Meet our team
Ana Maria Parada- Sydney/Eora Nation, Australia- Founding Director
Ana Maria is a descendant of the Muisca people of Colombia, with 7 traceable generations from the sacred land of Boyacá. She is a committed artivist with a profound passion in Indigenous Affairs. Ana holds an Honours degree in Political, Economic and Social sciences at Sydney University. A Community services Diploma and 7 years of experience working in the not-for-profit and Community sector in Australia. She is currently studying Naturopathy degree with an interest and lived experience in treating mental health symptoms through natural medicines.
She is the founder of Mami Watta Collections, where she trades with groups of artisans from across the globe, establishing long-lasting connections with families to support their craft-making and provide them with tools to help them to continue to protect their precious cultures.
Through Mami Watta Collections she supports the sustainable development of the artisans and showcases the technical and ancestral artisanship of the crafts. Ana co-designs the works, and works on a collection at a time, to join tribes based on common visions.
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Luz Mila Wazorna- Mistrato,Rirasalda Colombia Beading Specialist/Head Beader
Luz Mila is a proud family woman from the Embera Chami tribe, she has been practicing the art of beading from her 6 years of age. She recalls having her mother and aunties beading around her from her earliest memories, and when she was given the chance she already knew how to bead, from many generations ago. Having experienced forced migration away from her traditional land in Risaralda, Colombia, she is the backbone of her family, who all dedicate to beading and creating mesmerising wearable artworks.
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Deborah Prospero is a youth advocate, English teacher, and emerging writer. An intersectional feminist with a Uruguayan-Chinese background, she is rediscovering her Latine heritage through the Mami Watta beading and artisanal practices.
Passionate about Indigenous affairs, gender equality, as well as racial and ethnic equity, Deborah supports the elevation of Indigenous knowledges and practices, particularly around environmental sustainability and land rights.
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Alfonso has 27 years of experience in financial management of multinational companies in the pharmaceutical sector plus 10 years of previous experience in information technology.
Him and his family come from the interior of Colombia (Boyacá). For Alfonso, working at Mami Watta Collections holds great meaning because it is a way of promoting the Indigenous Colombian culture, of knowing, working with, and supporting the Colombian indigenous communities that were separated from their roots by the Spanish invasion. Valuing their creativity and work in handicrafts.
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Our Models for The Rainbow Collection 2022
Jennetta is a proud Malyangapa Barkindji woman who grew up in Muswellbrook in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. Her family are from Wilcannia and Western NSW. Jennetta works in news and media. Most recently for NITVSBS News. Jennetta started her career at ABC News in Mparntwe/ Alice Springs plus short stints with Junkee Media & 10News First after she was the Inaugural winner of the Walkleys Young Indigenous Scholarship. Find Jennetta on Instagram, Twitter & FB @JennettaQB
Ava is a Creative and Operations Lead who is passionate about creating diverse art, ideas and content that change the world for the better. Born in Sri Lanka and having lived in Dubai, Bahrain, Tasmania, Melbourne and Tokyo, she identifies as a true TCK, and celebrates multiculturalism through her magazine, TCK TOWN. She's also passionate about supporting WOC, and does this through co-hosting Ladies, Wine & Design Sydney. She's absolutely thrilled to have worked with the powerful and inspiring Mami Watta brand and its community.