The fabric that weaves the history of the Alpujarras
In the Alpujarras, a renowned and colourful textile craft is preserved. This region has a Moorish past that lasted long after the Castilian conquest and here they make multi-coloured "jarapas", rugs and blankets whose design is the result of their origin, which is none other than the re-use of old clothing and rags.
Jarapas are thick, colourful fabrics that are used as blankets, rugs and bedspreads. Originally, they were manufactured in what we would today call a circular economy, recycling different types of used clothing. Today they are made with textile fibres such as wool and cotton.
This craftwork made this region famous and still maintains its vigour despite the preponderance of industrial products, most probably because it is a trade transmitted from one generation to the next. The manufacture of "jarapas" was combined with other daily chores, and that is why traditionally the time of year when textile production was most active was in winter, when the work in the fields was less demanding.
Throughout the Alpujarras there are still a number of looms that are several centuries old and you can not only visit them, you can learn how to use them. There are a number still remaining in Ugíjar, Sorvilán, Pampaneira, Válor and Mecina Bombarón, where they still create rugs, blankets and cushions in numerous shades by hand.
In Bubión there are also traditional looms handed down from the Moorish times. The so-called Hilacar artisan loom here was declared to be a Place of Tourist Interest by the Andalusian Regional Government. It is a craft jarapas textile workshop that works with looms that are more than 200 years old, a craft that has been maintained by Ana Martínez. And that is not all, to spread the art of weaving, the workshop will allow you to observe, design and even make your own rug. Knowledge is transmitted through first-hand training experiences.
The Alpujarras is a region with so much personality, and the "jarapa" is a wonderful thread that brilliantly unites it with its past, by giving warmth and colour to the present.
