García Rodríguez, Víctor

García Rodríguez, Víctor

Since the age of 18, he has pursued a career as an entrepreneur in the field of traditional crafts. He learned the trade of cunqueiro at 12-13 years old, a profession that had disappeared since the 1970s-80s, which he inherited from his uncle Victorino. Initially, it started as a hobby, but at 18, he decided to professionalize his craft, combining it with tourism. He chose to stay in his homeland, contributing to the preservation and promotion of this traditional trade.

artisans,asturiasmap

1992

iain

Spanish

Artisan

577

current,42.959326,-6.644387;

Scotland

García Rodríguez, Víctor

http://laguaridadelcunqueiru.com

TEXT

Since the age of 18, he has pursued a career as an entrepreneur in the field of traditional crafts. He learned the trade of cunqueiro at 12-13 years old, a profession that had disappeared since the 1970s-80s, which he inherited from his uncle Victorino. Initially, it started as a hobby, but at 18, he decided to professionalize his craft, combining it with tourism. He chose to stay in his homeland, contributing to the preservation and promotion of this traditional trade.

ESPTOR_PR_01

1193

laguaridadelcunqueiru@gmail.com

facebook,https://www.facebook.com/laguaridacunqueira;instagram,https://www.instagram.com/laguaridadelcunqueiru;

34 660 69 00 00

woodwork

The practitioner acquired their knowledge and skills through a combination of family heritage, hands-on experience, and cultural immersion. They began learning the craft at 12 or 13 years old from their uncle Victorino, who had revived the trade after it had nearly disappeared. This craft was once the economic backbone of entire families in the valley, where nearly 400 people lived, but over time, due to industrialization, emigration, and changes in market demand, it faded. Traditionally, adult men would leave in organized groups each winter, traveling across Spain selling wooden bowls and utensils, while women, children, and the elderly maintained the household and livestock. These transhumant craftsmen followed established routes, reaching places like Madrid, Galicia, Catalonia, and Andalusia, producing and selling their goods until early spring. This way of life lasted until the 1950s, when mining jobs and the rise of porcelain and ceramics made wooden bowls less necessary. By the 1980s, the last traditional cunqueiros had disappeared, with only a few artisans continuing the trade at home. Victorino, a former miner, relearned the craft entirely on his own, setting up a lathe and making wooden bowls as a hobby before realizing that tourism could offer a way to sustain the profession. He established a craft workshop and began offering guided visits. This is where the practitioner became immersed in the trade, first as a child drawn to the craft, then as a hobbyist, and eventually as a professional, producing pieces for sale before becoming self-employed. In the early 2000s, Victorino founded El Rincón del Cunqueiro, with the practitioner’s mother, Rosa, also getting involved. She worked as a nature guide in the Muniellos Natural Reserve but soon began leading visits to the workshop and crafting percussion instruments like tambourines and castanets. In 2020, after Victorino’s passing, the workshop relocated due to inheritance disputes, leading to the creation of La Guarida del Cunqueiro, a new space for continuing the craft. However, after Rosa’s passing in 2024, operations slowed down, though the intention remains to continue the work. Beyond making bowls, the practitioner also creates tambourines, castanets, small vessels, and occasionally furniture, keeping their skills constantly active through commissions or personal satisfaction. They value variety, seeing repetition as tedious, and strive to maintain an active and evolving practice. Additionally, they have an interest in blacksmithing, recognizing it as a central trade that supports many others. Without a blacksmith, many traditional woodworking tools cannot be made or maintained, making this skill essential. While they have learned some metalworking, they hope to develop this ability further. However, finding active blacksmiths is becoming increasingly difficult, with only a few remaining in the region, mainly those specializing in knife-making in Taramundi.

The practitioner used to offer experiential workshops where participants could try their hand at the craft and learn about the trade. These activities provided an opportunity for people to engage with traditional woodworking techniques, but most participants approached it as a hobby rather than a profession. However, due to personal reasons, they ceased these activities a year ago, though they now plan to gradually restart them.

