The Secrets of the Foye

This picture book shows the importance of the Foye tree, also known as the Canelo, in the beliefs of the Mapuche people. Rayén, an indigenous girl, presents in a simple and genuine way the singularities of the tree such as its superpowers, the colors that make it up, its medicinal, dyeing and nutritional properties and the sacred role it plays as a connection between the earth and the sky. In their story they say that one day the enemy came to destroy the Foye, generating imbalance and instability in the environment. The community looks to the oldest tree for answers and the solution is to give back to the earth what has been taken from it. Rayén and her whole family set out to restore the balance.
The narration is accompanied by images of the characters and settings made of sheep’s wool dyed with the leaves of the canelo tree, indigo plant, onion and walnut shells, among others. Through the special use of a needle to assemble volumes and kneading the material to create fabrics, the felting technique is developed to create the narrative world.

Key points

• In a world where climate change, the depletion of renewable resources and the constant deterioration of the planet are everyday news, it offers a perspective and an ecological proposal within the reach of children.
• Through the simplicity of its story, it proposes a solution that aims to return to our origins, respecting and caring for nature and raising awareness of the importance of listening to what it has to say to us.
• A hopeful book for future generations who have the mission of safeguarding our home.