In the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, as in most of the Mayan world, the hammock is as common as a thatched roof, and far more useful than a bed: it can be easily moved, carried, taken on holiday or stored.
And because hammocks take up so little space, they can be hung in a living room in the evening for sleeping.
In this way, Mexican families in the Yucatan have lived for hundreds of years, working, living and eating outside during the day and using their living rooms for shelter and sleeping at night.
In many of the Mexican villages where our hammocks are hand made, families take to their hammocks at nightfall. Conversation, not the TV or radio is their entertainment before sleeping.
The Mexican hammock is no novelty item
While a tourist may see these bright and useful handmade hammocks a novelty, here in the Yucatan they are a way of life: a hammock means relaxation and a social connection.
The hammock can be put up and taken down in seconds, and the fittings we provide are easily installed for that purpose. The hammock does away with the need for beds, freeing up every room in the house for daytime duty.
In this world of extended families, guests and sleepovers, where domestic space is at a premium, the hammock is an advantage indeed.
The hammock is easy to carry, easy to store, easy to install and the coolest way to sleep in hot weather – and you have the perfect gift for yourself, friend or loved one.
So traditional and widespread is the hammock – even in current modern times – that hammock fixtures are cemented into walls in most Yucatan houses as they are built, as part of their regular features. The hammock fixtures, fittings and ropes are supplied by us free of charge.
How Mexican hammocks are made
The hammock was brought to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula from the Antilles in the 19th century. Little has changes since then – hammock production was, and continues to be, a cottage industry throughout the Mayan Yucatan. Entire families participate, using long, wooden looms. So artisans come in all ages and both genders.
Although Mexican hammocks are more popular today then ever, there are few, if any, factories making hammocks in the Yucatan. This is because orders fluctuate according to demand from visitors, tourists and other buyers and it would not be financially worthwhile to have a factory stand idle during the quiet months. All our hammocks are, therefore, handmade from raw cotton.
The Mexican hammock offers two important benefits
The Mexican hammock you’ll find on this site are different from hammocks from other countries. They are made from strong cotton thread with no wooden end bars. You simply lie diagonally across the hammock for maximum support and relaxation. At each end of the hammock are nylon support ropes for maximum strength. Most hammocks sold are made from cotton and nylon in this way, as they offer the three most important benefits: strength, coolness and comfort.
Merida is a beautiful town on the Caribbian coast of Mexico, around four hours west of Cancun* by bus.
The origin of Mexican and Mayan hammocks
In Mexico, hammocks are made in villages surrounding the capital city of the Yucatán, Mérida, and are sold throughout the world as well as locally. The hammock is said to have arrived in the Yucatán from the Caribbean around two centuries before the Spanish conquest.
In addition to bark and sisal, hammocks were constructed from various materials. Quality of native and modern hammocks depends greatly on the quality of the material, thread, and the number of threads used. Mayan hammocks are made on a loom and are hand woven by men, women and children. Hammocks are so symbolically and culturally important for the Yucatecans that even the most humble of homes have hammock hooks in the walls; a family home may have multiple hammocks strung across the main room, for use as seating, as beds, or as sleep-swings for infants.
Setting up your Mayan hammock
The way in which your Mayan hammock is hung is critical for comfort. Generally, a higher attachment point is preferred as well as sufficient length between points, though these two dimensions can be adjusted to compensate for a lack in one or the other. The optimal angle of the attaching lines to the post / wall / tree is usually about 30 degrees.
Though one can lie in a hammock lengthwise or across its width, these hammocks are best used with a diagonal position, as it provides the most room and support. Users with back and joint pains often report some relief from these problems when sleeping in a hammock in this manner
Peter Hobday
Mayan Hammocks
*You have probably heard of Cancun! Cancun is a busy Mexican town full of tourist shops and small hotels. The famous ‘Hotel zone’ is five kilometers from Cancun and is why Cancun is famous: the Hotel zone is a major holiday destination for Americans every Spring Break and summer. We stay in Cancun town on the way to Merida as Cancun has the region’s main airport. Once you are out of Cancun, prices drop significantly.
