The National Secretariat of Culture (SNC) and the Paraguayan Institute of Crafts (IPA) announced the extension of the registration period for the Mastery Competition in Making the Body of the Poncho Para’i de 60 Listas. Interested master artisans can register until Sunday, May 25, while the in-person competition has been postponed to Tuesday, May 27.
The initiative, carried out in partnership with the Pussineri Foundation and the Municipality of Piribebuy, with support from UNESCO, is part of the National Safeguard Plan for this emblematic piece. The manufacturing technique was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023 and included on the urgent safeguarding list due to its uniqueness: unlike other Latin American ponchos made on treadle or mechanical looms, the para’i is born from the backstrap loom. In this process, the artisan acts as a living extension of the fabric, using their own body weight to support and apply tension to the threads, guiding each fiber with their fingers, without intervention from external processes.
The call is aimed at weavers over 18 years of age who reside in Piribebuy — the birthplace of this textile piece — and hold a valid artisan registration. The full call for entries is available at https://bit.ly/byc-poncho-60-listas, and online registration forms are received at https://bit.ly/postulacion-poncho-60-listas.
Fifteen Minutes to Demonstrate Skill
The in-person competition will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Demetrio Ortiz Cultural Center in the María Auxiliadora neighborhood. The contest will test speed, technical perfection, and absolute respect for tradition in a live demonstration. Each participant will work individually on their own backstrap loom, with the warp previously set up, having a strict time limit of fifteen minutes to obtain the greatest possible amount of centimeters of fabric.
A panel of expert judges will thoroughly evaluate mastery of the technical elements of the loom (such as heddles, sticks, batten, and shuttle), the regularity of the weave, and the tension and compaction of the fiber. The three highest scores will receive cultural recognition and economic incentive: USD 644 for first place, USD 460 for second, and USD 276 for third.