Unique Nativities showcase nations' crafts

One of the many Nativity sets at Plowshare is this one from Vietnam made from rolled up pages of magazines. Photo By Andrea Budde

The holiday season is a time to celebrate religious and family traditions, but it is also a time to celebrate peace on earth. For over 20 years, one Waukesha based group has been promoting peace all year long through education and a unique gift shop filled with one-of-a-kind, handmade items from around the world.

Each holiday season, unique, handmade Nativities from around the world draw attention to Plowshare.

"People know Plowshare for our nativities," Heinz said. She added that many Nativity collectors make Plowshare a regular stop because "they can find different Nativity interpretations from around the world."

The scenes are unique in that the culture of the artisan is included in the piece through the materials, styles they use, and the choice of people and animals they include in the scene.

As always during the holiday season, a variety of nativities are on display at Plowshare including a set from Vietnam shaped from rolled up pages of magazines. A set from Africa is made from Zulu beads, and a hand-carved, olive-wood manger scene from the Holy Land are on display. A slew of nativities at Plowshare were made in Peru including a scene carved in while alabaster, an eco-Nativity with handmade ceramic people and animals adhered to a leaf, and a Nativity in a "tocto" (a clay pot traditionally used for roasting corn).

Plowshare begins

Plowshare was formed out of a group called The Waukesha Center for Peace and Justice (WCPC) founded in 1989 by Kate Jolin and Alice Foley to promote peace and justice. The group developed a resource center with books, magazines, videos and other materials to be the go-to place for information about how to develop peace through negotiation, social change and personal transformation.

That same year, WCPC hoped that by having a sale of products from economically developing countries, they could raise awareness about the needs of people around the world. The first sale was such a success that WCPC decided to open the first storefront, fair-trade store in Wisconsin. After residing in a few Waukesha locations, Plowshare Gifts found its current home at 219 W. Main St.

In 1996, WCPC changed its name to The Plowshare Center, and created its mission, "making peace relevant to the world around us."

Pushing for peace

Since their inception, Plowshare has been active in creating a grass roots peace effort through education. Numerous programs have been offered through the years relating to world events and challenges to peace such as troubles in Latin America and the Middle East. Plowshare continues to educate the public about alternatives to violence, promoting a better understanding of the possibilities for global economic justice, and to promote just and peaceful relationships through a variety of workshops, speakers, and lecture series.

An annual fashion show has been a popular fundraising event and educational tool for Plowshare. Vendors showcase their clothing, and talk about the process of making the clothes.

Plowshare Shop Manager Sara Heinz explained that Plowshare's idea of peace includes economic peace, and promoting sustainable products to bring peace to the earth. The gifts in the shop are made by mostly women artisans from around the world working in co-ops. Fair trade organizations work with the co-ops to bring these gifts into the U.S.

"Many of the co-ops are working to rectify social justice issues," Heinz said. "Our goal is to help these artists have money, health care and food for their families."

The co-ops provide a healthy work environment and promote better conditions within the community where they're located.

"We want to expose people to this alternative view that war isn't always the answer; that peace is a better option," Heinz said.

A world of wonders

Plowshare Gifts offers handmade, one of a kind gifts made by artisans from over 30 nations from around the world including Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, Kenya and India.

Continuing their mission of peace, Plowshare's merchandise supports fair trade, environmentally friendly, production, independent, artists and organic farming. Many items are made from natural products such as wood and gourds, and many are made using recycled materials like newspaper and soda can tops. Heinz said she tries to find product lines that are sustainable.

"It's always neat to find peace with the environment," she said.

Inside the shop, customers can find a variety of organic, fair trade food that supports small farmers around the world. Coffee, chocolate, dried soup mixes, jams and chutney are the main food items found at Plowshare. Filling the rest of the space are clothes from India, items made of stone from Kenya, jewelry from Nepal, baskets, wood, ceramic and glass items. Popular in the store are the handmade musical instruments such as drums, flutes, maracas, thundermakers and rain sticks, most of which are made in Indonesia. The drums, some of which are only novelty, are all made in traditional ways.

Plowshare is a registered nonprofit organization, and all proceeds go into staffing the store and toward providing the educational component.

For more information on Plowshare, visit www.plowsharecenter.org.

Plowshare supported events

"The Human Face of the Future: Imagining a Just Society" - Saturday, Feb. 4, in the Carroll University Student Center Ballroom. 8:30 a.m. registration; 9 a.m. to noon forum. Speakers: Justice Janine Geske, Betty Groenewold, and Dr. John Whitcomb

United Nations Association Film Festival - 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on March 21. The seventh annual traveling film fest features films focused on pressing social issues around the globe.

Spring Preview Fashion Show - April 19 (time TBA), Southminster Presbyterian Church, 200 Richard St., Waukesha. Join Plowshare for an evening of food, fashion, fair trade, and silent auction. Plowshare's regular vendors will share their stories and showcase spring fashion lines.