Panda Bear Mom and Cub - Gourd Ornament
Celebrate Mom and all that she does with this heartwarming scene hand-carved and burned onto this natural canvas: a gourd!
Designed and hand-crafted by artists in Peru, our fair trade gourd ornaments bring a modern flair to a 4,000-year-old traditional carving and burning technique.
They average 2” to 2.5” in height. Details vary as nature and the artist intended.
Stories in Every Gourd
A canvas for memory, celebration, and everyday life.
For generations, Peruvian gourd artists have used the curved surface of the mate to tell stories without words. Farming and harvests, weddings, religious ceremonies, dances, festivals, family life, and important events can all unfold across a single gourd.
This narrative tradition became especially prominent during the 19th century, when artists increasingly portrayed scenes of everyday life and local customs. By the early 20th century, artists in the Mantaro Valley were carving detailed scenes linked to the agricultural and ritual calendar, preserving the rhythms and memories of Andean life in communities such as Cochas.
Today, the gourds we share carry this storytelling tradition forward in a different way. Instead of narrating an entire event or village scene, contemporary gourd artists often express their world through a flower, bird, animal, or playful natural motif. Each piece becomes a small reflection of the artist’s imagination, sensibility, and connection to the natural world.
Peruvian Craft Traditions
What makes Peruvian craft traditions special is the extraordinary continuity between ancient culture and contemporary artistry. For thousands of years, Peruvian makers have refined techniques in carving, knitting, pottery, weaving, and jewelry making, passing their knowledge from one generation to the next.
Inspired by a rich cultural heritage that includes ancient civilizations such as Caral, Machu Picchu, the treasures of Sipán, Paracas, or the Nazca Lines, today’s artisans continue to reinterpret traditional materials, symbols, and techniques in new and creative ways. The result is craft that feels deeply rooted in tradition while alive and evolving.
Lucuma Designs is proud to work with talented Peruvian artists and help preserve craft traditions, skills, and knowledge that have endured for generations.