Olaya Alonso López

Yes

ChatGPT. The interview was manually structured and transcribed into text in Spanish (informal language). Due to the immense amount of time required to process all the materials and to alleviate the workload, the AI was asked to take this information (one question at a time) and adapt the answers into more academic language in English. All answers have been checked to ensure they convey the intended information. The original transcription draft in Spanish is also attached for reference.

male

native

The practitioner must have a deep understanding of both natural cycles and traditional woodworking techniques. The process begins with observing the moon phase, as wood is always cut during the waning quarter. This practice, rooted in both tradition and science, ensures that sap levels are lower, making the wood denser, more resistant to pests, and more durable over time. Deciduous trees are primarily used, and they are cut in winter when they enter their vegetative dormancy. Once felled, the trees are left in the forest for two to three months to "bleed out" the sap before being trimmed and processed. Thick branches are either used for firewood or woven into structures for land restoration. When preparing the wood for turning, the tree is cut into sections, but never into horizontal slices, as the vertical fibers of the wood would cause it to crack outward from the center. Instead, the practitioner cuts the log into two semi-circular halves, flattens one side with an axe, and marks the maximum diameter of the intended piece. The next step is “escornar”, where the rough outer layers are removed to create a more defined shape before securing the piece to the lathe. The shaping process is then refined using gouges, and the interior is hollowed out before sanding. The wood must then dry for two to three months in sawdust or in a controlled environment where it is shielded from direct air and sunlight to prevent cracking. The basic turning and shaping process may take between 30 minutes to an hour, but the drying and final refinement extend the timeline significantly. The time required for each piece varies greatly. A standard 15 cm bowl may take around 45 minutes to an hour, while more complex pieces such as tachadeiras (chopping boards) require two to three hours, and cimbreiras (lidded containers) can take anywhere from eight to fifteen hours, as their lids must fit with airtight precision. However, beyond the manual crafting time, the entire process includes tree selection, felling, drying, and finishing, making the actual production timeline much longer. For example, making a tambourine (pandereta) requires extensive preparation. Shaping the wooden rim might take an hour, but the raw wooden strip must first be cut in five minutes, then soaked in water for a week to regain flexibility. Bending it into shape takes another 30 minutes, after which it must dry for four days before being glued and left to set for another two to three weeks. After that, the frame is drilled, fitted with metal jingles, and finalized—totaling around 3 or 4 hours of labor over a 15-day period. By comparison, wooden bowls are much faster to produce, though they still require careful drying and finishing.

The practitioner primarily works with locally sourced hardwoods such as birch, walnut, ash, maple, and chestnut—woods native to the surrounding forests.

The practitioner sources materials locally from the forest. Within the protected natural park of Muniellos (Asturias), there are specific regulations to follow, but residents are entitled to a quota of both living and dead wood per inhabitant. A forest ranger determines what can be cut based on sustainability needs. While the regulations impose certain restrictions, they also prevent large companies from overexploiting the forest. For traditional crafts, a special exemption was secured years ago, allowing artisans to access a larger quota, particularly of live wood. The wood must be cut during the waning moon, left in the forest for a period, and then retrieved. This process ensures the best quality material while maintaining ecological balance. The park authorities have generally been supportive, and in many cases, wood is also sourced from private landowners. A key principle in sourcing materials is respect for the environment. It’s not just about selecting any tree, but understanding which trees should be cut to promote forest health. The older generation practiced long-term thinking, cutting weaker trees to allow stronger ones to thrive, ensuring a sustainable future. While modern attitudes tend to be more exploitative, prioritizing short-term gain, regulations help safeguard the traditional wisdom of sustainable forestry management.

The practitioner manages leftovers by keeping larger pieces of wood, which are used for heating homes with firewood, given that many homes in Trabau do not have electric heating, but instead, retain their old wood stoves.

The practitioner employs a range of traditional woodworking techniques, beginning with "escornar"—removing the outer layers of a wooden log with an axe to prepare it for further shaping. This is followed by carving with gouges and working on the lathe, where precision tools refine the form of the piece. Beyond the technical process, the craft is deeply rooted in cultural heritage. Historically, cunqueiros traveled across the Iberian Peninsula selling their work for months at a time, carrying with them a unique language and professional jargon. The practitioner takes pride in preserving and continuing this legacy while also expanding the craft to produce items such as castanets, tambourines, and small wooden vessels. At the core of the practice is the tactile and creative connection to the material—transforming a raw, formless block of wood into a refined object guided by both manual skill and cognitive development. Traditional woodworking, despite often being passed down without formal education, demands a deep understanding of materials, cutting techniques, and craftsmanship.

The practitioner uses a variety of tools to shape the wooden pieces. These include specialized metal tools, often custom-made by a blacksmith, as they are essential for the craft but not easily obtained in a mass production system. The tools used include a chainsaw to cut down the tree and chop the wood, an axe, a pencil, a compass, a measuring tape, a lathe, and gouges. These are the primary tools used for the entire process.

