Back in Peru....

So I have made it back to Peru. In Lima, I begin, adjusting to the chaotic, bustling city. Yesterday, I met up with one of the founders of the cooperative in which I work. My adventures had begun. We hopped on the second class bus, heading to the outskirts of Lima. Rugged, dirt roads, concrete buildings, dust, soot, lives of hardship. 45 minutes later we had arrived. We knocked on the door, to be greeted by the producer of the horn products. With a sweet smile he invited us in, showing us the beautiful goods he and his family create out of sheared bull horn. When selling the belts, this material allows for questions, especially,¨does this harm the animal in any way.¨ TO get a good concept and idea for this process, I was grateful to see the workshop where the horn is collected and sheared. I was led to the back of the workshop, where I met Alejandros daughter, about 16 years old. She helps with the designing and held a lot of pride in her work. The smell, reminded me of a dentists office gone bad. The dust from the horn covered everything. Tones of grey filled the room.
The process is as follows. Alejandro explained that he first goes to the market to buy the horn products. He recycles the horn which would normally be thrown away. These horns are discarded from those who raise the bulls for meat. The producers used to give them away, but now they charge a small fee. A majority of the bulls horn come from the North coast, where the animals seem to be larger than in the South.
After collecting the horn, he slices them in half with a drill. He then places the halfs in a vat of boiled, bull grease which they sit in for a few minutes. This softens the material. Minutes later, he presses the horn halfs until flattened. They dry and then are cut in the specific design. He then files and polishes them for completion. The process may seem brief, but it is time consuming and tedious. He makes all of his own machinery, seeing he can´t seem to find them in town.
All in all, Alejandro is an incredibly talented artist. By the end of the afternoon, I was thrilled to have found new products, such as horn rings and bangles to sell. Each one is one of a kind. I left with a sense of excitement, for new products to come and to be able to support this family directly.