Mundillo is a craft of handmade
bobbin lace that is cultivated and honored on the island of
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
and
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
. The term 'mundillo' means 'little world', referring to the cylindrical pillow on which the lace maker ('Mundillista') weaves intricate designs. The decorative
lace
Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...
is created using wooden
bobbin
A bobbin or spool is a spindle or cylinder, with or without flanges, on which yarn, thread, wire, tape or film is wound. Bobbins are typically found in industrial textile machinery, as well as in sewing machines, fishing reels, tape measure ...
s about the diameter of a pencil, which are wound with thread that is twisted and crossed to form a
pattern
A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated l ...
. Depending on the pattern, as few as two dozen or as many as several hundred bobbins may be used.
In addition to its use as edging and borders on tablecloths and
handkerchief
A handkerchief (; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a ) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as wi ...
s, and for traditional shirt collars and trim, mundillo is also used to decorate items for special occasions, such as wedding dresses, baptismal gowns, and the cloths used to adorn religious icons. It is said that it was once common for lovers to exchange mundillo lace with romantic inscriptions.
Bobbin lace was brought to Puerto Rico from
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, where it had thrived in major commercial markets as well as a cottage industry in
Galicia,
Castilla, and
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
. In Spain, lace is called encaje, because it was worked on separately and then joined to material (the Spanish word for "join" is encajar).
In the 20th century, lacemaking became an important economic activity by women of the island. Prior to WWII, lace provided income for many families to supplement the wages of men who had traveled off-island for work.
A revival of the tradition in the 1960s and 1970s engaged a new generation of lacemakers.
In the 1990s, it was reported that 300 people were practitioners of mundillo on the island of Puerto Rico.
In Moca, commonly known as the Capital or cradle of Mundillo, there is an annual festival dedicated to the handmade lace as well as a museum, El Museo Del Mundillo.
Mundillo is celebrated and featured in festivals around the island. A workshop with kits to help train newcomers to mundillo was offered in Morovis in 2018.
In 2021, 95-year-old "mundillera" artisan Nellie Vera Sánchez was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship Award by the
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
in honor of her work on this traditional craft.
See also
*
Bobbin lace
*
Rosa Elena Egipciaco
Rosa Elena Egipciaco, often referred to as the 'Queen of Mundillo', is a master Mundillo lacemaker and teacher of the Puerto Rican folk art. In addition to being part of the long Mundillo tradition of her hometown of Moca, Puerto Rico, she belong ...
*
Puerto Rican Art
Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Puerto Ricans (Spanish: ''puertorriqueños'' or ''boricuas'') are the people of Puerto Rico, the inhabitants, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and their descendants. Puerto Rico is ...
References
External links
Museo Del MundilloLocalLearningNetwork: Meet Rosa Elena Egipciaco Encajes: a short documentary about the craft of bobbin-lace making in puerto rico
{{Lace types
Lace
Puerto Rican art
Moca, Puerto Rico
Bobbin lace