Mallorcan Threads: How artisans reshape heritage in a changing world.

In 2018, Belgian anthropologist David Berliner, through his book Perdre sa culture, invited us to reflect on the stigma of the "uniformization of cultures" under the weight of globalization. He proposed looking beyond the alleged loss of cultures to understand each cultural transformation through a local, situated lens, driven at least partly by the internal will of local populations. This reflection does not erase the damage of neo-colonization, globalization, and capitalism but urges us to analyze each situation in its specificity. It calls on us to consider each indigenous group in its complexity and individuality—not as passive victims but as empowered actors navigating between injustices suffered and affirmations of resistance.

When questioning the impact of mass tourism on communities such as those on the island of Mallorca, it is essential to remember that local populations are neither helpless nor devoid of resources in addressing the environmental, housing, or cultural challenges they face. Local culture, far from being lost, evolves and transforms.

Thus, addressing the "Balearization" or the supposed disappearance of culture in the face of mass tourism requires nuance. Certainly, the influx of tourists who perceive the island as merely a seaside paradise has devastating consequences on the environment and local economy. However, the local culture, taking new forms, is not in a position of submission to these external influences. Through deeply rooted artisanal practices adapted to contemporary challenges, local artisans reaffirm Mallorcan identity. They do not merely preserve traditions ; they reinvent a future for their island. Their work is not just ecological or economic resistance but also a form of resistance rooted in identity.

In October 2024, we met with four artisan communities in Mallorca for our project OurCommon.Market, a commitment to highlighting local, ethical, and sustainable practices that challenge capitalist and growth-driven models in the fashion industry.

By engaging closely with the community, we deepened our understanding of the importance of accepting individuals as they are, without imposing urban or external perspectives. Many rural artisans in Mallorca maintain locally rooted and influenced visions that resist global trends. By embracing these authentic perspectives, we grasped the richness of community connection, which often flourishes among those who share a cultural or environmental grounding.

Rediscovering Mallorcan Identity Through Ikat Weaving with Feel Mallorca

Joana and Cinzia, guardians of the link between Mallorcan textile craftsmanship and the island’s youth, embody this spirit of resistance. Collaborating with the workshops of Teixits Vicens, Teixits Riera, and Bujosa, they perpetuate the art of Ikat weaving, a technique originating from Asia that traveled the Silk Road before settling on the island. For these creators, identity is found in continuity, in roots, in history, but above all, in the present. As they emphasize, "feeling Mallorca" means reconnecting with this culture shaped by multiple influences and understanding the island in its contemporary identity. Their hope? That young Mallorcans reclaim these ancestral patterns and proudly wear this heritage in their own way.

This cultural resistance goes beyond mere nostalgia: it is grounded in a deep awareness of contemporary issues and rejects the simplistic dichotomy between tradition and modernity.

Through their work, Joana and Cinzia redefine "acculturation" as a dynamic of reinvention, not dilution, where traditions transform to adapt without losing their essence.

Antic Mallorca : Braiding as Collective Resistance

At the Antic Mallorca workshop, another form of resistance takes shape. Araceli, Antonella, and their students gather around Llata, a braiding of palm leaves passed down by the women of Capdepera. This collective, slow, and meticulous work celebrates the strength of non-mixed community bonds. In silence, each woman perfects a specific step of the braiding. It is not just craftsmanship; it is a practice that weaves hearts together, intertwining stories as much as palm leaves.

Here, artisanal production gains profound significance as a response to globalization's effects, which fragment communities and weaken local resources. In this exclusively female space, these women create a safe environment where stories and know-how passed down through generations find new resonance. The practice of braiding becomes a shared exploration of their identities and experiences, far from interruptions and judgments often imposed in mixed contexts.

The collective creation also strengthens their self-confidence and sense of belonging. It is a way to reclaim traditions to subtly challenge imposed norms while weaving a network of solidarity among craftswomen. This mutual support, inherent to the creative act, illustrates a form of empowerment that extends beyond the workshop : it is a concrete response to the invisibilization of feminine knowledge in historical narratives.

