Marcos Arcentales had been selling indigenous art items at trade shows alongside his wife and business partner Pati for 20 years. In 2014, they decided to take a leap of faith and opened a permanent store — Pacha Indigenous Art Collection — on Bloor Street in Toronto’s bustling Korea town. The store stocks a beautiful collection of indigenous and aboriginal wares, many of which were hand-made by artists and families that Marcos has met. In fact, a line of leather handbags, many of which are adorned with a colourful woven front, were made by Patricia’s cousin in their home country of Ecuador, where Marcos is also from.
“We purchase our products directly from the people who make them,” Marcos explains. “We work a lot with co-ops and families that actually make the items themselves.” Many of his customers appreciate the unique nature of the products at Pacha, as well as learning about the indigenous symbolism featured on much of the items. For example, Marcos points out a bag displayed near the entrance.
“That leather bag right there, you see the cross at the centre and the ripple effect outward from the cross. That represents the four directions, which is a very strong symbol behind a lot of the cosmologies indigenous people believe in.” The name of the store — Pacha — is also steeped in indigenous culture. “Pacha comes from an indigenous language from the Andes and it means ‘earth’,” Marcos explains.
