These hammocks are unique pieces, you will not find in any other store.
The Warao, an indigenous tribe from inland Venezuela, are known for their rich handicraft culture, amongst which the natural fibre chinchorros. The fibre comes from a palm tree called moriche (Mauritia flexuosa linn), in Spanish "árbol de la vida" which means “tree of life.” One of the special characteristics of the moriche is that the fibre is totally not itchy, and therefore very comfortable to be used for hammocks.
In Venezuela they distinguish two types of hammocks: the chinchorro and the hammock. The difference is the way of weaving, the chinchorro has an open weave like a fishing net, the hammock is a closed weave which gives the “full body” hammock.
To make a chinchorro is a time consuming and hard work process. The leaves are cut from the tree, are dried for several weeks and then crushed into very fine hairy fibre. It is boiled and dried in the sun. Then, with two hands or hand and leg, the fibre is twisted into very fine threads. When there are enough meters of thread (hundreds of meters), time has come to start weaving the chinchorro.
They are woven in vertical standing weaving frames in the typical fishing net weave which makes the body ventilate, which is more comfortable in a hot, humid (jungle) environment.
For a Warao their chinchorro is part of daily life. Hanging above the ground prevents that small animals and mosquitoes bother while resting. It can be wrapped up easily so it is taken when spending the night outside the pueblo. In earlier days people were buried in their chinchorro.
The chinchorros are 100% handwork, unique pieces with a long life if treated with respect. The natural fibre is relatively water resistant although it is recommended not to abandon the chinchorro outdoors to prevent deterioration and rotting
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