THE CARRIEL JERICOANO

THE "CARRIEL"/ GUARNIEL

Artisanal handcraft 

The national icon  of the coffee farmer.

The “Carriel” a national icon of the native cowboy from Antioquia – COL , and the very distinguished element that holds in his arm the coffee farmer, being the most representative JUAN VALDEZ, is natural from JERICÓ, a little town inside the southwest region on the department of Antioquia where shares land with 24 more towns. Jericó was the seventh town to be build and has no more than 164 years from his discovery. From Medellin City (The most innovational city of the world in 2013) it is distant 104 kilometers that in time represents at least two and a half hours.  It´s altitude is 2000masl.  And is in this town where is manufactured the famous CARRIEL (GUARNIEL) and this thanks to the families that has shared the knowledge along the time.

The particular design of the CARRIEL, that originally was named GUARNIEL, was invented, that means that nothing is comparable with it in the whole world. His design is preserved until today completing more than a century of existence. (Exactly one hundred thirty years old) At the beginning its form was a half-moon form, the and thanks to Mr. Giraldo Uribe, who also is credited as the different Carriel`s packages designer was present in square form.

For that time the “bag” intended supply the space needing of the cowboy, so they will be able to carry all they needed inside only one bag; these autochthonous elements are identified like this: 

Picture of the bride, lowering rope for a surprise as the cattle from one place to another, a candle, a light bulb oil moves to illuminate the road at night, as a charm paw of a rabbit, a crucifix to ward off witches on the way, brandy, money. After this was used by the landlords of the area and eventually used as a luxury item (actually) and it is possible view an old one being carried for the grandparents that use it for useful purposes every day.

Previously the main skin used was from otter and ocelot. Actually it is only used de cow skin.

In the town of Jericó, you can also find the Aguedelo family, who has maintained the manufacturing tradition for more than 75 years.  Dario Agudelo and his sons have the actual direction in the workshops that keep this product as the main one in its offer. But not only them are still working on it, but also another artisanal hand that learned how to create one of this “bag” by the knowledge shared by this and other families before, what is sure is that only the town or someone that lives and grows up in Jericó, are only the ones able and talented to not to abandon this artisanal icon.

There are important characteristics to identify an authentic carriel, because it is manufactured around the country, it is important to know that the original one became from Jericó town or well made by native hands everywhere. 

 Text by Edward Alejandro Jaramillo
Photo by Federico Klinkert

Skype: edwardwagon
COL +57  3216123743