Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Miriti (Buriti) III

My favorite snake is Cobrinha and she's made of miriti (Mauritia flexuosa) palm wood. It's the lightest wood I've seen here in the Amazon. I don't know how it compares to balsa wood but I've seen craftsmen using kitchen knifes to carve it into boats like the one I showed in yesterday's post. Cobrinha has some very special features in terms of craftsmanship. All seven segments are united by the natural fibers of the palm, as opposed to wires or strings, and they articulate much like a real snake. She lives in the reception center of Bosque Santa Lúcia, along with four other snakes.

No comments: