Juan José Flores Rodríguez, a canoe builder, works diligently to carve a church.
Photo by Rebecca Weil, Smithsonian Institution
Juan José Florez finishes a canoe at the Festival.
Photo courtesy of Embassy of Colombia in Washington, D.C.
Juan José Florez began working with wood at an early age by making toys for himself and his friends. Now he is a full-time carpenter making furniture and canoes. During the winter when production is at its highest, he works at a rate of one or two canoes per day.
"Carving is a practical skill because, the truth is, one is born with it without needing a teacher. It’s a natural thing."
