Yataity
A Guaira village whose women embroider ao po'i, the fine openwork cotton cloth used for Paraguayan shirts.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Ao po'i means fine cloth in Guarani, and it is the embroidery tradition of Yataity: cotton worked with drawn-thread and openwork techniques and then embroidered in geometric and floral patterns, historically in white on white and now in colours as well, used above all for the men's shirt that is the national dress garment and worn at formal occasions across Paraguay. The work is done by women in the village, by hand, and a single shirt takes weeks. Workshops and cooperatives receive visitors, show the drawing of threads and the stitching, and sell finished pieces at prices far below what the same shirts cost in Asuncion. The village holds an ao po'i festival each year.
What you actually see
- Ao po'i embroidery - the drawn-thread and openwork stitching.
- The workshops - the women working in the village houses and cooperatives.
- Finished shirts - the pieces sold at source.
- The annual festival - the ao po'i celebration in the village.
When to go
April to October in the cooler months; weekdays are when the workshops are working. The ao po'i festival falls in the middle of the year and brings the village together.
Honest expectations
The work is domestic and visits mean approaching households or cooperatives, best arranged rather than unannounced. Prices for genuine hand work are not low. Machine-made imitations are sold elsewhere as ao po'i. The village is small.
Nearby
Villarrica lies south; Colonia Independencia is east.
What to pack for Yataity
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.