Juan César Bonilla González carves the tagua seed while speaking to visitors about his work.
Photo by Walter Larrimore, Smithsonian Institution.
Juan César Bonilla González explains the tagua carving process.
Photo by Michelle Arbeit, Smithsonian Institution.
Juan César Bonilla González.
Photo courtesy of Embassy of Colombia in Washington, D.C.
Juan César Bonilla González carves the tagua seed in his store in Tinjacá, Boyacá, Colombia.
Photo by Cristina Díaz-Carrera, Smithsonian Institution
Juan César Bonilla González shows visitors the tagua seed in its husk, at his artesanía store in Tinjacá, Boyacá, Colombia.
Photo by Cristina Díaz-Carrera, Smithsonian Institution
Juan César Bonilla González hands the tagua seed to festival visitors for a closer look.
Photo by Michelle Arbeit, Smithsonian Institution
Juan César Bonilla has mastered various techniques to carve the tagua seed, also referred to as “vegetable ivory.” The tagua seed comes from a palm which is native to the lowlands, but the carving tradition has been practiced in the highlands for more than 100 years. Juan César’s family has been carving tagua for generations. In his workshop, he carves miniature objects from spinning tops to delicate jars, and his wife often decorates the finished pieces. In addition, Juan César leads workshops on strategies for preserving traditional crafts and for recycling discarded craft materials.
"I am the third generation of this craft. I transform my father’s work and explore the utility of tagua."
