Maybe some of you already know that I love textile arts, and I love making them too. Yesterday I learned how Native Americans called the Hato Chami in Panama make Chacara bags that are used for carrying things like wood and sometimes for carrying babies. There are a lot of steps and it is hard work. Here are a few videos that show the process.
First they cut a big leaf from a wild pineapple plant.
Then she cuts off the edges which have little needles.
Next they bring the leaf back to their house and lay it on a log and with a special tool they scrape the fibers off of the leaf.
Then she cleans off the fibers using water and then hangs them to dry on the wood bars of the house, and they get bleached by the light of the full moon.
After the threads have spent enough time in the moonlight, they dye the them different colors using fruits and vegetables, and then they weave and sew the threads into different patterns.
When we went back to the shop that all the women in the village share, and my parents said I could buy one thing, and after looking at everything and trying on dresses and shirts I chose a bag. I love my Charcara bag.
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