The Government of Formosa, through the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Finances and the Social Assistance Institute (IAS), has signed a Reciprocal Cooperation Agreement with communities of the Pilagá ethnicity for the inclusive purchase of handicrafts intended for government acts and institutional gifts. This agreement was formalized within the framework of the "Great Christmas Fair" held in December 2024 at the Galpón "G" site of the Paseo Costanero.
Promotion of local culture and small producers
In this first stage, the agreement benefits women artisans from the Pilagá communities of Campo del Cielo and La Bomba, who produce basketry with native materials such as chaguar and carandillo. This initiative seeks to strengthen local cultural identity and provide economic support to small producers and artisans.
From the IAS it was highlighted that this action contributes to the integration and strengthening of the artisanal sector of the native communities. "It is an investment of the provincial state in a cultural sector of great historical importance, within the Formoseño Model that conceives the province as a multiethnic and multicultural territory," expressed the agency.
Handicrafts for official events
The works purchased by the government will be used in various official acts and as institutional gifts, thus promoting the visibility of Pilagá art and strengthening its presence in governmental and cultural events.
Participation in provincial events
The artisans were invited to participate in events organized in the provincial capital, following a visit by the vice governor Eber Solís and the administrator of the IAS, architect Edgar Pérez, to the community of Las Lomitas. As part of this support, the government facilitated transportation, accommodation, and logistics for their participation in the Regional Festival of the Formoseño Alfajor and the Great Christmas Fair, with a view to their presence in future exhibitions and fairs.
Testimonies and assessment of the agreement
The Minister of Economy of Formosa, Jorge Ibáñez, explained: "The agreement seeks to ensure that everything that is not sold at the fairs does not return to the communities without value, but that the IAS acquires it to later commercialize it in different spaces."
For her part, María Magdalena Cabrera, an artisan from the community La Bomba, expressed: "We are very happy and grateful for this agreement. It is a great satisfaction for us women to know that our work has value and that we have the support of the government."
Juana González, president of the Campo del Cielo community, added: "This means a great benefit for the women, as they will be able to return to their homes with their own resources. We feel very happy for this opportunity."
The participation of the Pilagá artisans in these events not only allowed the dissemination of their generational work, but also enabled a fair commercialization of their products, valuing their art both economically and symbolically.
