MATERIAL: Castanha Fiber, straw of Buriti or Tucum.
TECHNIQUE: Those inherited from the indigenous tradition are handcrafted, made by weaving the natural fibers.
USE: furniture (seat or bed) in houses and boats.
Hammocks
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HAMMOCKS
The hammock is an object widely used and extremely well-adapted to the Amazonian needs. This piece is both furniture and a simple textile; it is light to carry, allows easy installation and can be hung at a distance from the floor – all of which are fundamental requirements for a camp in the forest. Furthermore, it allows a swinging movement and forms a “shelter” without becoming too hot. Its popularity all around Brazil shows the great formal and functional convenience of this object.
The hammocks seen in the Amazon are generally industrial. However, the traditional indigenous legacy is handcrafted hammocks, made by weaving natural fibers such as the straw of Buriti or Tucum.
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In houses without doors, it is important to keep a distance from the floor so that animals and insects don’t reach people during their sleep.
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The use of hammocks in the long- distance travel boats of the region is remarkable. The main transportation means in the Amazon are the rivers, and the journeys between the major cities last an average of two days. Due to the weather, the boats are mostly open air – and do not have any seats: they are totally adapted to the use of hammocks. Each passenger must bring and attach his own hammock, which will be his bed during the long trip and offers some private spaces aboard. Far from being impersonal, this system presents a unique solution for the accommodation of passengers: at the same time the boats carry big masses of people they can still be highly customized.
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