This week on the podcast, Stauney introduces us to Mary Jewett Pritchard. Pritchard was a Samoan textile designer and cultural advocate and was instrumental in the preservation and promotion of the traditional Samoan art of Siapo, which involves creating decorative textiles using bark cloth. She learned the techniques of Siapo from the women of her community and went on to create an exporting business, employing many women and providing a reason for the art form to be brought back to the forefront of the cultural heritage. Pritchard also traveled extensively to showcase Siapo and other Samoan handicrafts, and her work helped to bring international attention to Samoan art and culture. We discuss her childhood, the art form, and how important cultural crafts are to our society and heritage.

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