In a context of growing ecological awareness, artisanal initiatives like Antic Mallorca show that traditions can be preserved in harmony with nature and local values. These craftswomen remind us that Mallorca is more than a mere tourist backdrop; it is a land where the past is honored to redefine the future, one braided basket at a time.

Tatiana Sarasa’s Workshop : Creativity Against Individualism

In the fishermen’s area of Palma, Tatiana embodies another facet of this resistance: the artisan's role as a link between artistic work and non-initiates.

Her workshop is a space for experimentation where every texture, every creation, is designed to touch and engage. According to her, creation is a process of connection and transmission, of sharing in its purest essence through generosity. She shares her learnings and experiences from workshops that shaped her skills, viewing her knowledge not as a closely guarded secret but as a shared treasure. By valuing each step of the creative process, beginning with learning, Tatiana reminds us that true craftsmanship thrives on interaction, transmission, and sharing.

In this place where poetry and installations, alchemy and textures coexist, with her workshop on a street corner, craftsmanship is conceived as an act of resistance to individualism and the quest for an identity impermeable to the world. By inviting visitors to discover the depth of each creation and emphasizing the process over the result, Tatiana strives to convey that Mallorca is a living, rich territory, as is its craftsmanship.

Leela Romeo and the Resilience of Local Materials

In her open-air workshop in Mallorca’s pine forests, creator Leela Romeo breathes new life into local materials.

For her, craftsmanship is a laboratory where she explores and reinvents the island’s resources. Her Des.anuda Lab organizes each collection around a shared message rooted in contemporary challenges. Here, personal emotions, often shaped by local issues, can be transformed into sources of creation and resistance through an almost alchemical process. In this way, individual creation once again aligns with broader community engagement.

Listening to her words, one can sense the pain of a community that no longer has access to housing, locals forced to consider leaving the island due to exorbitant property prices driven by foreign buyers. By selling her creations as a textile artist to Mallorca’s visitors and hotels, she raises awareness beyond the community, simply by existing as a contemporary craftswoman and local artist.

Leela’s creative lab, while celebrating autonomy and ecology, becomes a symbol of resilience against globalization's pressures. Leela and other Mallorcan artisans transform craftsmanship into a space of identity affirmation and, in a way, through wool, sovereignty over their land.

Toward a New Image of Mallorca : Between Resistance and Reinvention

In Mallorca, we met local ambassadors of sustainable change—people deeply connected to traditional textile practices and their relevance to the challenges amplified by globalization.

Off-camera conversations often touched on the effects of mass tourism, unaffordable real estate, and ecological upheavals on local communities. For these artisans, their work in textiles is both a livelihood and an act of cultural and environmental resilience.

They remind us of the positive impact tourists can have (through mindful travel) if they rethink their journey, supporting rather than merely consuming local resources. With Mallorca facing a 20% accelerated climate change due to tourism pressure, sustainable craftsmanship becomes a form of activism.

In Mallorca, these artisans and creators are reinventing their culture, redefining the island’s image. The “Balearization,” symbolizing the destruction of local culture for tourism’s sake, is disproven by a generation seeking to reinvent their heritage to meet contemporary needs. They demonstrate that culture is alive, constantly evolving, and that it can grow stronger by integrating influences, addressing inequalities, and respecting local roots.

Through their creations, these Mallorcan artisans remind us that Mallorca is far more than just a vacation destination. It is a land of traditions, transmission, and reinvention; a land of daily lives beyond an endless summer; a land, too, of all four seasons.

By organizing to preserve heritage while reinventing it, they invite everyone to discover the island in a new light—a land where the past dialogues with the future, where craftsmanship becomes an act of resistance and a commitment to a sustainable, resilient Mallorca.

Written by Sophie Monseu Gonzalez.

November 2024

Antic Mallorca. Picture by Immo Klink. October 2024. Field work for fashion Act Now.

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