This will not be a 'how-to' on weaving a Mayan hammock from start to finish... that would just be too complicated. Instead, we'd love to share with you what we personally know about where Mayan hammocks come from and try to shine a light on the real weavers themselves. 

In the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, it is extremely common to see 'hamacas' (hammocks in Spanish) hanging in the average bedroom. In fact, most bedrooms have hooks built into the cement walls on which you hang your hammock (these are called 'hamaqueros').

We (the Maca brothers) would sleep in hammocks every night when visiting our mom's side of the family during our summers in Campeche. We personally know how amazing they are. 

Most of these hammocks are woven in small rural Mayan villages in the states of Campeche and Yucatan. If you start driving down any backroad long enough, you'll eventually start passing through small rural villages. 

For whatever reason, the world thinks the Mayan people disappeared in some kind of mysterious catastrophic event but the reality is the Mayan people are very much alive. Many of the people that live in these villages are direct descendants of the Mayan people and still to this day the Mayan language dominates many of these small rural villages (although its being taught less and less in schools to the next generations). 

On your road trip through one of these villages, it's almost guaranteed you'd pass by a home with a standing 'loom' in the front with a partially finished woven hammock wrapped around it. A 'loom' is a simple structure on which you weave the hammock. In most circumstances the loom is handmade of 4 cut trees (two vertical posts and two cross beams).

The weavers are typically older woman sometimes dressed in a traditional flowy embroidered dress (perfect for the heavy Mexican heat). They use a traditional weave pattern to create a magical cradle that form-fits your body. By alternating colors throughout the weave, they can create some vibrant masterpieces.

It can take up to 15 days to finish 1 single hammock! Here is a snapshot of one woman weaving away. Notice the speed and that she doesn't even need to look at her hands. Thats true muscle memory. 

If you are serious about learning how to actually make a Mayan Hammock, we found this amazing video by Derek Hansen from The Ultimate Hang.  

Or, you can support these woman directly and check out a Maca hammock. Here is our best seller.