Paraguay · Embossed leather and wood relief decoration
Repujado en Cuero y Madera
Mario Cecilio Duarte Lilito, Concepción's most experienced craftsman at 64, dazzled visitors at the city's Expo Norte fair with embossed (repujado) leather and wood pieces, each shaped to serve a specific practical, utilitarian purpose rather than purely decorative display. Working from his home workshop in Barrio Villa Armando, Duarte has used the trade to raise six children, most of whom went on to professional careers. Meeting his 2018 profile with characteristic humor — 'Soy el más viejo, pero no voy a morir todavía, soy sano' (I'm the oldest, but I'm not going to die yet, I'm healthy) — Duarte represents Concepción's own documented craft identity as 'capital del primer departamento' (capital of Paraguay's first department), where visitors find hand-carved wooden chairs and tables alongside ao po'i garments, encaje ju lace, and crochet work produced by the city's broader artisan community.
Risk level: Vulnerable · Not Applicable — no UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inscription exists for this craft at time of writing
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