As a teacher of Spanish
and art I try to find ways
to integrate art into the
Spanish classroom. Art
often becomes an effective tool for
teaching history, as well as political
and social justice issues. During the
1980s I had the privilege of visiting
Chile during the Pinochet regime.
Although the atrocities that were
committed were daunting and heart-wrenching, the spirit of the people
there was inspiring.
Embroideries of Life and Death
In Chile, I was introduced to small
fabric collages called arpilleras,
which, at the time, were known as
“embroideries of life and death.” In
1975, two years after the coup and
assassination of President Allende,
a group of housewives without
any professional training began to
develop ways to provide income for
their children as well as to visually
express opposition to the current
political situation.
Citizens
who were never
charged with a
crime or brought
to trial were known as the
Desa-paracidos, or “the disappeared ones.”
Because of their association with
trade unions or vocal opposition to
the government, these citizens were
victims of brutal political repression. Arpilleras that depicted the
situation were often smuggled out of
the country and sold in foreign markets, with the income returning to
the artisans. The hope was that each
Arpilleras
Stories in Cloth
Jane Dalton
arpillera would inform the recipient
of the political repression ongoing in
Chile. Today, the arpillera is no lon-
ger used as a form of political out-
cry, but is instead
made for the
tourist industry.
The practice has
spread to Peru and
now arpilleras often show scenes of
village life, weddings, and the Day
of the Dead.
era is then framed by a bright crocheted border. Some arpilleras have
three-dimensional, doll-like
figures, while others have fabric
shapes glued to the surface.
I ask students to reflect on
a social issue they would
like to see changed.
How an Arpillera Is Made
The word arpillera means burlap.
The fabric backing on an arpillera is
traditionally made of burlap. On a
square or rectangular piece of cloth,
colored fabric scraps are cut into
shapes, arranged to tell a story, and
sewn or glued in place. Each arpill-
Student Arpilleras
I explain to students the practice
of using art to express political and
social concerns in a positive and
visual format. I ask students to
reflect on a social issue they would
like to see changed by asking them
to complete the following prompt,
“If I could change the world I
would…” Students begin by writing
in their journals and then complete
a drawing using the imagery that
will be transferred to fabric. The
results are inspiring, touching, and
hopeful.
