Coyolar: Basketry and Hacienda History

Basketry in Coyolar

In Coyolar, the basketry of Rosibel Montero Badilla is a tangible cultural reference point. The basket maker from Coyolar de Orotina in Alajuela makes her handicrafts from bejuco. Together with her husband, she obtains bejuco from the mountains and from a farm in the community of Coyolar. This makes the person, material, and place of origin tangible aspects of the craft. If you take local handicraft practices into account when choosing a destination, basketry offers a specific cultural point of reference.

Rosibel Montero Badilla and her husband also prepare the raw material for their baskets. This step of the work shifts the focus to production before the finished item and complements the perspective on the handicrafts with the work involved in handling the raw material. This brings the preparatory tasks into view alongside the finished goods.

Uses and Passing on the Craft

In the community of Coyolar, basketry items are used as decorations as well as flowerpots, purses, egg holders, and fruit bowls. Decorative and practical uses sit side by side, and the items also differ according to their purpose. For travelers interested in local crafts, this range makes the cultural connection tangible: basketry encompasses both decorative work and objects for various uses.

Rosibel Montero Badilla taught her eldest daughter, Rosita, to weave baskets in order to pass on knowledge of the craft. This family tradition of passing on skills adds the question of how craft knowledge is taught to the perspectives on materials and uses. For travelers who want to understand cultural practices through the people involved as well, the mother-daughter relationship provides a specific perspective.

The Former Hacienda

The Casona La Gran Hacienda El Coyolar stands on the grounds of the former La Gran Hacienda del Coyolar. This hacienda comprised more than 50 farms and more than 20,000 hectares. It extended across the provinces of Puntarenas, Alajuela, and San José, and at one time was considered the largest latifundio and the largest hacienda in the country. The area of what is now Parque Nacional Carara was also part of the former hacienda’s territory. These details describe different dimensions: the number of farms conveys how the estate was structured, while its area and the provinces show its scale and reach. The historical perspective thus leads from the grounds of the Casona to an estate that extended across several provinces.

Two Perspectives on Coyolar

The geographical references also differ: Rosibel Montero Badilla is from Coyolar de Orotina, while the Casona is located within the community. In terms of subject matter, basketry leads to a specific craftswoman and the passing on of knowledge within her family; the history of the hacienda concerns the development of a large-scale estate. If you are considering Coyolar as a destination based on cultural or historical interests, these topics offer two distinct perspectives: a personal craft practice and a broad historical view.

Discover more destinations: San Antonio, Caño Negro, Grecia, San Mateo, Venado, Palma, Ánimas, Poasito

For the overview of the wider region: Alajuela.