One of the great paradoxes of world travel (especially that which is slow and makes intimate contact with the peoples of other lands) is that the traveler returns with a greater appreciation of what is valuable and troubled in her own native land. Talking with fabric artist and mother Keiko Haraguchi, one feels immediately the wisdom gained from her years among the tribal peoples of Africa, India and Central America.
Though her voice is whisper soft, the assured and resolute way she puts her words together speaks of convictions forged by long, deep meditation about the spiritual impact of industrial civilization.
She and her family are just back from Guatemala and Mexico, where she has been studying Mayan weaving. She wears a huipil (Guatemalan Indian-woven blouse) of intense reds, pinks and aquamarine blues, and a long, ruby-colored skirt from India with clusters of tiny mirrors embroidered into the fabric.