Sombrero Vueltiao (Turned Hat)

The Sombrero Vueltiao (Turned Hat) is an emblematic symbol of Colombia, made with natural fibers from a species of palm tree named Caña Flecha, which grows around the mangroves of the Atlantic region of the country. Its technique originates within the Zenu people, whose craftmanship has around 1000 years of tradition; the hat design itself come from Spanish influences, so Sombreros Vueltiaos had been made for around 300 years.

Made with a braiding technique which starts from the center of the hat, where the fibers are into 45° degrees angle, this is done eight times until the top of the hat it obtained at 360° degrees angle, from there the brim of the hat is made with a black fiber named ribete to finish the hat.

Sombreros Vueltiaos are rated around their fibers, colors, braids and symmetry; the best hats are the one with at least 21 “Vueltas” (number of times it was braided around the top), which allows for a more flexible and resistant hat that will go back to its original shaped after been used.

The braiding represents Zenu Cosmology, which is strongly tied to nature, alluding to animals, plants, the story of the hunt, of fishing and other activities in which men interacts with nature.

The patterns in the braiding representw different native flowers of the regions; Triangles been the Passionfruit flower, Diamonds been the Lemon Flower and the circle been the Totumo Flower among many others-