An Ecuadorian hat , also known as a Panama hat , a Jipijapa hat , or a toquilla straw hat , is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. Traditionally, hats were made from the plaited leaves of the Carludovica palmata plant, known locally as the toquilla palm or Jipijapa palm , although it is a palm-like plant rather than a true palm.
35-469: Ecuadorian hats are light-colored, lightweight, and breathable, and often worn as accessories to summer-weight suits, such as those made of linen or silk. The tightness, the finesse of the weave, and the time spent in weaving a complete hat out of the toquilla straw characterize its quality. Beginning around the turn of the 20th century, these hats became popular as tropical and seaside accessories owing to their ease of wear and breathability. The art of weaving
70-406: A geometric tessellation , the herringbone pattern is topologically identical to the regular hexagonal tiling . This can be seen if the rectangular blocks are distorted slightly. In parquetry , more casually known as flooring, herringbone patterns can be accomplished in wood, brick, and tile. Subtle alternating colors may be used to create a distinctive floor pattern, or the materials used may be
105-605: A Panama hat with four thousand weaves per square inch that took eight months to handcraft from beginning to end. According to popular lore, a "superfino" Panama hat can hold water, and, when rolled up, pass through a wedding ring. Despite their name, Panama hats originated in Ecuador where they are made to this day. Historically, throughout Central and South America, people referred to Panama hats as "Jipijapa", "Toquilla", or "Montecristi" hats (the latter two phrases are still in use today). Their designation as Panama hats originated in
140-463: A cheaper price, the quality of the product cannot be compared with the Ecuadorian toquilla palm hats. Many people wear light-colored Ecuadorian hats with linen or silk summer clothes in the summer. A toquilla straw hat is exceptional because of its tight weave, delicate construction, and lengthy manufacturing process (Henderson 1). These hats were commonplace in tropical and coastal settings around
175-563: A palm tree that the Spaniands came to call paja toquilla or "toquilla straw". Beginning in the early to mid 1600s, hat weaving evolved as a cottage industry along the Ecuadorian coast as well as in small towns throughout the Andean mountain range. Hat weaving and wearing grew steadily in Ecuador through the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the first towns to start weaving the hats in the Andes
210-544: A repository of cultural diversity and of creative expression. The list was established in 2008 when the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage took effect. As of 2010 , the programme compiles three lists. The longer Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity comprises cultural "practices and expressions [that] help demonstrate
245-718: Is Principal, part of the Chordeleg Canton in the Azuay province. Straw hats woven in Ecuador, like many other 19th- and early 20th-century South American goods, were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing for their destinations in Asia, the rest of the Americas and Europe, subsequently acquiring a name that reflected their point of international sale—"Panama hats"—rather than their place of domestic origin. Usage of
280-459: Is based on the official List as published. Abbreviations were used for convenience: ^ E. The Transcaucasian States of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and Russian Federation are included in the Europe and North America Region. Herringbone pattern The herringbone pattern is an arrangement of rectangles used for floor tilings and road pavement, so named for a fancied resemblance to
315-463: Is lighter. Other types of weaves include the crochet , fancy , torcido , and new order. The quality of a Panama hat is defined by the tightness of the weave. The fine weave of the hat was ideal for protection against the tropical sun. Historically, to measure the tightness of the weave, a simple square tool that looks like a picture frame was used. The aperture of this frame was 25 mm, or about 1 inch. The regulator would set this frame one inch from
350-404: Is paid for eight months of work. The best quality hats are known as Montecristis , after the town of Montecristi, Ecuador , where they are produced. The rarest and most expensive Panama hats are hand-woven with up to 3000 weaves per square inch. In February 2014, Simon Espinal, an Ecuadorian 47-year-old Panama hat weaver considered to be among the best at his craft, set a world record by creating
385-565: The bones of a fish such as a herring . The blocks can be rectangles or parallelograms . The block edge length ratios are usually 2:1, and sometimes 3:1, but need not be even ratios. The herringbone pattern has a symmetry of wallpaper group pgg , as long as the blocks are not of different color (i.e., considering the borders alone). Herringbone patterns can be found in wallpaper , mosaics , seating , cloth and clothing ( herringbone cloth ), shoe tread , security printing , herringbone gears , jewellery , sculpture , and elsewhere. As
