Crafts

Regarding local crafts, the ones related to food have endured the passing of time, from the artisan-made cold cuts elaborated at the local butcher shops, to the sweets prepared at our traditional bakeries. Artisan and organic honey and olive oil are also produced in Serra. Since 2004, the Calderona Fair takes place around the first Sunday of June. It is a fair dedicated to promoting the typical products and traditional trades of the area.

Esparto-related crafts, which were deeply rooted in the community, have now disappeared completely. But esparto grass used to grow on this land and proof of it are the popular sayings that remain in use today, such a “Quan s’emboira la Gorrisa, pica espart i a la pallissa” or “Quan s’emboira el Castell, agarra espart i fes cordell” (both of them mean “When it gets cloudy around here, it’s time to pick the esparto fibbers and start working with them”).

These sayings show the importance that two traditions trades linked to the mountains used to have: the esparters (workers of the esparto grass) and the cistellers (basket makers). The aixereta was a traditional technique to create plaited, wide, flat cords. These cords were then used to make sandals, baskets and mats. In those days, in Summer afternoons, it was very common to see women sitting at their own doorsteps, waving this humble but versatile material. During the harsh post-war period, these fibbers served as payment in kind for traders, in exchange of food and necessity goods. On the other hands, cistellers would transform the raw material into baskets and other useful things: cords, sandals, mats… They used to make also baskets prepared for the trade of water, which was carried out by aiguaders.