Usiacuri

Usiacuri works iraca, a palm whose fibre is stripped, dried, dyed and plaited into bags, baskets, hats, jewellery and containers - it is done in houses rather than factories, with women doing most of the weaving and the work spread across effectively the whole village, so walking the streets means passing people working in doorways. The fibre comes in from elsewhere and is prepared here. The village also has mineral springs that gave it a reputation for healthy air, which is why Julio Flórez, one of the best-known Colombian poets of his generation, moved here in 1909 with tuberculosis and lived out his last years; his house is a museum. The church on the hill and the village's dry surroundings complete a short visit.

Highlights

• Iraca palm woven in doorways - across effectively the whole village.
• Bags, hats and baskets - dyed and plaited by hand.
• Julio Florez's house - where the poet spent his last years.
• Mineral springs - the source of the village's old reputation.

When to go

December to April. Half a day.

Good to know

It is small and the visit is short. Buying directly from weavers pays them better than from shops. Heat and dust are heavy. There is little else in the village beyond the craft and the museum.

Nearby

Barranquilla is north-east; Puerto Colombia is north.