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#1732776864888420-442: The 19th century, when Ecuadorian hat makers emigrated to Panama, where they were able to achieve much greater trade volumes. Ecuador's low tourism and international trade levels during the 1850s prompted hat makers to take their crafts to the busy trade center of Panama. There, the hat makers were able to sell more hats than they ever could in Ecuador. The hats were sold to gold prospectors traveling through Panama to California during
455-638: The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, then examine each of the nominations before officially inscribing the candidates as elements on the List. ^ A. Names and spellings used for the elements were based on the official List as published. ^ B. A total of three Proclamations of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity were made in 2001, 2003, and 2005. The proclamation
490-921: The List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, which helps States Parties mobilize international cooperation and assistance to ensure the transmission of this heritage with the participation of the concerned communities. The Urgent Safeguarding List now numbers 35 elements. The Intergovernmental Committee also inscribed 25 elements on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which serves to raise awareness of intangible heritage and provide recognition to communities' traditions and know-how that reflect their cultural diversity. The list does not attribute or recognize any standard of excellence or exclusivity. All lists combined totalled 676 elements, corresponding to 140 countries as of April 2023 . Elements inscribed in
525-535: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as its first entries, to be known as elements . Subsequent elements will be added following the assessment of nominations submitted by national governments acceding to the UNESCO Convention, termed as member states, who are each allowed to submit a single candidature file, in addition to multi-national candidatures. A panel of experts in intangible heritage and an appointed body, known as
560-476: The awareness of their significance. This list is published by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the members of which are elected by State Parties meeting in a General Assembly. Through a compendium of the different oral and intangible treasures of humankind worldwide, the programme aims to draw attention to the importance of safeguarding intangible heritage, which UNESCO has identified as an essential component and as
595-408: The creation of a Panama hat are weaving and blocking . The two most common types of weaves are the cuenca and brisa . The cuenca weave has the appearance of a herringbone pattern and utilizes slightly more straw than the brisa weave. The brisa weave has the appearance of small diamonds/squares. This type of weave is less intricate but perceived as finer than the cuenca weave by some as it
630-456: The diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance." The shorter List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is composed of those cultural elements that concerned communities and countries consider to require urgent measures to keep them alive. The third list is the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices . In 2013, four elements were inscribed on
665-404: The edge of the hat's brim edge, and then count the peaks of the cross weaves, called carerra, moving in a parallel direction. The tighter the weave, the more carerras were counted. That number would be multiplied by two and reconciled against a grading chart. A highly refined grade 20 would consist of 16 carerras . The price of these hats depends on the time and quality that a weaver put in to
700-547: The first to be recognised, but on 4 December 2013, Portugal, Cyprus and Croatia were also recognised by UNESCO.) The List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding contains intangible cultural heritage elements "that concerned communities and States Parties consider require urgent measures to keep them alive". The Register for Good Safeguarding Practices allows States Parties, communities and other stakeholders to "share successful safeguarding experiences and examples of how they surmounted challenges faced in
735-506: The hat. A master weaver could take as long as eight months to weave a single hat. Weavers could sell a single hat to buyers for US$ 200. Once the hat is sold to a buyer it then would pass through more people who would "finish the brim, shape it, remove imperfections, bleach the straw, and add interior and exterior brands." After this one hat has been through at least six people it can then be sold outside of Ecuador for $ 450 to $ 10,000. The best hats can sell for up to fifty times more than one weaver
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#1732776864888770-597: The hats' popularity. Although the Panama hat continues to provide a livelihood for thousands of Ecuadorians, fewer than a dozen weavers capable of making the finest "Montecristi superfinos" remain. Ecuadorian companies like K. Dorfzaun and Andes Munay have specialized in exporting genuine Panama hats and supplying designer and retail brands with high quality accessories made by hand. These companies help communities sustain their traditions and intangible cultural heritage. Even though Chinese companies have been producing Panama hats at
