In the Sibundoy Valley of Putumayo province, nestled between the Andes and the jungle, lies the family workshop set up by Marcelino Chasoy. In founding Asociación Shinyak, he has embraced the heritage of his Kamëntzá and Inga background with mask-making. Formerly a farmer like his parents, Marcelino began crafting beaded bracelets at the age of 31 to support his brother Gerardo's education in the capital. Since then, he never returned to tend the land. Entranced by woodworking, Marcelino discovered a fulfilling livelihood rooted in his cultural traditions. Self-taught, he delved into the traditional masks of his ancestry, skillfully representing the 18 expressions of Inga masks, which convey emotions through exaggerated gestures dating back to the conquest period.
Marcelino also specialises in crafting Kamentzá ritual masks, known for their elongated forms, usually depicting a head piece representing leadership. These masks were originally decorated with natural beads and feathers, but over the years, the natives of the Sibundoy valley adopted the cheque beads as a means to add durable colour finishes to enhance the expressions. This careful and time-consuming handcraft is mostly carried out by his sisters, while his brothers tend to the woodwork.
Asociación Shinyak
