Venezuela Ancestral offers a design-centered exploration of the material culture of the Yekwana people, an Indigenous nation inhabiting the southeastern region of Venezuela, along the Orinoco River basin. The curated collection showcases everyday utilitarian objects, highlighting their embedded knowledge systems and symbolic language. Developed in collaboration with designer Rodolfo Agrella and the Yekwana community, the exhibition emphasizes the technological ingenuity behind these vernacular artifacts. Each piece reflects a deep understanding of form, function, and environment, embodying sustainable practices and ancestral techniques passed down through generations.

At the heart of Yekwana cosmology lies the Madaawaka, the tree of life, anchoring their relationship with nature and guiding the craft process. Through refined material selection, complex weaving systems, and meaningful symbolism, positioning these objects not only as cultural expressions but as design statements rooted in ecological intelligence and spiritual continuity.

This project invites designers to engage with Indigenous knowledge as a source of inspiration and innovation—offering a powerful narrative on how tradition can inform contemporary practice.