Knit and Resist. Audiovisual ethnographies and textile narratives

Abstract

The knitting as narrative has been a very old strategy, used mainly by women, where they have shaped and perpetuated their stories and the story of their towns through a very unique vision. Weaving had have diverse objectives, from the most obvious that is to dress the body, until ritual or political functions.
The weaving is a language that can only be understood and transmitted by those who experience it through the body.
This article reflects on the development of an audiovisual methodology applied to a P.H.D research about the relation between knitting and memory from an ethnographic, political and resistance perspective, but also as a creative process.
This article also explores in the process of filming five documentary videos as a creative approach to the various ethnographic questions that were raised throughout the research, and at the same time, as a way of interacting with the communities of weavers and negotiate my presence in the field. The audiovisual
work, in addition to an exhibition of textiles and workshops, were together the methodological route that allowed to build a bridge to connect weavers at different latitudes, mainly among amuzgas weavers in the State of Guerrero, Mexico and weavers of memory in Colombia. Both collectives were able to
stablish a symbolic dialogue through their woven stories. Generating a powerful reflection as women, recognizing the value they deserved to their manual and artistic work related to memory. This process has given those women the possibility to transform positively their lives.