Identification of the Reed Fiber Used by Basket Makers in Chiloé, Patagonia, Chile
Esta investigación es parte del Proyecto Investigación de la cestería tradicional en Chiloé, Patagonia de Chile llevado a cabo durante los años 2020 y 2021.
Esta investigación que se trabajó con un equipo multidisciplinario se logró identificar las fibras de juncos utilizadas por las cesteras, logrando como resultado un completo manual sobre como identificarlas en el campo, cortarlas sin alterar el entorno y propagarla. Pudiendo así ser cosechadas en cualquier lugar en que se den las condiciones de agua.
The most commonly used native fibers in Chiloé basketry are: “ñocha,” “quiscal,” various types of “boqui,” “cortadera,” varieties of “junquillos” (“cunquillos,” “totoras,” and “ñapo”) and “ñapo” (a finer variety of “junquillo”), “quila,” and “quilineja.”
As for rushes, they grow in areas with abundant water, such as wetlands or near the coast. This fiber has been the most widely used throughout history for making baskets, roof supports, ropes, and flooring, achieving a diverse use that continues to this day.
Image: Patricio Contreras; https://www.flickr.com/photos/p_contreras/
The basket makers who collaborate on this project identify, collect, and weave with six species related to the rush or "junquillo" ("cunquillo" or "conquillo", "totora hembra", "totora macho", "pariente", and "totora"). Both live within meters of the sea and collect the fibers in their homes or nearby, where they are easily found and abundant. It is important to note that the common names for "junquillo" used correspond to the localities of Quellón and Queilén, so other nomenclatures referring to the same fiber may exist throughout the mainland and Patagonia.
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To determine the taxonomy of these fibers, the fibers were collected and herborized in the field. This revealed that the most commonly used plant group belongs to the botanical family Juncaceae Juss., and specifically the genus Juncus L.
To identify when these fibers should be harvested, both basket makers agree that the state of the flower is crucial. It must be ripe, but not dry. This occurs when the bud has opened, but before the flower is dry and about to fall, since after that date the fiber will not be optimal for basket weaving. In this identification for harvesting, they also note that the upper part of the stem should appear yellowish.
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If you want to know more about this fiber, you can watch the following documentaries or videos by clicking here .