Ceará is located in the northeastern part of Brazil,
famous for its beautiful coastline, deserted beaches, and warm climate. It is one
of the largest Brazilian States by population and by area. It is also one of
the main tourist destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of
Fortaleza.
Long before the Portuguese landed on
their shores in the 15th century, Brazilians used hammocks not only for
sleeping, but also for the transportation of goods. Fruits, vegetables,
and even the occasional chicken can be bagged up in a hammock and carried where
necessary. Today hammocks and cotton
goods represent a significant portion of the area’s exports.
The people of northeastern Brazil
still prefer to sleep in hammocks, whereas throughout the rest of the country they serve a
primarily decorative function that also offers enviable relaxation. Because they are designed
for sleeping, special care is taken to produce the highest quality possible.
Typically the hammock's main body is woven on a loom, which may be a
traditional hand loom, or the more modern mechanical loom. Some may use pedal
looms known as mucamba. However
loomed, by hand or mechanically, the final product is a cross woven textile
product similar to canvas. The textile
can be of varying degrees of thickness, coarseness or finesse, but the softness
inherent in cotton gives a comfortable sleeping platform.
After the hammock bed is woven the
work is generally given to the women of the area to complete. Edges are sewn by hand. Beautiful crochet borders are created by hand
and added. And the support harness completes
the assignment. The women frequently work from home while caring for the children
and household. Many of the women teach
their hammock making techniques to their daughters and granddaughters, thus
ensuring the hammock-making tradition is kept alive. This tradition is not
always easy to keep alive because of competition with the artifacts of modern
life and living.
So long as a market for hammocks and
hammock exporting continues, there is strong financial incentive for the
younger generation to keep up the good work.
To see the best of this good work visit Brazilian Hammocks at Seaside Hammocks.
