CARLOTA

THE STRAW HAT OF CATACAOS.

 Hat making as an artisanal line arises in Peru with the arrival of the Spaniards. It is enriched with the manual dexterity of the aboriginal inhabitants and the diversity of fibers that the conquerors found in the new territories.

Catacaos straw hat weaving was made using reed as raw material and later toquilla straw from Ecuador was introduced.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, straw hat making in Catacaos had a progressive development crowned with the rise of its commercialization at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. The weavers specialized in the fine fabric of the hat to respond to the demand for best quality hats.

However, the fine weaving technique is about to disappear because the demand for this product is lower and market prices do not compensate for the meticulous work it requires.

The Catacaos hat is a cultural asset whose history and tradition deserve recognition, continuation and appreciation.