production processes. During these trips, we were assisted
and materials are similar to ours.
artesanos de agruparse y formar asociaciones; también se
tes como la República Dominicana, estarán más expuestas
by master artisans and promoters who allowed us to share
Although this situation has been taken into account in
requiere facilitar más espacios de comercialización (ferias
a depender de patrones estéticos ajenos a sus orígenes
in with the new elements of the sector, meet other creators
the law on protection and promotion of Dominican artisan-
regionales), organizar el sector por oficios tomando en
y realidades, creando posibles distorsiones en los rasgos
and to be able to re-encounter our friends of yesteryear.
ry (currently before the Congress) the governmental au-
cuenta sus capacidades para generar ventas y empleos, y
que conforman su identidad.”
products and obtain data on the artisans.
tion of purchases from the target country because the
These visits also take on significance with an eye to-
thorities, specifically the Ministries of Tourism and Culture,
en poder capacitar para desarrollar nuevas líneas de pro-
wards locating and integrating our artisans on the artisanal
need to start disclosing the logistics and methodology to
ductos con diseños y motivos sustentados en la cultura y
and eco-tourist routes offered by tourism promoters.
establish a certification of quality and brand of origin, which
que respondan a las tendencias del mercado.
The trips to the provinces were made according to the six production zones used previously in diagnostics and studies included in the index. To carry out a sampling of the artisanry trade, the classification was made on the basis of the principal tasks, products and raw materials that predominate in the country;
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sold as national products.
Artesanía Dominicana | Dominican Crafts
offers the tourist confirmation that they are acquiring national products. “Quality” bears repetition; not only those of national origin merit being certified. And what would these artisanry products be, since there could be many of those presented in this catalog?
Pottery and ceramics, natural fibers, carvings of wood,
This publication is also an important reference for the
stone and gourds, papier maché, furniture making, har-
artisans themselves because they will be able to appre-
ness-making, cured skins, metallurgy (smithed, forged and
ciate the work of their colleagues which could facilitate
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