Photo by Earle Martin |
By Alli Sinclair
My
first trip to Ecuador entailed traversing some lesser-known trails,
thanks to three Ecuadorians I’d met who were on their annual holiday.
They adopted me as their pet gringa,
and I happily played the role, lapping up the attention my personal
tour guides bestowed on me. (They probably felt sorry for me traveling
alone but I actually enjoy my own company at times!) Between the four of
us, we had a lot of laughs and created some unforgettable memories.
During our travels we ventured into the many mercados
that Ecuador offers, and the ones that impressed me most were the
markets just outside of Cuenca, in the southern part of Ecuador. On
Sundays, Gualaceo has an amazing fruit and veggie market; Chordaleg is
renowned for a wonderful array of local crafts including jumpers
(pullovers), scarves, and Sigsig not only has a strange, modern metallic
piece of art in the town’s centuries old plaza, but it is the perfect
place to learn about the history of the Panama hat.
Yes, the Panama hat. We’re not in Panama, Dorothy, we’re talking Ecuador.
Legend
has it that President Theodore Roosevelt brought the hats to popularity
in North America when photos were taken of him wearing one while
visiting Panama. But that’s not the only story. As the hats were shipped
through the Isthmus canal in Panama before they hit the shores around
the world, someone mistakenly thought the hats came from the country
famous for its canal. Who knew one person’s misunderstanding would lead
to the rest of the world following suit?
Ecuadorians call their hats sombreros de paja toquilla (hats
of toquilla straw), but they’re used to tourists referring to them as a
Panama hat. Available in a range of colours for both men and women, the
Panama offers perfect for protection from the sun and makes a pretty
awesome souvenir that will lead to some interesting conversations upon
return to your home country.
The
fedora is the most common style of Panama hats in North America, but in
the U.K., the Optimo is the most popular. Another style, known as the
Teardrop, or C-crown, is shaped like a tear when viewed from above and
it’s worn with the point of the tear position at the front of the head.
This particular hat is very popular with the indigenous women in the
region of Cuenca.
Other
styles include the Breton, Plantation (Gambler), Snap brim, Pork Pie
(think Buster Keaton), Stingy brim, Boater and the Trilby.
As
with most crafts, the price boils down to the quality of product.
Although there doesn’t appear to be an official grading system, vendors
will happily inform you of theirs and after a few hours wandering in and
out of shops and stalls, you’ll get a feel as to what is good quality
and what isn’t. Most people look for the fineness of the weaving, which
can definitely help when choosing a hat of high quality, but the
consistency of the weave and minimal gaps, bumps, and holes are what
make the difference between a good hat and a fine hat.
Another
way people judge the quality of a Panama hat is the whether you can
roll it up and pass it through a wedding ring—I kid you not. The first
time I saw this done my eyes bulged and mouth fell open. I couldn’t
believe what I’d just seen. It can be done but only if the hat is of
very, very good quality. Expect these hats to cost you USD150 or more.
Some craftsmen might sell you a USD20 or USD60 hat and tell you it’s
possible to roll up your hat, stick it in a box and unroll it again and
it won’t lose it’s shape. I’ve seen enough examples where this didn’t
ring true. Consider yourself informed…
While
the hats in Sigsig are absolutely beautiful, it’s the ones from
Montecristi, near the coast of Ecuador, that have the Panama hat
enthusiasts raving. Renowned for their flawless craftsmanship and supple
weave while remaining strong and in-shape, the Montecristi hats have
been around since the 1600s.
Even
though the Panama hat is still popular, the art form is dying. In towns
like Sigsig and Montecristi, where the master weavers rely on their
handiwork to support themselves and their families, the younger
generations are pursuing careers in other fields. In its heyday,
Montecristi had nearly 2,000 artisans weaving hats, but today there are
less than 50, and some Panama hat experts will say it’s less than 20.
Regardless of the exact figure, the skill required to weave a beautiful,
high-quality Panama hat is in danger of being lost to the world. I
don’t know if there’s such an organisation such as Endangered Crafts of
the World, but it would be amazing if such a group exists. Hmmm…. I’ve
just had an idea. Anyone want to join me?
And
for those who are interested in learning a little more about the people
behind the hats, here's a mini-documentary that gives some food for
thought.
What a fascinating tale. Thanks for sharing it.
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