L Deluxe “Masaya” bar hammock

L Deluxe “Masaya” bar hammock: All the luxury of a hammock

This hammock is one of our best sellers. In fact, every year we have to recommend more. This is great news for us, but some customers have to wait for our restocking. Since we make them twice a year, they may wait a bit. We hope that this year our inventory forecast will match demand. Fingers crossed.

A Hamac del Sol exclusive

Handcrafting the “Masaya” Deluxe L Bar Hammock involves a detailed and meticulous process that can take several days. We are the only ones to offer this type of design, so it is a hammock that you will only find at Hamac del Sol.

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100% handmade: A manufacturing process passed down from generation to generation

First of all, the artisans twist their cotton using a wooden wheel, to solidify the threads which will constitute the body of the hammock. The threads are then carefully wrapped around a loom, often made of wood, to create the base of the hammock. Men are often in charge of this weaving work, although it is true that more and more women are training in this activity.

Weaving fringes: An exclusively feminine job

From our experience, we have always observed that women are the ones who practice fringe weaving (or "los flecos", as they call them locally). Women artisans are experienced in this field. They weave both traditional fringes and luxurious fringes, using a technique traditionally passed down within the family rather than learned at school. This step is often considered the most important, as the fringes add an elegant and characteristic touch to the hammock.

Assembly work: Assemble the hammock bed to the fringes

After completing the weaving of the fringes, the craftsmen move on to finishing the hammock. This step involves attaching the fringes to the hammock bed, as well as incorporating the wooden bars and wooden ornaments. The wooden bars are securely attached to the hammock with strong knots to reinforce it. Finally, the hammock is carefully washed and dried to make it clean and soft to the touch.

The manufacturing time of a Nicaraguan bar hammock

The labor time required to make a hammock varies depending on its size and complexity. Typically, a standard hammock can take two to five days to make, but our 'Masaya' Deluxe L Bar Hammock can take up to a week or more. The exact time also depends on the number of craftsmen working on the project, their experience and skill level.

The peoples of Nicaragua before colonization

The oldest known traces of human occupation date back to 6,000 BC. It is possible to visit them in Managua huellas de Acahualinca. Shortly before the Spanish conquest, several Native American groups were distributed throughout the country. They are very numerous. The main ones are:

The Miskitos live along the Caribbean coast, on either side of the Rio Coco, which serves as the border between Nicaragua and Honduras.

The Sumus (or Mayangnas) also reside on the Caribbean coast, further south than the Miskitos.

The Ramas , for their part, live in this same region.

The Matagalpas are found in the center of the country. The Chorotegas live in the coastal strip between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. They speak the Nahuatl language, similar to that of the Aztecs. The Spanish often established their towns near indigenous towns, such as Masaya, Granada, Leon Viejo and Leon, Managua, Diriamba, etc. It is estimated that the Chorotega population reached approximately 2 million inhabitants on the Pacific plain when the conquistadors arrived. During the first decades of colonization, approximately 500,000 Chorotegas were deported as slaves to the mines of Peru. Religious sites and temples were destroyed by the colonizers, and all codices (books) were burned.

The Garifonas , who live near Bluefields, are descendants of former slaves who managed to escape. They speak the language of the Caribbean Indians, with influences from Spanish, English and various African languages.