Madeira wickerwork became an icon of the crafts produced in this Atlantic archipelago. It is an artistic work carried out with great skill and an excellent raw material. As such, its value is, nowadays, recognised at regional and national level, but also internationally.
Madeira wicker has its origins in Camacha, a parish situated in the hinterland of the municipality of Santa Cruz. The Camacha area, due to its altitude, has land with plenty of water, an important condition for the growth of wicker trees. The abundance of these trees made it possible to develop this craft production in the region.
The value of these handmade objects lies also in the long raw material treatment process. After being harvested, the wicker has to be cut, peeled and dried. The canes are boiled, which gives them the necessary elasticity to be handled more easily. It is this process that gives them the brownish colour that we can see in the finished product, instead of the original white.
