Esparto teachers

My teachers

The latest update to this page is "Los maestros" el miércoles, 07 de enero de 2009

From this site I express my gratitude to those people that have taught me. It is true that in every tradition is a transmition that has place in the colective unconscious, but frecuently this present wisdom has names and surnames. So, this are my teachers faces Pedro, Antonio, Paco, Eloy, Paco "el del Collao", Custodio and the "tío Pepe Caramelo" that have given me their knowlege and with it their wisdom.

     This website wants to remember to Pedro Ortiz Mármol because he was who taught me rudimentary knowledge to do the "pleita". With only 7 or 8 years old, when his hands weren't big enough to reach the strands, he started to work with esparto. And, of course my great teacher, Antonio (nicknamed "Antonio de Capel") who doesn't know him in Campo de San Juan! Who doesn't know about him following his course in the way of life? His clues? "capazos" (big baskets), "paneras" (breadbaskets), "barjas" (bags to take lunch), mats, "baleos" (to lay the hot pan) and his kind spirit. In my soul he leaves other print, deeper from the so many meetings that life has concede me with him. There is left the present of his permanent patience, his unbreakable thorough. Thank you for the present, Antonio.
      It will be difficult for me to forget Manolo (nicknamed "Manolo el Ventero") in Bullas. A very short meeting when he taught me to do "meloneros" (esparto bag for one melon) and transmited me a particular task that I thought it was lost: the 8 strands string. Juan, "El Sargento" also from Bullas, he helped me to finish the "cordelillo" (task similar as when working wicker) that Miguel taught me in El Esparragal. Margarita from Abanilla, who taught me the beginning and end of "cofín" (the plait for "cachuleros"). When I met "Quico" from Archena, he taught me to plait the "recinchillo" (task of 5 or 7 strands) "the other way round" to plait a job similar to "cahulero" (for snails).

     Also it is part of my "heritage" as craftsman what I learned when I met Paco from Jumilla. He taught me the "beehive plait" and also to sew the "barja" hidding the point. This has allowed me to the meeting Pedro José from Letur (Albacete) was very pleasant and full of teachings. He has taught me some details that only "the elders" in a place know, like Paco from Jumilla, and only they have the right to give it, if they want, because this way has decided "the school of life". Thanks to him I know the "garibola" job (to keep ferrets) and something more about "soplillos" (fan for fire) and beehive job.
     With Paco I could see other method to combine the pleita strands to make other drawings in the plait.
     Thank you for being there Paco, in Cañadas de Romero - Mazarrón-.
There is always some work that seems to be lost in time and space. But well, in some moment comes the opportunity and it appears on my way. I thank Custodio's presence -Elche de la Sierra / Albacete- in my life; with him I have taught to plait "recinchillo" in a clean and fine way.

esparte:
Esparto, natural fibre, wild and "craft", the craft making, the craft of living lyfe harmoniously.

   Pedro is a villager in the Lorca region. Although he is young he likes very much doing old craftsmanship. Doing esparto pieces was a necessity of everyday life.
   Also, we can say that this not always gives him good memories. His childhood passed fast due to familiar necessities. With only 7 years old he walked with his goats in front of him. Shepherd for many years at the same time that he took care of the animals he made strings to lace the pigs (although very soon these strings were eaten for the pigs), the "recinchos" of beasts of burden that were damaged, the "pleitas" of spoiled "capazos" due to the hard work with potatoes, dung, soil, etc... and the "aguaeras" (pitchers to get everyday water). When the school? When he grew older, at nights in the teacher's home named Calleja, when all was ready at home and night invited everybody to rest.
   Then, by the oil lamp he was beginning to learn the "a", "m"... and not in neat notebooks. Studying the lessons that his father gave him, Pedro did this in the "algarroba" chocolate wrapper that they ate; there he remembered how each letter was written and this was his training.

   Pedro is an important person between the last villagers of older days and the first generations at now. Passionate person in learning he has become in an expert on every plant of the area and also in minerals in Murcia Region.
   Pedro is also a great folklorist around neibourghood villages. And, by the way, he has the orchard in front his house.
   Pedro is my first teacher and his teachings are unforgetable to me.
   I began in 1990 while walking into the forest (Sierra de Yegua Blanca). Since then, my relationship with him has been very affectionate.
   Thank you Pedro for that patience and every attention of yours when we plaited the carafes then.
   I thank you for your person and your work and perhaps it is possible that this craftsmanship so unique and lasting in our Murcia Region keeps still alive.

