In Karün we have the mission to propose a different point of view, one in which we all work together for the same dream: that of building a society in harmony with ourselves and the planet.
As part of this objective, we left work aside for 10 days to live as a team a unique experience with our great friends Balloon Latam, with whom we joined to work with 19 rural entrepreneurs of Cochamó and Río Puelo in Patagonia, Chile.
The reason? Although Karün and Balloon Latam are different companies, we are united by the way of seeing the world in which we want to live; one that respects and cares for their environment, both human and natural. We are also united in the way of working, but we were missing a way in which to transcend these values, we decided to materialize it through collaborative work with this southern communities, with unknown people and willing to learn things they never imagined. A job that we hope will be extended for a very long time.
To bond with these local communities, we formed pairs and trios with the entrepreneurs and lived in their homes or workplaces in order to know more about their environment, family, and different realities. This is how we managed to lay the foundations for a long-term collaboration. "That we are all here and that somehow, we have paused our agendas and our lives, betting on this that we were not so clear about how it would be done, I think it speaks of the purpose that we have as companies, it is something that we genuinely feel and want, what is the message we want to convey to the world? I think it is changing the way we are doing things and we must do it from action and commitment" said Karün's CEO, Thomas Kimber.
For Konstanze Straub, a member of the Karün team and in charge of the project in Puerto Varas, this collaboration experience was very important and she still remembers the reflections and learnings of the trip.
Konstanze had the opportunity to work in pairs with Elisa Breull in the area of Río Puelo Chico. "I must confess that we felt very fortunate from the beginning since the daily trip consisted of a boat trip to the dock that welcomed us to the Gallardo territory". It was on the same dock where she met the entrepreneurs Patricio Gallardo and Rony Gallardo (father and son) on the first day, who was waiting to guide them to their home and start a new way of working, until now unknown to them.
Rony was born and raised as a "tropero" (drover: a man who moves cattle by horse) in this area. He has spent his life taking care of the land that once belonged to his father and grew up with the "troperos"; herding animals, playing tricks, and drinking mate, among many other customs. He also learned to fly an airplane and pilot for 30 years the airplane that his father bought as a result of the cattle sale. Today Rony is a man with a pending dream: to make his land a meeting place between the local culture, its traditions, and nature. That is why he invites us to visit the San Javier Estate, with all its wealth and beauty.
His son "Pato" is not far behind. In addition to accompanying his father in this dream, he manufactures handmade knives in the same place, which he learned to create, based on the "troperos" techniques of rope and manufacture. His motto is to reuse what is left in the fields to turn them into knives, for example looking for used rasps, wood scraps, animal hide, and the result is a handmade knife with high-quality finishes. Pato's idea is to have his workshop in Puelo - Fundo San Javier - to show his trade to the visitors.
"The result of this collaborative work as a whole was pure magic, it was to meet others, to go into strangers' homes and then say goodbye to new friends, learn about the new, unlearning of old beliefs, openness in many ways. This allowed Elisa and me to realize the wealth that exists in these lands, as well as love, care, and humility, "says Konstanze, who also remembers with affection Vicky, Rony's wife, and she knows that she will surely surprise the visitors of Fundo San Javier, with her kindness and exquisite preparations, especially with her kuchen.
"I could spend whole days describing that place, and what to say about Cochamó and its surroundings, but I leave the suspense so that you are encouraged to go and discover the territory, its nature, and unique people, that with little they make a feast, that doesn't hide the laughter and satisfaction of living, which will surely give them more than one surprise" concludes Konstanze.
There is still much more to tell about this amazing experience and each of the entrepreneurs and different experiences of each team member. We will continue to upload different blog posts telling more about these beautiful stories...
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