Caña de Flecha

The Caña Flecha or Gynenum Sagithatum is a natural fiber that grows in humid zones of Sucre and Cordoba. It is used for intricate weaving by the Zenú community. Besides using it for artisanal pieces, they also use it to construct their homes and fishing nets.

Artisans “prepare” the fiber by recollecting it and cutting off the Caña Flecha leaves, as they only need the “nepa” – a part of the fiber that is used during the weaving process.

This is followed by the “raspado”, which consists of placing the nepa over the leg to scrape it with a special knife that smoothens the vain of the leaf. Artisans sun-dry it for approximately four days, achieving a natural, off-white hue. Once the nepas are dry, the fibers are separated from light to dark and divided with a knife into six or eight strips.

The fiber can be dyed to reinforce its natural colors by cooking the fiber for an hour with water, lemon, and baking soda. There are a variety of different threadings made with this Caña Flecha, including tejido plano, tejido con textura, and tejido M.