Saint Lucia · Reed, grass, and palm-leaf plaiting and weaving

Choiseul Larouma and Screw Pine Straw Craft

Vannerie

The rainforest-harvesting and weaving of larouma reed, khus khus grass, screw pine (pandanus), and sisal into hats, baskets, mats, trays, placemats, purses, and bags — Saint Lucia's other core traditional craft alongside Amerindian-heritage pottery, both concentrated in the southwest community of Choiseul. Practitioners venture into the rainforest to hand-select blades of grass and leaves specifically for strength and flexibility before cleaning, drying, and weaving, plaiting, and sewing them into finished goods, often finished with madras fabric and embroidery on bags and purses — a distinctive combination of plant-fiber structure and textile decoration.

Risk level: Vulnerable · Not Applicable — no UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inscription exists for this craft at time of writing

Alternate Names
Screwpine weaving; larouma weaving
Geographic Center
Choiseul, southwest Saint Lucia, with the Choiseul Arts and Craft Center in La Farge as the primary organized point of sale and exhibition
Community / Ethnic Group
Saint Lucian community
Estimated Origin
Documented as a long-standing traditional craft in smaller communities, particularly Choiseul, historically popular and continuing to provide income for craft workers; specific dating was not identified in available sources beyond the general 'traditional' framing common to Saint Lucia's Choiseul craft cluster
Cultural Function
One of Saint Lucia's core traditional craft pillars (alongside pottery, wood carving, and furniture-making), sustaining Choiseul's identity as the island's strongest concentration of surviving handmade craftsmanship; functions as both a practical household craft and a significant source of income for the community
Primary Materials
Larouma reed, khus khus grass, screw pine (pandanus), and sisal — a range of distinct plant-fiber materials each suited to different finished-product types
Primary Tools
Hands, for selecting, cleaning, and weaving/plaiting the prepared fiber materials
Process Overview
Larouma reed, khus khus grass, screw pine, and sisal are hand-harvested from the rainforest — with artisans selecting individual blades and leaves specifically for strength and flexibility — then cleaned, dried, and woven, plaited, and sewn into hats, baskets, mats, trays, placemats, purses, and bags, the latter often finished with madras fabric and embroidery.
Traditional Applications
Household items — mats, baskets, trays, placemats — and personal accessories including hats, purses, and bags
Contemporary Applications
Continued production for both practical household use and craft-tourism retail sale; a documented, ongoing source of income for Choiseul craft workers
Notable Practitioners
Named individual contemporary straw artisans were not identified in available sources at time of writing; the Choiseul Arts and Craft Center is documented as able to provide contact information for the community's straw artisans upon inquiry
Key References
BelleCarib, 'Top 5 Arts & Crafts Products to Buy in St. Lucia'; Tihara Smith, 'Traditional St Lucia Crafts in Choiseul'; Island Effect, 'Saint Lucia's Traditional Crafts Of Choiseul'; Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, 'Art & Heritage Tours'
Verification Status
Desk-Researched — Needs Practitioner Verification

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