{"product_id":"messenger-monkey-ticuna-ceremonial-spirit-doll","title":"Messenger Monkey - Ticuna Ceremonial Spirit Doll","description":"\u003ch2\u003eMessenger: A Ceremonial Ticuna Monkey Figure from the Solimões\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlong the Solimões River, where Colombia, Peru, and Brazil meet in the heart of the Amazon, Ticuna artisans have carved figures like this one for generations. The Ticuna distinguish their figures by clothing: clan animals, which represent extended families and lineage, are dressed in skirts — a marker of old age and wisdom. Mythological beings wear pants. The monkey is mythological. It is not an ancestor. It is a trickster figure of mischief, playfulness, and spontaneity, the Ticuna counterpart to Hanuman or Sun Wukong, carried into the home not for its weight or its solemnity but for its lightness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eArtisan Craftsmanship\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaster Ticuna artisans handcraft each figure using techniques refined over centuries. The body is carved from balsa wood, a lightweight tropical hardwood gathered locally, then wrapped in yanchama — a cloth made by stripping bark from a rainforest tree, soaking it for days, and beating it into a soft, paper-like fiber. The figure is finished with the four traditional Ticuna pigments: black from the genipapo fruit, red from achiote seeds, white from clay, and yellow from earth and plant sources. The geometric patterning is not decorative in the Western sense. It references the artisan's own visual lineage and inherited training.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCollector-Grade Quality\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis museum-quality piece represents authentic Amazonian art rarely available outside specialized collections. Each figure is entirely unique, bearing the individual artistic interpretation of its maker while honoring centuries-old iconography. Subtle differences in posture, line work, and pigment make every monkey distinct. Display as a focal point in a collection of indigenous art, on a shelf or console, or as a quiet note of play in a thoughtfully styled room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eEthically Sourced\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWoven.art works directly with Ticuna artisans in the Colombian Amazon, ensuring fair compensation and supporting the preservation of endangered cultural traditions. Your purchase directly sustains indigenous families and encourages younger generations to continue these artistic practices. Every figure ships with documentation of its origin and the cultural context of Ticuna iconography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eDetails:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: Approximately 12 in (30 cm) tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrigin: Handcrafted in the Colombian Amazon by Ticuna artisans\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Balsa wood, yanchama bark cloth, natural pigments\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSKU: DOLL-041\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"RFB Woven Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51218297192763,"sku":"DOLL-041","price":265.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0872\/0069\/4587\/files\/DOLL-041-1.jpg?v=1781366107","url":"https:\/\/woven.art\/products\/messenger-monkey-ticuna-ceremonial-spirit-doll","provider":"RFB Woven Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}