Weaving life - The Story of Ecuador's "Panama Hat" (1/3)

Weaving Life - Discovering the Story of Ecuador's "Panama Hat"

This is a 30min documentary about the perhaps most famous and powerful hat in history. We are following the story and the people who are making the word's most famous straw hat - the Panama hat.

In truth this hat has always been woven in Ecuador, a small Latin American country. The misnomer Panama hat has its origin from the times when the Panama canal was built and the hat was used by the workers to protect themselves from the sun.

In Europe and North America the hat is sold for up to 10.000 Dollars, while the weavers in Ecuador earn a tenth or less of the selling price. Normally 200 Dollars a month. They can hardly feed their families while the hat is a symbol of status and authority in the First World.

However, still today the hat plays an important part in Ecuador's history and culture. But the art of weaving the hat is dying out. The handicraft is bad paid and not interesting anymore for young people.

I am following the Panama hat's trail across Ecuador. We get to know the people who are making the hat, how they live and what role the hat plays in their lives.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Panama
• Hat
• Ecuador
• Weaver
• Weaving
• Straw
• Latin
• America
• Art
• superfino

[broadcast20081]

I've seen Cuenca city keep making "Paja Toquilla Hat" (Panama Hat). They have not forgotten the tradition.

[broadcast20081]

@javitod Pienso que eso se resuelve sencillo. Simplemente que en Ecuador no se le llame "Panama Hat" nunca mas. Que se lo exporte bajo otro nombre, un nombre mas justo y que haga referencia a su origen. En el extrangero pueden llamarle como les de la gana, el asunto es de que desde Ecuador salga con otro nombre. Unicamente los extrangeros cultos saben de su verdadero origen, la mayoria no.

[elvispaul7]

Tremendous documentary. Viva Montecristi !!!

Coastal Hats

[javitod]

Todos los ecuatorianos deberíamos hacer una cruzada para que se le devuelva su verdadero nombre: Montecristi hat o Ecuador hat.

Basta de confusiones...

[TheGreaseCat]

Eye Opening

[guebonazo]

super brilliant documentary .!! i love Ecuador ..

[hoodoo961]

I just purchased my first panama hat.

[vanettmj]

¡Gracias por compartir! ¡Viva Ecuador!

[maloking]

que viva mi Guayaquil!!! y todo el Ecua

[ltorunoplaza]

Sorry but it has a lot to do the fact that was in Panama where the hat got famous. Please, respect the nation and their people that are not trying to get credits for this.