Way out west near the city of Aguadilla (and a two-hour drive from San Juan), the good-size town of Moca (pop. 38,000), founded in 1772, enjoys a unique status in Puerto Rico: it´s the island´s capital of mundillo, intricate cotton bobbin lace brought over from Spain centuries ago, still laboriously woven by hand, and used to adorn all manner of textile items, from handkerchiefs and shirts to tablecloths. (Bobbins are small wooden spindles around which the cotton thread is wound, and the word mundillo itself, meaning “little world”, refers to the special cylindrical pillow on which the lace is woven.)
Not so long ago in danger of disappearing due to increasing industrial lace production, this singular craft was in recent years saved, protected, and even helped to thrive by a number of passionate locals along with the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. And these days visitors can come out to Moca to browse scores of lace products in its markets; witness them being woven in various studios; and delve into its history and traditions at a modest little museum, the Museo del Mundillo.
Furthermore, if you can get out here in November, Moca celebrates the Mundillo Festival, which in addition to a plethora of lace displays, fashion shows, and weaving demonstrations also includes plenty of live music and traditional Puerto Rican fare.
Read more in our post Bobbin´ for Lace (and More) in Western Puerto Rico.
Comments