The Cabildo of Lanzarote, through the Craftsmanship Area led by Councilor Aroa Revelo, has successfully completed the second esparto grass weaving course on the island of La Graciosa (Teguise). This training action, which has taken place between January and June, has had the participation of more than ten people - many of them young - residing on the eighth island; and represents a new boost to the recovery of traditional crafts of the Chinijo archipelago.
The participants have immersed themselves in the art of braiding palm, an ancestral technique that shapes iconic pieces such as baskets, household utensils and, above all, the emblematic Graciosera hat, a symbol of cultural identity and functional ally against the island sun. "This course, which we are also teaching in Haría, is a sign of the Cabildo's commitment to living crafts, our traditions and commercial revitalization," said Aroa Revelo.
The Craftsmanship Area has 36 students in the courses taught in the towns of Caleta de Sebo and Haría, a proposal executed with the collaboration of the local corporation in the case of Teguise.
Esparto grass weaving is much more than a braiding technique; it is the structural base of the palmito hat, a typical garment of La Graciosa and Lanzarote that has endured generation after generation.
Specifically, this Graciosero hat, which is still proudly worn in the streets of Caleta de Sebo and at local festivals, not only protects from the sun, but also contains unique cultural details: a ribbon that varies in side depending on the gender of the wearer, and a symbolic presence such as that of the child Jesus of the Virgen del Mar church, who every July 16 wears a handmade hat made by local hands.
The raw material is taken care of
The development of the esparto grass weaving courses in La Graciosa and Haría is added to another key action of the Craftsmanship Area recently sealed: the sowing of wheat in the Cabildo's Experimental Agricultural Farm, carried out for the first time to guarantee the supply of this raw material to artisans from Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
"Sowing wheat is sowing identity. It is not an isolated gesture, but a strategy to ensure that hats and other products continue to be made with local, sustainable materials that are consistent with our environment," said Revelo. Wheat is essential to provide structure to the hat, complementing the esparto grass weaving and reinforcing the quality of the final piece.
This action will be repeated in future campaigns and is added to the efforts that the Cabildo is making to diversify and ensure the supply of palmito, another essential resource for local crafts.
Rediscovering what is ours
The Cabildo encourages the population of Lanzarote and La Graciosa to rediscover and wear the traditional hat with pride. "Beyond folklore, the hat is a useful, sustainable and deeply ours garment. It protects the skin, connects us with our roots and represents a way of living in harmony with the landscape and climate of these islands," concluded the councilor.
The culmination of the esparto grass weaving course and the recent measures to support the production of raw materials mark a new milestone in the island's strategy for a living craft, with a future and deeply rooted in the history of the territory.