The Wounaan are an Indigenous group primarily located in the department of Chocó in western Colombia, especially along the lower reaches of the San Juan River, with smaller populations in Valle del Cauca and even a few in Bogotá. In recent decades, the Wounaan have faced serious challenges: displacement due to armed conflicts in Colombia has forced many to abandon their ancestral territories.

The artisans of the Wounaan community craft their iconic pieces using fibres from a palm known as werregue, which are harvested and carefully processed—boiled or cured—to strengthen the material and prepare it for weaving. These fibres are dyed with natural plant-based colourants—such as achiote seeds for yellow or local lianas for deep black—and then woven into tight, fine-threaded baskets, vessels and decorative items that reveal the woodsy hues of their rainforest home. Occasionally, subtle metallic elements like copper or silver wires are woven in for accent or structural detail, but the true artistry remains rooted in the vibrant palm fibre, its textures and tones celebrating both tradition and nature.