Yucatan Revives Jipijapa Weaving Tradition with New Support for Artisans

Halachó, Yucatan — State and federal officials have launched an initiative to revive the traditional jipijapa palm weaving craft in Yucatan, aiming to boost economic opportunities for local artisans while preserving cultural heritage.

The director general of the Yucatecan Institute of Entrepreneurs (IYEM), Salvador Antonio Vitelli Macías, and the director general of the National Fund for the Promotion of Handicrafts (Fonart), Sonya Santos Garza, visited the Jit Pook Strategic Project in Cuch Holoch, Halachó municipality, to inaugurate a new sales space and strengthen its productive growth.

Vitelli Macías emphasized the importance of interagency collaboration in supporting the artisanal sector and rescuing traditional techniques like jipijapa weaving. “I thank everyone who participated in this event for helping highlight the pride represented by the work of Yucatecan artisans,” he said. “Each person, through their activities, promotes the growth, development, recognition, and in many cases, the rescue of artisanal techniques.”

Master artisan Ponciano Jaramillo Tzuc, who leads the project, expressed gratitude for the support that allowed improvements and expansions to the facilities. He hopes to attract more customers and showcase his ancestral work.

Patricia Martín Briceño, secretary of Culture and the Arts, stressed the need to pass these techniques to new generations. “If you are beneficiaries today, it is because the quality of your work is recognized, and I must remind you that you are bearers of ancestral knowledge; that must continue,” she said.

Santos Garza highlighted the value of artisans in Mexico’s identity. “I hope you continue with this beautiful tradition and do not let it die; it is your responsibility to keep teaching and leaving a legacy so that this beautiful technique of working with jipijapa palm and making hats that give Mexico worldwide fame continues,” she said.

Local deputy Naomi Peniche López noted that the state congress presents initiatives to protect artisans’ work, and seeing such proposals become reality shows “that we can touch lives and ensure children have a better quality of life and well-being; our work makes sense.”

The Jit Pook project, based in Cuch Holoch, focuses on creating items from semi-soft plant fibers like huano palm and jipijapa, a traditional technique that is part of Yucatan’s cultural heritage. Products include hats, fans, and baskets, blending tradition, ancestral knowledge, and cultural value.