   What more can be said of Antonio's person that his presence doesn't?
Truly I was very lucky to meet Antonio. They are people from "other world". What a little they know of internet or mobile phones! Why so much if some times this things brings us so little warm to our spirit? Why so much if this things dry what it is truly important? Antonio doesn't need any mobile phone to comunicate himself. His presence is a comunication itself.
   It is not only esparto craftsmanship what Antonio does; it is life craftsmanship what I have learnt from him. Esparto is only an excuse in his life to give all of himself to love simplicity and silence.
   Antonio is not able anymore to do esparto handicrafts that have accompanied him in his life, but, all the same!. Now he is learning to live on silence and quietness (we have to do some work still!). Antonio, you are far from us in fineness, as when in your times you did your everyday esparto pieces, so well done and cared.
   His hands can't work like before and this is hard for him. I won't forget the last day Antonio could take the "esparticos" (little esparto grass) to teach me once again. And it is harder for us than for you because we can't see your calm and small hands.
   It was a musical time for me to see you working and how I remember those moments!
   I have all this happiness by chance, like all real presents, when I met him in spring 1997. It was in "Campo de San Juan" (Murcia Northwestern region) where he has always lived. Since then, my relationship with him has been very affeccionate until today when he is 93 years old.
   He is small but his spirit is big. In his conversation you can find a great deal of simplicity. He is a true person and straightforward like his very presence. He is a country man in all senses; he was the one that did one's hair among his neigbourghood and tried to help always.
   I wish your presence, Antonio, helps us to make this world a bit better in humanity!
   Thank you for the meeting with you, Antonio.

   Today, like every day I have began to weave the "pleita". I did it like you taught me Antonio. I remembered those days when your life and your messages came to me without words, like a simple and honest life is woven. You were a quiet person, only the neccesary for me to learn what I needed. Everything else was more than enough, what good school in delicacy and patience with you Antonio!
   Something then said to me that I was with a very high quality person. My mind will never understand well that day when a small peasant, confered me a degree upon plaiting esparto grass. I remembered today like if it was yesterday when you told me: "You don't have to learn here anything else". Mind doesn't understand but heart does. What greatness has Life and how to see you only have to look with heart! An uneducated man gives the authority to other with "studies and this things". I don't know if I will find myself in a similar situation but I find it hard to believe it Antonio.
   Your life has been a Grace Antonio. I thank God for the blessing I have had with you and that I will continue receiving it undoubtly.
   Today I live loneliness and responsability. Loneliness of your hand that I can't touch yet and responsability to get only half of your human quality, natural and small as you were. But I know that I keep the best thing: your good and pure spirit.
   Always in my soul, Antonio. [† March 29th 2007]
                                                                                                      Jesús María.

   Paco is a good man. Life and Jumilla soil have made him, along with his wife Pilar. After being all his life working in the fields as shepherd and farmer, when he retired at 65 years old he decided to do something with esparto he knew of. And everything because he resisted Time past over him. Surely he thought: "Now it is me who decide what I do", and so he put hands to work.
   After being with him for a first day, I don't know if he knows more about esparto or about Life. He has in his bones the fields, the mountains, the esparto itself. He has his roots in the soil, as the pine tree of his house. He is a peasant of mark. "I don't know how we have let this lost. It was our life and it kept away hunger from us. With esparto we could eat every day". "We have to think about what we are doing".
   Esparto sandals, baskets, ropes, carafes, "serones" (big baskets to transport soil, dung, etc...), "aguaderas" (structures to transport pitchers with water), mats, "barjas" (special bags), even clothes. Carts, in cold weather were materially wrapped in esparto, this around the box were people sitted. Esparto was all, "it protected us from hunger and cold".
   After the every day work, with the light of an oil lamp (before) and with a gas light (after) damaged pieces were finished during the day and the necessary ones for tomorrow. At the same time, in the shadows of night human relationships were shaped by the fireside.
   Reading friend, you are not in a novel, you are in the depths of one person among people that have lived this and bear witness to what they transmit.

These are some of the beautiful pieces Paco plaits by the fireside still or in that "History corner" were we see him now.

