Miguel RojasFounder
ABOUT US
"Chisels and dreams
in my hands"
The first memories of my childhood are those that bring me closer to wood, because my toys were handmade by my parents who taught me that if I used my imagination, I could create anything I wanted with the help of some materials. In this way, I enjoyed creating moving objects which communicate the curiosity I felt as a child. This was also shown in my drawings and the confidence I had when talking about them, despite my young age.
Then, books came into my life; I loved reading stories of fantastic characters who inhabited tales and fables, so I started to investigate their origin. I found out that they were stories that were transmitted orally, from ancient times and which connected us with values such as wisdom, love and respect, fundamental pillars of many stories that we know today. Among them, the most impressive to me were those that explained the universe from the indigenous perspective. Thus, my childhood was filled with colors, shapes and stories.
Long after, I looked back at the happiness of my childhood and I gave that time a unique and special place in the trunk of my best memories, waiting for a message that perhaps would never come. For the moment I would work in a formal job. That is why I studied pedagogy, with it I was able to put that energy into helping schools, children and adolescents. I was happy with it, until life surprised me in a magical way.
One summer, while I was doing seasonal work, I realized that we had a new neighbor just a few houses away from mine, who had exuberantly hung a huge and curious wooden mobile sign that was breaking the customary seriousness of the street: “Puppets and weather vanes”. It seemed hard to believe and I had to find out what it was about. One day, for no other reason, I went over to greet him. A man with an analytical and dreamy look came to meet me; he had a beard and looked like he was taken from a book from the Middle Ages.
—Hello, neighbor! – He said with a cheerful voice – My name is Pablo, Pablo Manns. Yes, I manufacture weather vanes and puppets – while he was waving a pair of pliers in his hand to make himself understood – Would you like to see my workshop?
I describe this moment in a few words; as I walked towards and entered that rustic shed, everything made sense to me, because just like in my head, hundreds of ideas, colors and gadgets were jumbled in that little space. I couldn’t believe that someone had, in fact, devoted his life to creativity and making inventions from wood. He told me about his life as the captain of a sailboat and his love for the sea, and I, about my dreams and art.
Through Pablo’s inspiring way of life, Finally, and as my master and I promised each other…
Through Pablo’s inspiring way of life, I was reconnected with my deepest being, making colors, energy and passion flourish, which had been kept locked away in that trunk all that time. Everything took a turn in my story, Pablo introduced the idea of leaving my summer job and working with him.
Thus, beautiful years passed where I combined my professional work with my passion for craft in the workshop. There, we created, ate, worked, talked and told many stories, we also discussed different designs and laughed out loud while the rain fell and we were covered in sawdust.
However, the universe and life had prepared another great test for this story; I was hired to be a teacher in Rapa Nui and I had to leave as soon as possible. This time, forced by distance to leave behind the workshop and the puppets, my teacher wished me well and we promised to work together again.
Pablo and I talked on the phone frequently. He told me about his creations, among other funny things; however, our conversation was becoming more emotional:
—You are not a school teacher. –He said– You are an artist. That is what you must be and teach to others. Make up your mind. Life is now! I have already taught you what you need to start. Do you need any tools? I’ll give them to you; they are old, but still work. –
—Do you know what? He said in a very confident tone one day – I feel like I don’t have much time left. When I’m gone, I want you to follow this dream. You are the one who can do it. Trust me, I believe in you.
According to him, he would build a great sailing ship and he would set out to travel the universe.
I learned and I thank my students for every moment in class. For years, I saw them grow up looking for answers about their destiny: what they should study or what they wanted to be. I deeply understood their doubts, because they were mine too; we were immersed in a system that disconnected us from the essential. It was a very bold step, but I began to embrace the idea of teaching a lesson by my own example, and devoting my life to what I felt in my heart. Without notice, this idea unfurled its sails and took the unstoppable force of the wind with the departure of my master, who, boarding his sailboat, undertook his great journey by leaving chisels and dreams in my hands.
As soon as I left the classroom, the energy of the universe attracted a workshop, tools, and many wonderful people to help. Everything I was experiencing, the overflowing passion of what I always dreamed of and the choice of the path of the heart, was finally reflected in the creation of Arborígenes, which is a demonstration of my connection to the stories of indigenous peoples and woodcraft, symbolized by a tree with strong roots, living wisdom that surrounds us.
Finally, and as my master and I promised each other, we continue working together on it, he from his sailboat in the universe, and I from the Earth.
Arborigenes Big Moments
From learning, practice, to expansion.
2006
Miguel worked and learned from Pablo
2016
The first Caucasian puppet was created and sold to an American tourist at the Explora Rapanui hotel
2014
Arborigenes was born in Easter Island
2019
Arborigenes expands its presence in southern Chile (Continental Chile) Villarrica, and makes its online sales channel available for Etsy.com, providing its magic products to customers all over the world.
Hopu Manu on
RAPANUI
Arborígenes has the thrilling mission of capturing moments of indigenous history from the southernmost corners of the world and bringing it straight to you, thus recognizing and transmitting the magic of these ancient cultures.
