Apolonia Dorregaray Veli

Modesta Apolonia Dorregaray Veli (12 January 1914 – 16 September 2002) was a traditional Peruvian artist, a skilled maker of mate burilado, the carved gourds of Junín.

At an early age, Dorregaray learned the traditional technique of mate burilado from her father, who in turn had learned it from his father, Manuel Dorregaray. His mates tropa served as dishes for the soldiers of Andrés Avelino Cáceres Dorregaray. Family tradition held that Cáceres was Manuel Dorregaray's uncle. This would then be carved with a burin, exposing the natural colour below to make the contrast that emphasised the images depicted.

Dorregaray's work included themes that were part of the popular customs of her region. Among these was the feast of Santiago, which is also known as the time for branding cattle, and the Virgin of Cocharcas.

Artistic legacy In 1944, she gave birth to her only son, Sixto Seguil Dorregaray, whom she trained in the family tradition of mate burilado carving. 1986: VII Exposición de Artesanía, MICTI at Los Descalzos, Rímac. 1986: Primera Feria de Turismo at la Feria del Hogar. 1987: Galería de Exposiciones del Instituto Nacional de Cultura (National Institute of Culture). 1988: Museo Nacional de Antropología y Arqueología (National Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology). 1989: Pro-Desarrollo organised by FREDEMO directed by Mario Vargas Llosa. In 2014, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture organised a retrospective exhibition of her work entitled Apolonia Dorregaray y el mate burilado tradicional del Perú, obra y legado a 100 años de su nacimiento" celebrating Dorregaray's work and legacy on the centenary of her birth.