The practitioner has a deep connection with the tools they use, many of which were inherited from Victorino, while others were purchased from a blacksmith or gifted by one when they began working. Some were made by Victorino and the blacksmith, but they don't cut as precisely as tools crafted by a professional blacksmith. The tools are very important to the practitioner, especially the ones passed down from Victorino, not just for their functionality, but also for the sentimental value attached to them. The practitioner takes great care in maintaining these tools, regularly sharpening them to ensure they cut properly and always storing them in a dry place to prevent rust. While some tools, like the chainsaw and sander, are used for finishing the pieces, the manual process is still dominant in shaping the wood. These tools are invaluable, especially as they become increasingly difficult to find. Despite the challenges, there has been no change in their use; to work effectively, they must continue using tools like gouges for the lathe and axes for shaping the wood, as mastering these techniques is key to the craft.

The practitioner’s work does not require electricity, except for basic lighting to see while working. Since they work during the day, natural light is usually sufficient. When needed, the electricity comes from a standard power supply. There is no heating system in the workshop.

During production, the practitioner generates various types of waste, primarily wood shavings, sawdust, and scraps from cutting and shaping the wood. These byproducts are managed in an environmentally responsible way, with most being composted. The composted material is then used as feed for cattle or as fertilizer for gardens and crops. A few years ago, the practitioner also took part in several tree-planting programs, where they composted sawdust and used it to plant trees in biodegradable trays, contributing to reforestation efforts in degraded or burned areas.

The practitioner’s workshop, known as La Guarida del Cunqueiro, was established in 2021, though they have been active since 2005 (El Rincón Cunqueiro, de Victorino).

The practitioner produces a variety of traditional wooden items, with a strong focus on functional and practical pieces. These include cachus (wine cups), tachadeiras (a type of bowl), cimbreiras (larger bowls), escudienda, and barbeiras (used for shaving), as well as the morteiro (used for grinding garlic). These items traditionally formed the tixela, a specific type of household ware, which the practitioners used to be called tixileiros. However, due to their proximity to Galicia, they were also referred to as cunqueiros because they made cuncas (bowls). Over time, the term "cunquero" became more widely accepted, even though it originally carried a sense of simplification, focusing mainly on the production of bowls. While the practitioner still makes these traditional items, such as cachus and tachadeiras, they also create other objects depending on what inspires them at the moment. The choice of wood and design is deeply connected to their feelings and the characteristics of the wood itself, with the practitioner often letting the material guide the shape and form of the piece. Additionally, they distinguish between artisanal craftsmanship and art, considering their work more linked to cultural heritage and practicality, even though they sometimes venture into artistic creations.

The practitioner primarily produces these items for sale, as a means to make a living. While they occasionally create pieces for personal satisfaction, they are careful not to become too attached to any one item. They approach their craft pragmatically, treating each piece as if it were for themselves, but always keeping in mind the need to set a price and ultimately sell the items.

The practitioner primarily sells their items at the workshop, where they also offer guided visits. They also exhibit at the Parador de Corias and a local bar. Although the practitioner does not have an online store, they showcase their products on social media, sharing the prices and availability. If an item sells, they inform potential buyers that it's no longer available. Most sales come from larger custom orders, which are necessary for the business but limit creative freedom. While commissions are important for generating income and attracting interest, they feel that being tied to making specific pieces can restrict their artistic expression, as they prefer to work freely based on what inspires them in the moment.

The practitioner offers several services, including the sale of wooden products, one-off classes for those who want to learn the craft, and tourist services such as guided tours of the workshop and the natural surroundings.

The practitioner does not primarily offer repair services, but they occasionally restore antique wooden pieces or create replicas of specific items. However, this type of work is challenging, as it requires specialized techniques and comes with a significant level of responsibility and commitment.

The practitioner’s customers are a broad audience, as their products range from small items like keychains and magnets to larger handcrafted wooden pieces. There is no specific target audience; rather, customers find the practitioner through visits, social media, fairs, and other events.

The practitioner does not prioritize formal certifications but values authenticity and personal connections with their work. While certifications can be useful, they believe they often lead to standardization and can sometimes be misused by people claiming authenticity when their products are not truly handmade or artisan. For the practitioner, the most important certification is their own personal seal of approval. They offer a unique handmade stamp on each piece, which includes a QR code linking to a website that explains the history and story behind the item.

Yes, the practitioner has been engaged in tourism-related activities for years, offering guided visits to the workshop, nature excursions, landscape interpretation, and even bear-watching experiences. These activities have evolved over time, with some being reinvented or replaced as needed. The majority of tourists are domestic, but international tourism has been increasing. However, the language barrier is a challenge in the region, as few locals speak English. Because the practitioner can offer tours in English, many international visitors—mainly from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany—end up booking experiences with them. These tourists often seek immersive guided experiences, spending several days in the area with a dedicated guide to ensure smooth communication and a deeper understanding of the environment.

