Description
San José de Cusmapa is a mountainous town surrounded by pine forests. Here, a group of women came up with an idea to take advantage of the pine needles that abound in the surroundings. Nowadays, beautiful, uncommon handicrafts and attractive utensils are made by these women using these needles.
The process to create the objects is simple but it requires quite some manual skills. First, clusters of dry needles are collected in the area of San José de Cusmapa. Next the longest and thinnest needles are selected and tied together using a thread. And these then form the material used to created beautiful objects including (fruit) baskets, trays, boxes, vases, napkin rings, and other ornamental creations.
When visiting San José de Cusmapa it is possible to visit the houses where then women create their pine needle crafts and converse with them about this initiative that started a little over a decade ago.
Another option is to visit the "Pinos Fabretinos de Cusmapa” which is a larger shop where a pieces from a variety of women is being sold. The shop is managed by a local cooperative of the artisans, including 54 people from the village and other places nearby.
Ordering tailor-made crafts or large quantities is also possible through the cooperative.
Getting There
This shop/workshop is located 2½ blocks south of the town's hall.
Comments
elieth gonzalez wrote on May 27, 2011:
son unas mujeres muy talentosas talves no se acuerden de mi pero yo las conosco cuando estubieron en el hotel la pyramide que bueno que sigan adelante es un trabajo muy precioso el que hacen que mi diosito me las bendiga
elizabeth wrote on Nov 16, 2010:
Las montañas, las montañas de cusmapa son mas altas, son mas altas de Nicaragua, fresca y bella fresca y bella navegable paraiso paraiso terrenal hayy laraylaray que viva viva nuestra cuidad san jose de cusmapa te encantara,,,, que viva cusmapa,,,
elizabeth wrote on Nov 16, 2010:
que linda, linda es nicaragua| soy puro pinolero,,,, nicaraguense por gracia de Dios,,,, que lindo es mi pequeño pueblo cusmapa como me encanta y le extraño y a toda mi familia...... que viva, viva nuestra cuidad san jose de cusmapa te encantara, (bis)...
jane kenamore wrote on Apr 21, 2010:
I visited the shop while on a tour sponsored by the Fabretto Foundation. I have to admit, I wasn't all that excited about pine-needle baskets, until i saw them. They're gorgeous -- with brightly colored decoration. They also appear to be very durable. I bought four of them -- would have gotten more, had I had room to carry them home to Chicago.
If you're looking for good, organic coffee, Fabretto can steer you to the coffee cooperative and also Nora and Noel's coffee -- some of the best I've ever had!