Hammock Weaving
The design of the Yucatec hammock has been refined and perfected over thousands of years, with the craft passed down through generations. Many people here still sleep in hammocks because they are so much cooler than sleeping in a bed. Hammocks are easy to put up and take down during the day to free up space and it's a common sight to see hamaqueros (hammock hooks) in every room. Originally the hammocks were made with tree bark or sisal (a natural fiber from a native agave plant), but nowadays hammocks in the Yucatan Peninsula are usually made from special nylon string which is comfortable, cool, and durable. Woven on a standing loom, the loom consists of two removable horizontal beams (so you can slide off the finished hammock) approximately 2 meters wide, attached to a vertical post at each end around 1.8 meters tall. Because these hammocks are all-purpose and often used for sleeping, the weave is a fairly tight lattice, usually created by using a "triple weave" method (under two, over and around one).A netting needle known as a lanzadera or shuttle is used to load the string and work it through structural strings to create the woven lattice. These needles are traditionally used for making fishing nets and unlike a traditional loom shuttle, one end is pointed, in order to push through the tightly woven holes when on the loop. When completed and hung, this lattice can open up and flex to fit your body, without stretching or damaging the integrity of the woven material. A traditional Maya hammock is fully made from string - meaning there is no wooden stick to keep the width - but they are arguably the most comfortable hammocks out there. Each hammock is unique and entirely handmade and can be made in a variety of beautiful color combinations. Hammock-making is still an important skill used today in and around Carrillo and you can sometimes see hammock looms outside people's houses as they work on their new hammock. It really is an integral part of Maya culture.
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