The woven straw hat from Catacaos, a district located in the Piura region in northern Peru, is one of the most outstanding expressions of Peru’s intangible cultural heritage. Its craftsmanship, passed down from generation to generation within Catacaos families, represents a highly specialized technical knowledge that no industrial process has been able to replicate faithfully. Fine weaving, the most complex form of this tradition, can require weeks of continuous work to produce a single piece, highlighting the value of the human time invested in its creation.
The history of this hat is deeply rooted in the collective identity of Catacaos. Since the early years of the Spanish Conquest, the community gradually developed a hat-making culture that eventually became the backbone of local commerce. Family workshops, although independent from one another, formed a production and marketing network that shaped the social and economic life of the town. This tradition allowed Catacaos to extend its presence beyond regional borders, becoming an artisanal benchmark with national and international recognition, with a notable presence in fairs and markets throughout Peru and abroad.
The cultural value of the Catacaos hat goes far beyond its economic significance. As UNESCO acknowledges in its definition of Intangible Cultural Heritage, this type of craftsmanship embodies human creativity, technical knowledge accumulated over centuries, and the community identity of a people. The hat is not merely a functional object: it is a symbol of belonging, a marker of social status in rural and urban communities of northern Peru, and a unique aesthetic expression that has adapted to different historical contexts without losing its essence.
04-29-2026
| Institutional and human capacities | Juana Solano Chávez is a cultural bearer, community leader, and promoter of intangible cultural heritage within her community. She has extensive experience in preserving the traditional weaving of straw hats, a skill she learned empirically from the age of 12 and has perfected throughout her life. She has been recognized as an “Amauta of Peruvian Handicrafts,” a distinction that validates her expertise, leadership, and commitment to the transmission of traditional knowledge. In addition, she has demonstrated strong organizational skills by founding the Virgen del Pilar Association, establishing a collective space for learning and strengthening artisanal capacities. | |
| Transmission and education | Her educational work is based on a practical and intergenerational approach under the “learning by doing” method. She has trained a significant number of people, transmitting knowledge that ranges from the selection of raw materials to the final finishing of the product. Her teaching focuses not only on technical skills, but also on the transmission of cultural values, identity, and a sense of belonging. She has conducted training programs in coordination with municipalities such as Cura Mori and La Arena, as well as with institutions such as IDESI and the NGO Aportes, focusing mainly on young people to ensure the continuity of the tradition. | |
| Inventorying and research | Juana Solano Chávez’s career is supported by continuous documentation from 2008 to the present, including records of participation in fairs, cultural events, training programs, and press clippings. These materials represent an important contribution to the recording and documentation of intangible cultural heritage linked to straw weaving. Her empirical experience also serves as a living source of traditional knowledge, contributing to the preservation of specialized techniques such as fine weaving. | |
| Policies as well as legal and administrative measures | In the administrative sphere, this heritage has been officially recognized as Cultural Heritage of the Nation through Vice-Ministerial Resolution No. 059-2017-VMPCIC-MC, and is also supported by Law No. 29073, which promotes formalization through the National Artisan Registry (RNA) and provides access to training programs and marketing opportunities promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Piura. Likewise, my professional career has been recognized through Ministerial Resolution No. 073-2022-MINCETUR, which certifies me as an “Amauta of Peruvian Handicrafts,” and through Ministerial Resolution No. 079-2025-MIMP, which grants me the “Order of Merit for Women,” strengthening the safeguarding, appreciation, and sustainable transmission of this traditional knowledge. | |
| Role of intangible cultural heritage and its safeguarding in society | Juana Solano Chávez’s work plays a fundamental role in preserving the cultural identity of her community. The weaving of straw hats is not only an economic activity, but also a cultural expression that reflects history, tradition, and ancestral knowledge. Her work helps keep this practice alive in the face of social changes and the decline of its traditional use, strengthening local identity and promoting the recognition of this heritage as a key element for cultural development. | |
| Awareness raising | She has actively participated in fairs, cultural events, and outreach spaces that help highlight the value of traditional weaving. Her work has been documented in media coverage and press records, contributing to raising public awareness about the importance of preserving these practices. Through her activities, she promotes social recognition of intangible cultural heritage and its value in contemporary society. | |
| Engagement of communities, groups and individuals as well as other stakeholders | Her work is characterized by a strong community-based approach. Through the Virgen del Pilar Association, she has encouraged the participation of dozens of artisans, fostering collective work, knowledge exchange, and the strengthening of the artisan community. She has also coordinated efforts with municipalities, organizations, and NGOs, bringing together various stakeholders in the safeguarding of cultural heritage. | |
| International engagement | Her application to the 2026 Jeonju International Awards demonstrates her international projection and her interest in representing Peru’s intangible cultural heritage in global spaces. Her career and recognition position her as a representative of traditional knowledge who can contribute to cultural exchange and to the international appreciation of Peruvian craftsmanship. | |
| References | 1. National Heritage Resolution: Vice-Ministerial Resolution No. 033-2013-VMPCIC-MC, which declares the Catacaos straw hat as Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
2. Ministerial Resolution “Amauta of Peruvian Handicrafts”: Ministerial Resolution No. 073-2022-MINCETUR, which declares Mrs. Juana Solano Chávez as an “Amauta of Peruvian Handicrafts,” strengthening the safeguarding and transmission of this traditional knowledge. 3. Ministerial Resolution “Order of Merit for Women”: Ministerial Resolution No. 079-2025-MIMP, issued by the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations, which grants Mrs. Juana Solano Chávez the “Order of Merit for Women.” Enlace: https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/7725292/6534641-rm-n-079-2025-mimp.pdf?v=1741186226 |
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