The Dying Arts at Ingenio Handicraft Fair

 

National Costumes of the Canaries

 

The deft needles of the national dress makers fashion the fabric into many colourful models. The choice of style is mostly regional with each different area on the Canary Islands have a distinctive style adapted from the original dress.

The ladies costume is heavily skirted and with long white petticoats, a crisp white cotton blouse that is often embroidered and a tight laced bodice. The traditional complementary triangle scarf is topped off with a small black bowler type hat adorned with a bright ribbon.

The men wear dashing three-quarter length trousers made out of heavy linen that resembles sacking material and long waistcoats of a matching material frequently decorated or embroidered.

The national dress is worn proudly at folklore dance festivals and at the local saint's day celebrations.

 

 
Cuadro de texto: Maintaining tradition is very important to the Canarian people, and during the year there are many different types of entertaining fairs and exhibitions that pay tribute to the islands old customs and help to keep them alive for future generations. Basket Weaving Basket weaving in the Canaries is a dying art; maintained by only a very few skilled artisans. The lack of easily available materials makes it a difficult trade to practice with the end product resulting quite highly priced. Cane basket ware has been made on the island since the first inhabitants arrived and the production process has changed very little. The making of cane ware is a family event usually done on an open patio or out in the fresh air on the doorstep. The cane is cut during the summer months and stripped into lengths ready for weaving. The base of the baskets are made from sturdy wooden rods, as is the tradition, the baskets were used by the local farmer top transport produce to the markets. More popular is the creation of saleable goods from the cuttings of palm fronds. A particularly useful and adaptable material that is woven into matting, small containers, bags and hats

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Basket Weaving                     Handmade Cigars      Pottery                                       Curiosities                               National Costumes

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