   Life has always something ineffable and Misterious. The meeting with Eloy confirms this mistical idea that is in my soul when «being passing through» after so many dawnings and moons. Finding people like Eloy and Adolfina remembers one (and once again) that freshness of a free human spirit. And free because decides to be good for pure Grace and freedom. Although they live in "Cuevas del Ciego" [Gor-Granada] and Eloy himself has lost an eye for retina loosening, his look is pure and long. They know how to look with the eyes of heart. The goodness in their words and gestures is a startling event. «I have always liked to help; I am here to do what I can...»
   I arrived midmorning in one May 16th; his calm appereance and the rythm in his walking already have a premonition of something great.
   Adolfina was always by his side, paying attention to whatever was necessary. Very soon we started talking the same language, me, that is clear, like the apprentice of "pleita" and Life; I wish I could get only half of his human height, Lord!
   To my question about if they have always lived in the cave, I couldn't ask more aclarations; very soon, eyes and faces answered, even before than mouth (opposite me Dersu Uzala's pure and clear image): "Thanks to God, I have always loved people, they have always loved me, here I have my soil, my animals, my people... I have everything and I don't need anything else..."
   Lastly I had the happiness to learn one beginning in "pleita" that distils more than beauty. Distils harmony and rural delicacy, an entire design and aesthetical lesson, exquisite made. Even more, I also could learn to weave a 35 strands "pleita" with a clean facture with art and intelligent architecture together, undoubtly, a way of doing truly born in the soil Eloy walks on. Soil that seduces and feeds his pure and generous soul. Soil that is... "The Present". Thank you Eloy for your wisdom, your patience and your luminous looking.

   The place "El Collao" (in "Las Cañadas de Romero" - Mazarrón) saw Paco's birth in 1926. He is born from soil and for soil. Since then, he started to weave slings to lead the sheeps when they distracted . Agriculture has been his teacher; he has dedicated a lot of great efforts and worries to it.
   As time went by was necessary to weave "uncieras" (esparto work used to avoid injures to oxes), "cejás" (a piece of esparto used to hold burdens to animals), reins, "aguaderas" (to take pitchers with water), baskets, carafes and every kind of tools used in agriculture work.
   When his laboral age seemed to take stock is then when his craft, slept by other circunstances, starts awakening. It is now, with more time, when his capacity in creative work starts on and he weaves, almost without resting, his favourite esparto work: "pleita". And without pretending it, he becomes a legend: "The marquis of pleita".
   And again Life amazes me with such generous souls as Paco and Josefa; "In case you didn't know and for what you need, bear in mind that you have found here a family". This is not habitual. Paco and Josefa seem to be from other far century than XXI. At the beginning, their welcoming startled me. But, in spite of this initial doubts, the following hours cleared it to me. In some moments I didn't know if I was teacher or pupil. Paco's humility was amazingly quite. He seemed to be always in the edge, like if the pieces of esparto that he showed (which have damaged his fingers) were not his. And yes, Paco is other present from Heaven. It is a grace to have the joy to be with him trough such a deep day, which was little. Thank you for your person and your generous soul, Paco. It is so nice to have met you.

   Thanks to Life again for such a present in Custodio and Maria persons. Again I find by the edge of the path with two good and necessary persons. We met in Elche de la Sierra -Albacete- and the day was intimate. These are not hollow words and deeds show it: meal for two became meal for five. Being not pretentious but adjusting us to reality, the miracle of the real meeting was there; neither do we employed or did anything magical. Meal was simple and from the soil like the esparto itself, rude and rustic, that gathered us. Perhaps because esparto offers gathering, gives warm, joins and tacks from the silence, souls anchored in the depth of soil. Every day I experience more and more that with esparto I am plaiting my soul in the meeting with people like Custodio and María.
   Custodio passed 70 years old time ago but he is willing to "continue learning" according to his words. We are the once that have to learn enough, Custodio! Still you have to teach us a lot -and not about esparto-. Now you are only a few left to teach about goodnes, simplicity, honesty...
   Lastly, this is so and there is not much to add except Custodio is also a master with "recinchillo". It is amazing the exquisite and delicacy Custodio plaits this work; very few people keep and do it.
   Thank you Custodio for being there. Thank you María for being by his side supporting and favouring this treasure you keep maintains itself alive in the esparto craftsman tradition.

I have to do a short mention to "tío Pepe Caramelo". He lives in "Ribera Alta del Júcar - Valencia". When he started his retirement and after 40 years without doing esparto, he decided to start again and come back to do esparto sandals. He has remembered me how to adjust the sole ("tajar") and how to put "clavos" (stiches to hold the "esparteña" sole). It is very interesting the tools he uses to do the "caras" (front area in esparto sandals) and "talonera" that holds heels, logically. Is such his passion that, even without knowing me, on the second day he gave me as a present those tools and a rule to meter according to the size of each person. Thank you "tío Pepe".