Curagua production and processing involves a range of technologies and traditional knowledge related to the cultivation of the plant and the extraction of its white fibers, which are characterized by their strength, and softness.
Curagua can be found in the Monagas State, in the municipality of Aguasay, in the region of Oriente. In the cultivation and processing of the curagua, a centuries-old indigenous tradition is maintained, pass down from generation to generation. The plant is cultivated in complex ways that include how to grow it, how to harvest the white fibers, how to characterize it, and how to use them in a variety of handicrafts.
The innovation and dynamism of this element are manifested in the combination of pre-Hispanic botanical knowledge and the use of curagua and moriche fibers (Mauritia flexuosa), in combination with the creative incorporation of foreign tools, and materials without losing their local distinctiveness. In the process of cultivation, four successive stages of technological knowledge materialize.
This includes cultivation: preparing the land, planting and caring for the plant for two to three years, Carving: the process of extracting the fiber from the curagua penca using the rope with the same fiber and a local tool (tortol), processing: series of threads used to prepare fibers and create yarn (washing, drying, scraping, heading, reaming, spinning); the process of producing traditional goods.
In addition to weaving the fibers into thread, these fibers are used to make a range of artisanal goods, including the hammock; a traditional symbol of the region. In the past, men gathered the curagua fiber and processed it due to its strength, while women woven and manufactured the artisanal products.
This practice is a crucial part of shaping the identities of the communities. As a mechanism of social cohesion, it transcends gender, ethnic, and sociocultural barriers in the form of diverse forms of cooperation within and among communities and family structures, where women play a key role in creative labor and family income.
Oral tradition, observation, and imitation among family members are the most common ways to pass on knowledge and technology from one generation to the next. Both the Government of Venezuela and the people of the Aguasay region are working together to create strategies for the preservation of the cultivation and process of the curagua, which is part of the Venezuelan affirmative.
Curagua production and processing involve a range of technologies and traditional knowledge related to the cultivation of the plant and the extraction of the white fibers, which are characterized by their strength, durability, and softness.
Curagua can be found in the Monagas State, in the municipality of Aguasay, in the region of Oriente.
In the cultivation and processing of the curagua, a centuries-old indigenous tradition is maintained, pass down from generation to generation. The plant is cultivated in complex ways that include how to grow it, how to harvest the white fibers, how to characterize it, and how to use them in a variety of handicrafts.
The innovation and dynamism of this element are manifested in the combination of pre-Hispanic botanical knowledge and the use of curagua and moriche fibers (Mauritia flexuosa), in combination with the creative incorporation of foreign tools, processes, and materials without losing their local distinctiveness. In the process of cultivation, four successive stages of technological knowledge materialize.
This includes cultivation: preparing the land, planting and caring for the plant for two to three years, Carving: the process of extracting the fiber from the curagua penca using the rope with the same fiber and a local tool (tortol), processing: series of threads used to prepare fibers and create yarn (washing, drying, scraping, heading, reaming, spinning); the process of producing traditional goods.
In addition to weaving the fibers into thread, these fibers are used to make a range of artisanal goods, including the hammock - a traditional symbol of the region. In the past, men gathered the curagua fiber and processed it due to its strength, while women woven and manufactured the artisanal products.
This practice is a crucial part of shaping the identities of the communities in the municipality of Aguasay. As a mechanism of social cohesion, it transcends gender, ethnic, and sociocultural barriers in the form of diverse forms of cooperation within and among communities and family structures, where women play a key role in creative labor and family income. Oral tradition, observation, and imitation among family members are the most common ways to pass on knowledge and technology from one generation to the next.
In the case of the cultivation and process of the curagua, this is a result of both the Government of Venezuela and the people of the Aguasay region working together to create strategies for the preservation of this tradition, which is part of the Venezuelan affirmative.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/traditional-knowledge-and-technologies-relating-to-the-growing-and-processing-of-the-curagua-01094) (https://haimaneltroudi.com/curagua-tradicion-con-fibra-venezolana/) (http://www.diversidadcultural.gob.ve/venezuela-plural/coleccion-audiovisual/La-Curagua) |Subject=Craftsmanship and Practices, Food |SDG=(04) Quality Education, (08) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (09) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production |Tags=venezuela, bolivarian republic of }}