Saturday, 25 July, 2015
Fingers hardened by work and years of experience. Hands marked by the texture and cutting one by one the strands of the palm. An ear and a nose used to the sound and smell of the palm ready to be cutted.
They are PURE TRADITIONAL ART!
But what is the secret of its preparation? Do you want to know what makes them so special? A long process lies behind these wonderful and unique palm hats and baskets ... Each step is important!
First of all, the tenderest palm bunches must be hand-picked when they are taken from the palm tree leaf. After being separated by thickness and size, they should be left in the sun for about 15 days to get the traditional white color we used to see.
When it has dried, they must return to be separated according to the thickness and the final length of the strands, at which point advantage to start with the hand braided. Patiently they are becoming a strip known as "mat"! That will become a hat or basket. This point is vital. Depending on the pressure with which the braid is made, the result will be more or less dense.
Many times, when the strip is completed, should finish the sides with small scissors, because they can be outgoing and can be uncomfortable or hurt the person wearing the hat. Can you see how every detail is important?
Finally, once all strips have finished braiding, comes the step that will shape their artwork: sewing. Always starting from the center and ending on hat wings, patiently they will be joining the twisted so carefully. And suddenly you will realized they've finished the hat!
With a black tie with a ribbon of shells from the beach or just natural, these hats tissues one by one by these expert hands will not pass unnoticed by anyone. Real fashion never goes out of style! And so they, every Sunday, keep coming to our Agro-Craft Market. To bring its traditional art made with their palm hands!