"El oficio, per se, carecería de sentido a nivel productivo, lo que pasa que tienes que de alguna manera darle forma a nivel turístico para que todo aquel visitante o toda aquella persona que visite esta zona pueda disfrutar de un oficio tradicional, de sus raices y del conocimiento que conlleva todo el oficio; no solo de la técnica en sí de hacer cuencos de madera que cuencos de madera se hacían y se hacen en muchos lugares del mundo, sino de la cultura cunqueira impresa dentro de ese marco, vamos a decir, que es el oficio tradicional en si"

The practitioner is an active member of their local community, which they consider the most important group they belong to. They participate in co-creation spaces and projects whenever invited and when they feel their contribution can be valuable. They collaborate with anyone whose work benefits the region, including other practitioners and initiatives that support local heritage and traditional crafts. Additionally, they have previously collaborated with academia, having taught courses at the university extension for five years.

The practitioner faces multiple challenges, mainly related to the sustainability of his craft, life in a rural environment, and the socioeconomic context affecting traditional trades. One of the biggest problems is the tendency to romanticize artisanal trades without considering their economic viability. He believes it is essential for these trades to be profitable in order to endure over time; otherwise, they end up becoming mere museum pieces with no real impact on the lives of those who practice them. For this reason, he insists that it is not enough to recognize the cultural value of artisanal work; it is necessary to ensure that those who practice it can make a dignified living from it. Economic sustainability depends on diversifying activities, combining artisanal production with tourism, agriculture, and other sources of income that allow for a balance between profitability and respect for resources. Without this diversification, the trade becomes a difficult burden to sustain rather than a true way of life. In this regard, the training and workshops he offers are not just recreational activities for those seeking a fleeting experience, but real opportunities for people to learn how to make a living from these trades. It is not just about teaching a technique but showing how to make it profitable without losing the essence of artisanal work. Another fundamental challenge is finding a balance between preserving tradition and evolving so that the trade remains relevant in today’s world. He does not believe in standardizing working methods or in the idea that all artisans should follow the same model, as he considers that the true richness of these trades lies in the freedom of each person to develop them in their own way. For him, culture and knowledge must be in constant transformation and adaptation to new realities; otherwise, they end up disappearing. Depopulation and the lack of neighbors to collaborate with are constant challenges in rural areas. The absence of new generations interested in these trades makes it increasingly difficult to continue traditions and to find colleagues or partners to develop projects with. In addition, regulations and laws, instead of facilitating life in the countryside, often complicate it, limiting residents’ ability to carry out their activities in a sustainable and autonomous way. He also questions society’s perception of rural and artisanal work. He believes there is a contradiction in how many people view life in the countryside: on the one hand, they idealize these trades as something exotic and worth preserving, but on the other hand, they continue to see urban jobs as the only viable option. This mentality makes it harder for more people to truly commit to making a living from traditional trades, as they are often seen as mere tourist experiences rather than real means of livelihood. Finally, the lack of adequate public policies represents another major obstacle. Instead of supporting those working in rural areas, many regulations end up becoming bureaucratic barriers that restrict residents’ freedom to develop their own projects. For the practitioner, the key is to find real solutions that allow these trades to continue to exist—not just as part of cultural heritage, but as a viable and sustainable livelihood for those who choose to dedicate themselves to them.

Porque al final si no puedes vivir de eso, por mucho que quieras no lo vas a poder hacer. [...] Si tu quieres que los oficios de alguna manera, perduren en el tiempo, tienes que enseñar a la gente como hacerlos rentables y vivir de ello. Es la línea entre sostenibilidad-rentabilidad.

Gavela Sal, R. (2024). Valdeprusia. Tierra de los Tixileiros (Tapa blanda). Rodríguez, C. (1960). El habla de Sisterna. CSIC. Red Asturiana de Desarrollo Rural. (2004). Revista de la Red Asturiana de Desarrollo Rural, (Nº 6, Invierno de 2004). Museo Tixileiro. (n.d.). Tixileiro: Museo de los Cunqueiros. Recuperado de https://tixileiro.com/museo/ La Guarida del Cunqueiru. (n.d.). La Guarida del Cunqueiru. Recuperado de http://laguaridadelcunqueiru.com Méndez, I. (2015). Valdeprusia. A terra dus tixileirus [Documental]. Galán, A. (n.d.). Il Moulin [Documental].