805-524: The historic Californian Gold Rush . Travelers would tell people admiring their hats that they bought them in Panama. So, the hats quickly became known as "Panama hats". Soon after at the 1855 World's Fair in Paris, Panama hats were featured for the first time on a global scale. However, the Fair's catalog did not mention Ecuador as its country of origin. It listed this type of hat as a "cloth hat" even though it
840-421: The lists are deemed significant manifestations of humanity's intangible heritage, the highest honour for intangible heritage on a global level. The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity contains intangible cultural heritage elements that "help demonstrate the diversity of cultural heritage and raise awareness about its importance". (In 2010, Italy, Spain, Greece and Morocco were
875-543: The local actors who sustain these forms of cultural expressions through a Proclamation. Identification of the Masterpieces also entails the commitment of states to promote and safeguard these treasures, while UNESCO finances plans for their conservation. Started in 2001 and held biennially until 2005, a total of three Proclamations occurred, encompassing 90 forms of intangible heritage around the world. The 90 previously proclaimed Masterpieces have been incorporated into
910-611: The mid-19th century, as prospectors who took a sea-route to California had to travel overland at the Isthmus of Panama and needed a hat for the sun, and export of woven straw hats from Ecuador/Panama to the United States also increased to 220,000 per year by 1850. In 1906, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt visited the construction site of the Panama Canal and was photographed wearing a Panama hat, which further increased
945-451: The press to his advantage. Photos of his visit showed a strong, rugged leader dressed crisply in light-colored suits sporting Ecuadorian-made straw Panama hats. The Panama Hat Trail, by Tom Miller, Univ. of Arizona Press UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and
980-431: The same, causing the floor to look uniform from a distance. Laying a herringbone floor is very challenging, since the multitude of small rows must be made to line up smoothly, which can be difficult in a room which is not perfectly flat. Small mistakes in a herringbone floor can be rather glaring because of the way the pattern lines up, so care must be taken. Masonry also utilizes herringbone, often as an accent pattern on
1015-570: The term Panama hat can be found in publications by 1828. In 1835, Manuel Alfaro arrived in Montecristi to make his name and fortune in Panama hats. He set up a Panama hat business with his main objective being exportation. Cargo ships from Guayaquil and Manta were filled with his merchandise and headed to the Gulf of Panama. His business prospered with the onset of the California gold rush in
1050-669: The traditional Ecuadorian toquilla hat was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists on 5 December 2012. Although commonly called "Panama hat" in English, the hat has its origin in Ecuador . When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Ecuador in 1526, the inhabitants of its coastal areas were observed to wear a brimless hat that resembled a toque , which was woven from the fibres from
1085-590: The transmission of their living heritage, its practice and knowledge to the future generation." The Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage were established in 2008, when the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage took effect. Prior to this, a project known as the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity has already been active in recognizing the value of intangibles such as tradition, custom, and cultural spaces and
Panama hat - Misplaced Pages Continue
1120-558: The turn of the century because of their lightweight design and ability to keep the wearer cool. In the Chordeleg Canton of Azuay, the Principal was one of the first Andean settlements to produce hats. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Ecuador's straw hats found their way to Asia, the Americas, and Europe through the Panama Canal (Henderson 5). Despite popular belief, Panama hats are not originally from Panama. The tamsui hat
1155-536: Was a straw hat made in Formosa (now Taiwan) to directly compete with the Panama in the early 20th century. Tamsui hats were made from Pandanus odoratissimus fibre, which grew plentifully on the island. As they retained their whiteness, were washable, and could be folded and carried about without damage, Tamsui hats replaced the rather costlier Panama in East Asia in the early 20th century. The two main processes in
1190-418: Was clearly not made out of cloth. The name "Panama hat" was further reinforced by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt 's trip to oversee the construction of the Panama Canal . Roosevelt used his natural ability to drum up publicity by posing for a series of photos at the Panama Canal construction site in 1906. Photographic technology was relatively new at the time, and President Roosevelt was not shy about using
1225-477: Was superseded in 2008 when the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was established. ^ C. The 90 elements that were previously proclaimed as Masterpieces have been inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as per the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. ^ D. Grouping of member states by region
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