Turtle island grey

Size: 80x300cm; 2.6x10ft 

Criollo sheep wool dyed with color fast aniline dyes. 

Woven in the Gutierrez Alavez family workshop on a walk in style of loom and 7 threads per inch reed. 

The design has the smile pattern that reminds us that smiling and laughing is the source of all healing and we carry that medicine within us. We also have dots that represent the seeds we have been planting to nuture our body and spirit, we do not plant monocultures we make the milpa (corn, beans and squash) food systems embedded in local agroecosystems.

There are many ancient stories of wise turtle people that kept ancient knowledge alive and had the power of vision. The earth's crust is often represented with the turtle shell that brings music and thunder that announces the rains. The ancient ritual calendar was also represented with a turtle because many species have 13 hexagon like shapes in its back as there are about 13 moon cycles in a year, this design has thirteen turtles around the eye of the feather snake.

The center of this rug has the eye of the feather snake as a symbol that helps us reach a much needed balanced view of the world: spiritual and earthly awareness.