The Colombian Acapulco Chair
Tucurinca's latest design, the Suprema.
Rafael Zúñiga returned to his hometown of Santa Marta with a mission: to rescue the inherent weaving tradition of the region, made vulnerable to decades of armed conflict and agricultural substitutes.
His Tucurinca brand is a rebirth of the classic “mecedera costeña,” or coastal rocking chair, and a tribute to the coast and its people, particularly of the banana-producing Magdalena region bordering the Caribbean, one that inspired Colombian Nobel Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ novels in magical realism.
"Only Colombian ingenuity could conceive of of derivatives of palm leaves and banana crops as materials for the creation of seats and rocking chairs." - Rafael Zúñiga, Creative Director of Tucurinca
Zúñiga’s furniture is crafted from “zuncho,” (metal), plastic and rope, materials derived from the palm leaves and banana crops of the region. Each of his products feature a steel frame and woven PVC plastic cords in colors that transmit the joy and energy of the Caribbean experience. tucurinca.com.co
A group of approximately 15 artisans were trained with Zúñiga and now work with him in at Tucurinca.
What is perhaps most extraordinary about Zúñiga’s endeavor is that it is an inclusive one, taking local artisans with no previous weaving experience but with a tradition of artisanal practices in their blood, and teaching them the art of weaving, an initiative that empowers them while strengthening the local culture and generating employment. All products are crafted in the Tucurinca studio by local weavers, welders and designers. tucurinca.com.co