Capotera Handbag Tinjacá, Boyacá.

A Capotera handbag or Chigua in the muisca language Is traditionaly used in the regions of Boyacá, Cundinamarca and Santander as handbags used to carry meat, tubers, grains and other goods from the local markets and are usually made from fique.

Fique is a traditional natural fiber obtained from the Fique plant when it matures. The fiber is extracted by pulling motion on the plant with wooden tool named macana, leaving a dried-up yellowish fiber. These fibers are soaked in water for hours then dry again, giving a thread of Fique, during this process the fibers can be dyed to any color.

When the thread is ready to be used, its put on a wooden surfice named “Chipire”, so the material can be sown in a spinning motion creating the shape and color patterns in the handbag; the handle is done apart and then sown together with the body of the bag.